Thursday, May 9, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Flipboard magazines arrive with v2.0 update, we go hands-on

Posted: 09 May 2013 11:10 AM PDT

As mentioned earlier in the day, Flipboard v2.0 has come available for Android users. As such, we spent some hands-on time checkout out the new features. The key feature with this update was the magazine functionality and as a result that will be the first thing mentioned upon launch after updating. The Flipboard app, for those who missed the earlier post, will now allow you to create personalized magazines.

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Creating magazines is a fairly simple process. To get started you will need to do nothing more than tap the “+” icon to save stories. The very first time you save a story you will be asked to create the magazine. The creation process is simply listing a title and category and then optionally adding a description. The magazine creation process is also where you can choose to share it out or keep it private. Just to note, these magazines are set to public by default. Basically, once you find something you want to save (add to a magazine) you click that “+” icon.

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Once you have your first magazine created, subsequent clicks on a “+” icon will offer the option to save that item in an existing magazine or create a new magazine. Again, this is all a fairly easy process and the app walks you through the necessary steps. Perhaps key here, the magazines that you create will be available alongside your other subscribed content. In flipping through your available content, the magazines will be listed with the assigned title and the name of the author.

In addition to creating your own personalized magazine, Flipboard 2.0 also allows you to browse and subscribe to magazines from others. The magazines that you choose to subscribe to will also be listed alongside your other subscribed content. Again, just look for the magazine name and authors name.

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Anyway, those who prefer to do the browsing will be able to find shared magazines by tapping the red ribbon icon in the upper right hand corner. You can get a look at that icon in the top image here in this post. Lastly, magazines can be delete by tapping and holding and clicking the “x” icon.

All said and done, a solid update from Flipboard — it is just a shame that we had to wait so long to get it. Otherwise, Flipboard v2.0 for Android can be found in the Play Store using this link.

Huawei ‘Beauty’ event set for June 18 – world’s thinnest phone incoming

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:48 AM PDT

Today Huawei has just announced and begun sending out media invites for an upcoming beauty event taking place in London, where we expect them to showcase their latest and greatest smartphone for 2013. Stating that they’ll be celebrating beauty, glamour and inspiration on June 18th in the city that embodies them all – London. So what will we see? Read on to find out.

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Huawei has been rather quite the past few months after releasing that massive 6.1-inch Ascend Mate phablet back at CES. While we’ve seen plenty of rumors and leaked devices, nothing is set in stone. However, back in January reports surfaced about their own custom built 8-core Cortex-A15 processor to take on Qualcomm, and Samsung’s Octa-core chip and more. Could that be the beauty we’ll be seeing?

Chances are we won’t see Huawei’s new 8-core processor quite yet, but instead they’ll be announcing and showcasing what many have been referring to as the “world’s thinnest smartphone.” A title other Huawei phones have held in the past, only to quickly be beaten by other companies. This week we saw a look at their brushed metallic wrapped Huawei Ascend P6, which is the thin phone we’ve been waiting for.

Leaks have revealed a thin and all aluminum Huawei Honor 3, as well as that ultra-thin Ascend P6 smartphone, so either could be the star of the show here from Huawei. Showcasing their latest design, newest products and more all with sleek and ‘beautiful’ designs at a beauty show in London. Makes sense right?

If Huawei manages to pack an 8-core processor into the “world’s thinnest” phone, the Ascend P6, we’ll be surprised and that will surely be something worth mentioning. Stay tuned as we learn more details leading up to their event next month.

Facebook in talks with Waze for potential $1 billion acquisition

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:16 AM PDT

Facebook acquired Instagram back in April of 2012. While that acquisition started out with talks of $1 billion, it eventually dropped to $750 million. As of today however, it is looking like Facebook may be getting ready to make another $1 billion deal. The latest company is Waze and is it being reported the two companies are in “advanced talks.”

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The details are coming by way of Reuters who have said the talks began six months earlier and at present “due diligence is underway after a term sheet was signed.” As one often expects to hear in situations like this, neither Facebook or Waze have offered any comments on the situation.

For those unfamiliar with Waze, this is a navigation app. But unlike some of the others, Waze takes advantage of the social side. They tout themselves as being a “community-based mapping, traffic and navigation app” and offer features such as real-time road closure reporting and re-routing. While Waze has been around for a while now, they have tripled their user base over the course of the previous year bringing the user count up to 45 million.

Aside from Instagram, Facebook also shelled out some big bucks for Snaptu in 2011 ($70 million) and Face.com in 2012 ($60 million). That all being said, and speaking as an occasional Waze user, we can only hope that if this acquisition goes through — the service remains largely the same.

Samsung SideSync seamlessly blends your PC and Galaxy together

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Earlier this month we heard a few comments regarding Samsung SideSync with their Windows ATIV branding announcement, but today we’re now getting additional details. Samsung has introduced what they’re calling SideSync, which will allow your PC and Galaxy smartphone to work together as one. It doubles as a backup solution, and can you even use your keyboard and mouse on your phone.

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It’s called SideSync, and we’re still waiting for Samsung to reveal all of the details, but for now we have a neat little demo video giving us a small glance at what to expect from this new application. Using Samsung SideSync you can save and automatically backup pictures and more, or even go from working on a word document on your PC to instantly saving it on your phone with the slide of the mouse.

You can copy and paste text, documents, images and more and simply drag them to your Galaxy. Then of course we also have screen sharing, which only makes sense, and you can share your GALAXY S 4 display right on the PC. All of this works while the device gets juiced up and recharged. Here’s the demo released today.

Now there is a downside here. For now this works with Samsung PC’s only, which is a bad move if you ask us. Hopefully Samsung will release this for all Windows PC’s in the future. You’ll need the Samsung SideSync app (get it here) and be connected to a Samsung PC, which already has the program loaded up for ease of use. You’ll also need a Samsung account. So basically be in a Samsung world. It’s a great idea and we love the thought, but make it available for all please.

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[via SammyHub]

AT&T adds to the prepaid options with Aio Wireless

Posted: 09 May 2013 09:22 AM PDT

Coming off the recent rumors, AT&T has announced Aio Wireless. This will be a contract-free setup and they will be offering plans that include unlimited talk, text and data. Aio Wireless is a nationwide wireless service and the initial launch will have availability for those in Houston, Orlando and Tampa with more markets promised to arrive “over the next year.”

Logo_Chalboard

Aio Wireless plans are priced from $35 to $70 per month, however it was said these prices will vary by market. Looking at Tampa as an example, those users will have the option to choose the Aio Basic, Aio Smart or Aio Pro plan for $40, $55 or $70 per month respectively. The carrier also has a tablet plan available for $15 per month. The tablet plan includes 250MB of high-speed data.

Shifting over to the voice plans, the Aio Basic plan is only available for feature phone users. Stepping up to the Smart and Pro plans — both offer unlimited talk, messaging and data. The talk portion includes the basics such as voicemail, call waiting, call forwarding and 3-way calling and the messaging includes text, image and video. The big difference between the Smart and Pro plans is the amount of high-speed data you get with each. The Smart plan includes 2GB and the Pro plan includes 7GB.

As far as the devices go, at the moment Aio Wireless has a handful of smartphones and one tablet. The tablet is the ZTE Velox which has a 7-inch display, Jelly Bean and a price tag of $179.99. The smartphone lineup has a few Android handsets such as the Galaxy Express, Galaxy Amp and ZTE Prelude as well as a few non-Android devices such as the Nokia Lumia 620 and iPhone 4/4S. Of course, those with a compatible phone can also go the SIM-only route for $9.99.

[via PR Newswire]

Slacker Radio 4.0 update attracted 6 million new listeners

Posted: 09 May 2013 08:40 AM PDT

Slacker Radio rolled-out a redesign back in mid-February. The redesign touched on both the mobile and desktop sides and as anyone who was listening before and after will realize, there was plenty of changes in terms of looks and functionality. Anyway, while it has only been roughly three months since that update, it seems the folks at Slacker Radio have attracted plenty of new users.

slacker

In fact, details shared by the folks at Slacker show them as having added six million new users since the relaunch. Of those six million, 3.5 million of those are mobile listeners. Perhaps key for a service that plans to stick around for a while, Slacker also mentioned they are “gross margin positive on every listener.” The key to that, the positive margin is for paid subscribers as well as free listeners.

Other highlights shared by Slacker include how the average listening time has increased by 25 percent and how they have picked up more than 100,000 new paid subscribers since the relaunch. For those not as familiar with Slacker, aside from them being a streaming music service — they offer a few options for listeners to choose from. Slacker has an option to listen for free as well as two paid levels.

They claim to be the “most complete music service on Earth” which just speaks of the options listeners have available when it comes to how and what you listen to. Those listening for free can do so on the desktop or a mobile device, however the paid listeners will see additional features. In addition to radio-like streaming, Slacker also offers on-demand access. In total, Slacker has 13 million tracks in the library as well as channels for news, sports, talk radio and more.

[via Business Wire]

BlueStacks GamePop console to launch with subscription pricing

Posted: 09 May 2013 08:14 AM PDT

BlueStacks, the company currently known to offer users the ability to run Android apps on a Windows or Mac computer will soon be entering the hardware space. Not to mention, will soon be competing with the likes of OUYA and GameStick. As of this morning, BlueStacks has announced the GamePop game console, which will launch with subscription based pricing.

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The BlueStacks GamePop will be an Android-powered game system and it will offer the ability to play any and all games that you want. Well, for as long as you continue paying the monthly subscription fee anyway. At present the folks at BlueStacks have said they will have 500 of the “top mobile games” available. The console itself will be selling for $99.99 and the monthly subscription will be $6.99.

Those who get in early will get a deal though. If you pre-order during the month of May you will get the console for free. The one catch here, those moving forward with the pre-order will need to pay for a year long subscription. That means an initial layout of $93.83, which includes a $9.95 shipping fee for the console itself. The console will also ship with one controller.

BlueStacks hasn’t released a full game list just yet, however they have shared details on some developers. At present that list includes Glu, Halfbrick, Gameloft, Intellijoy and Deemedya. All said and done, this seems like an interesting approach. Of course, you would have to decide which would be better based on your personal use — paying a monthly subscription with an all-you-can-play setup or just shelling out for the individual games you really want. Lastly, at present BlueStacks has yet to reveal a shipping date.

[via SlashGear]

Flipboard for Android update brings magazine feature and more

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:45 AM PDT

Flipboard 2.0 was announced back at the end of March and to the disappointment of Android users, it was initially available only for iOS users. Android users were further teased at the end of April when Flipboard shared details about how well they were doing since the 2.0 app update. At that time they were talking about the record growth, however they did offer a bit of teasing for Android users saying Flipboard 2.0 would be available “very soon.”

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We suspect the definition of “very soon” will vary from person to person, however the good news is that the app is now available for download. The big new feature that comes along with this update is the magazine functionality. This basically means users will be able to create a personal magazine. These magazines can be kept private or shared with others and will allow you to collect and save items including articles and images as well as audio and video and then organize that content into magazine form.

Other changes and additions with this update include the ability to login using your Facebook account, content from The Financial Times and a web-based editor for the magazines feature. The editor will be available at editor.flipboard.com and it will allow users to customize the layout and content of their magazines.

Specifically, the web-based editor will allow you to do everything from change the order of stories, photos and videos as well as delete content and reorder the magazines themselves. Users will also have some additional details in terms of sharing. These additional items will include details on how often specific items are being shared. With that, those looking for Flipboard will be able to find the app using this Google Play Store link.

[via Flipboard Blog]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 FCC filing appears ahead of May launch

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:15 AM PDT

Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab 3 a short while back and as of today, it looks like the FCC filing has been discovered. Given we have already seen the announcement, there isn’t much new in terms of surprises here. Basically, this filing is showing the Galaxy Tab 3 as being a 7-inch tablet with WiFi for connectivity.

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Otherwise, this particular FCC filing has the tablet sitting with an FCC ID of A3LSMT210 and a model number of ST-T210. Of course, those details are nothing the average consumer should need to concern themselves with. Previous details coming from Samsung had the tablet as set for release in May.

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This filing doesn’t offer anything specific in terms of a date, however it does give the impression that things are moving along as expected and that things are still on track for a release this month. As far as the 3G Galaxy Tab 3 goes, we have yet to see an FCC filing for that model, however Samsung isn’t expected to release that one until sometime in June.

As a recap, the Galaxy Tab 3 is sporting a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600 and powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. Other specs will include 8GB or 16GB of internal storage, expansion by way of a microSD card, 4000 mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, 3 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

[via Engadget]

Falcon Pro update brings new customization options and features

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:54 AM PDT

It hasn’t been all that long since the last Falcon Pro update, however as of this morning, another has appeared in the Google Play Store. This update has the app jumping up to version 1.9 and along with the new numbers comes some new features and some new options for customization. Otherwise, the app remains priced at $1.96, however as one would expect — those who have preciously downloaded Falcon Pro will get the update for free.

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That being said, lets get into the new features. Falcon Pro v1.9 brings a new font, which is being described as a “sexy” font that is based on Roboto. Other goodies include the ability to load up to 1000 tweets per refresh, the ability to load older tweets and position holding for Lists. Aside from the new 1000 limit for refreshes, the app also has some other refresh and cache related items.

These include the ability to set a different refresh rate for mentions and interactions and additional options to set the cache. Finally, the remaining changes for v1.9 include inline previews for Droplr and the ability to drop the action bar down to the bottom. Those looking to move the action bar will be able to do so by heading into the settings and then tapping the option for Display and lastly the option for Move Buttons Down.

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The folks at Falcon Pro have said that having the action bar on the bottom would be nice for larger displays, however in our experience, it seems to work nicely on a smartphone. You can get a look a the action bar being on the top and bottom in the above screenshots (taken on a Galaxy S III). With that, those looking for Falcon Pro will be able to update from the Play Store on their device or by using this Google Play Store link.

[via xda-developers]

Google I/O 2013 app released, brings live streaming for virtual attendees

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT

Google I/O is quickly approaching. The conference is set to kick off on May 15th and as such, the updated Google I/O mobile app has appeared in the Google Play Store. The app is called Google I/O 2013 and it brings along some new features for those who will be in attendance as well one nice feature for those who will be following along off-site.

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The off-site feature is live streaming. While we suspect many would prefer to be on-site (getting those freebies), this may have to suffice. If nothing else, the live streaming through the mobile app should help those who will be at work or otherwise unable to sit in front of a computer. Shifting away from the off-site features and into the goodies for those lucky enough to attend.

Here Google has added automatic WiFi setup and attendee badge scanning (using NFC) as well as having schedule changes that are kept in sync between devices, vector based maps with session info and a lock screen widget that should make it easier to keep up with your schedule while you are running from session to session.

The app also has a dedicated HDMI video out for live streams and now uses Google+ for the login. Basically, thanks to this update, the Google I/O 2013 app should be useful for those who will be attending virtually and in-person. The keynote begins at 9AM PST on May 15th and those looking for the app will be able to find it using this Google Play Store link.

[via Official Google Blog]

AirTyme unveils seven-inch Android tablet with 3G voice capability

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:04 AM PDT

An Indian company called AirTyme has unveiled a new Android-powered tablet featuring a seven-inch screen. The tablet has integrated 3G connectivity and allows users to make voice calls. The tablet runs Android 4.1 for the operating system.

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Users are able to connect to Wi-Fi networks or mobile networks operating on 2G/3G speeds via a SIM card. The seven-inch screen has a resolution of 1024 x 600. The tablet uses a 1 GHz dual core processor and has 512 MB of RAM. Storage is to 4 GB of integrated flash and the tablet has a microSD card slot for storage expansion.

That memory card slot supports up to 64 GB cards. The processor uses a QUALCOMM Snapdragon S4 and graphics are handled by a QUALCOMM Adreno 203 GPU operating at 320 MHz. The tablet has a two-megapixel rear camera and a 1-megapixel front camera. Sound is via a pair of integrated stereo speakers and the tablet features a 3.5 mm headphone output along with an integrated microphone for calls.

Power comes from a 3000 mAh lithium-ion battery. Other harbor features include integrated Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and USB on the go. The tablet will be available in India the last week of May and the pricing is undisclosed. The company does say that there aiming to be the most economically priced Android 4.1 tablet featuring voice calling on the market.

[via AirTyme]

Samsung Galaxy Centura bound for Straight Talk

Posted: 09 May 2013 05:21 AM PDT

If you’re in the market for a lower price smartphone wearing the Samsung name in running the Android operating system, a new offering is turned up called the Galaxy Centura. The phone has turned up online with all the details and is destined to land on the Straight Talk prepaid wireless network. The phone was tipped the of the official Samsung website.

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The phone turned up on the website with no fanfare and lacking an official press release that we’ve seen. The details are offered, but no price or launch date information. However, most of the specifications of the device were unveiled via the website and it’s clearly a budget phone.

The phone has a three-inch display with a resolution of 320 x 480. It uses an 800 MHz QUALCOMM MSM7625A processor mated with 512 MB of RAM. The phone has 4 GB of internal storage and a memory card slot supporting microSD cards up to 32 GB.

The phone also has integrated Bluetooth and a 1500 mAh internal battery. Samsung says that battery is good enough for seven hours of talk time with Bluetooth off. The camera on the back of the phone has three-megapixel resolution and the device offers integrated GPS. The operating system is Android 4.0.

[via SlashGear]

Ouya Android-powered game console launch delayed until June 25

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:58 AM PDT

One of the most exciting Android devices to turn up on Kickstarter in recent memory was the Ouya game console. This device aims not only to bring Android games to your big-screen TV, but streaming video services and other content as well. The launch of the device had been expected for early June, but that has been delayed.

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Ouya has now announced that it is delaying the launch the console by about three weeks. The new official launch date is June 25, but considering the history of delays that date could change again. The official reasoning for the delay from Ouya is to allow time to build more units in have more units on store shelves.

However, Joystiq reports that the delay is also to allow the company to revamp its controller. The controller is reportedly having issues with buttons getting stuck under the faceplate. Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman says that the problem with the sticky buttons is already addressed and the controllers are in production.

The solution was as simple as making larger button holes. Uhrman says that they made this change early on and all units being produced currently use the larger button holes to alleviate the problem with sticking.

[via Joystiq]

Samsung Galaxy S 4 teardown finds lots of Samsung parts

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:50 AM PDT

It was inevitable that someone would get their hands on the new Samsung Galaxy S 4 and rip the device to shreds. We all know that when a new high-end device hits the market, the teardowns are coming. The first tear down of the Galaxy S 4 that we’ve seen comes from IHS.

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The company has torn the smartphone apart and offered up an estimate of how much it costs Samsung to construct the smartphone. The company estimates that it costs Samsung about $237 per 32 GB Galaxy S 4 to build the new high-end smartphone. That bill of materials is higher than competing devices on the market according to IHS.

IHS estimates that the 16 GB iPhone 5 costs Apple about $205 to build. Another interesting thing that was discovered during the tear down is that Samsung provides many of the internal components of the device through its various subsidiaries. One of the only major parts inside of the device that isn’t Samsung branded, at least for the US version, is the processor.

The US version of the phone uses a QUALCOMM Snapdragon processor. The version of the device sold in Korea and other parts of the world uses Samsung’s own octo Exynos 4 processor. Since the US version uses a different processor, it also has an image processing chip from Fujitsu that the Korean version lacks. In the Korean version the Samsung processor handles some of the image processing duties negating the need for that Fujitsu image processor.

[via SlashGear]

US Cellular GALAXY S 4 getting a quick software update

Posted: 08 May 2013 04:50 PM PDT

Samsung has been busy with the launch of their new GALAXY S 4 smartphone, and as a result we’ve been getting a slew of quick bug fixing updates. Yesterday both T-Mobile and AT&T announced the GALAXY S 4 was getting an update soon, and today US Cellular confirmed the same will happen for theirs on May 10th. Below you’ll find the changelog and details.

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If you’re the proud owner of the GALAXY S 4 over on US Cellular, starting Friday you’ll want to start hitting that check for updates button. The device will jump to build R970VXUAMDL, and you’ll still be on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, even though the image below is wrong and says 4.1 by mistake.

The update adds some new features, improves others, and fixes some bugs according to Droid-Life. They’ve added a “SIM Lock” message for when you insert the wrong SIM, not sure how they missed that one. There is some improvements and stability to the “Ghost touch” feature which lets you use the device with gloves, and much more.

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As you can see above. They’ve also fixed some MS Exchange things, the camera and record function has been improved as well as better audio quality while recording, then the S-Health application has been updated. Now all we need is that S-Scale to complete our daily weight tracking. As always go to settings > about phone > check for updates and get it as soon as possible. Now all we need is the phone to arrive on Verizon, only a few more weeks.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S 4 (CDMA)
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon US Cellular Cricket
    Announced Date : March 14, 2013
    Release Date : April 30, 2013
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 5 Inch
  • Resolution : 1080x1920
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.748 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2600 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T
    CPU Clock Speed : 1900 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 13 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 850
  • 1700
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

Google Earth updated with Street View and an improved interface

Posted: 08 May 2013 04:22 PM PDT

Google is on a roll, and today they’ve issued a quick update to one of their most amazing applications. That being Google Earth. While we’ve already had Street View in Google Maps, you’ll now be able to explore the streets all across the world in Google Earth. Try going to the streets of Italy, it’s a blast. That isn’t all either so read on past the break.

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Today Google’s other map application got some pretty cool stuff. After updating to version 7.1.1 of Google Earth you’ll now be able to zoom in close enough to see your dog in the backyard by the pool (I can at my house) then even go down to Street View should you choose.

Google’s also improved and enhanced the search and directions features in Earth. And a part of that also uses the new user interface and slide-out menus. There’s one off to the left, and another on the bottom. Search now lets you visualize transit, walk, bike and drive directions in 3D while update search result list will let you browse search results quickly.

Being able to quickly change layers and such all through the new slide-out panel on the left is a nice touch. Google Earth doesn’t get updated nearly as quick as Maps, but this latest one sure did add a few decent little things. It’s not so bad, give it a try from the link below and enjoy that new Street View in Google Earth.

[via Play Store]

Google Glass first update adds more notifications, better battery life, more

Posted: 08 May 2013 04:03 PM PDT

It looks like Google is starting to really ramp up things with Google Glass. Not only have they begun reaching out to developers in waves and shipping out Glass to those who pre-ordered (we did) but they’ve also just issued the very first software update for Glass. Well, the first since it has been in the hands of regular developers.

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It’s been a good few days for Glass. With details about a Twitter app, Facebook, YouTube uploading and more all being heavily developed already. Things are just getting off the ground, and on our faces, and things will only be getting better next week. What’s next week? Google I/O where surely we’ll learn a lot more about Google’s plan and Glass’ future.

So, today Google Glass is getting updated from XE4 to XE5 (XE=Explorer Edition) and the new and improved software version for Glass is bringing tons of improvements. This means you’ll have a better experience out of the box when you get your own if you’ve pre-ordered. A few important bits are G+ notifications, incoming G+ hangout notifications, improved battery life and stats, and much more. Here’s the full changelog posted by Phandroid.

• Change to sync policy: require power + wifi for background uploads
• Crash reporting
• Incoming G+ notifications (direct shares, comments, +mentions), including ability to comment and +1
• Incoming Hangout notifications
• Transcription of queries & messages is now wicked-fast
• Long-press to search from anywhere in the UI (no longer just from off)
• International number dialing + SMS
• Hop animation on disallowed swipes in the UI
• New On-Head Detection calibration flow
• Show device Serial Number on Device Info card
• More reliable estimation of battery charge remaining
• New recipient-list mosaic

Glass will now quickly throw up G+ mentions, or incoming Hangout notifications quickly and easily right in your eye, then you can simply choose to ignore or accept. Then of course either reply using voice, or enjoy a little Hangout and let the other end see what you see, all with Glass. Then voice recognition is even faster than before, which was already awesome. We’re not sure what all was changed for better battery life and a more reliable estimation of charge remaining, but it looks like instant upload was disabled from what we’re hearing.

Glass will continue to trickle into users hands over the next week or so, and be prepared for the onslaught of news as Google I/O kicks off next week. And of course, we’ll be there live with all the details.

Glass-Update Mosaic Glass-2

[via SlashGear]

Blitz Brigade by Gameloft blasts onto Android tonight

Posted: 08 May 2013 02:14 PM PDT

Today we just learned some awesome news thanks to the folks over at Gameloft. In what looks to be one of their better titles available this year, Blitz Brigade, you’ll be running around and shooting enemies in a fast-paced free shooter game for Android and iOS. The good news, it will hit the Play Store tomorrow. We’ve been told late tonight, so we’re guessing around midnight.

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Gameloft has released a few teaser trailers, which we have for you below, and will update once the official game launch trailer is revealed. If you love first person shooters, high action fast-paced games, or are a mobile gamer at heart you’ll want to check this out.

The original teaser trailer was revealed back in February by Gameloft, but since then they’ve been pretty quite, which is unusual for Gameloft. They’re known for releasing tons of teasers and hyping up their games. Maybe they’ve just been busy with their new Iron Man 3 title for Android. Either way, Blitz Brigade looks freaking awesome, and will be available tomorrow.

The cartoon-style characters remind many of Team Fortress, which is an amazing game, and Blitz Brigade is set in Wold War II. It is a free-to-play first person shooter that is heavily focused on big team battle style multiplayer. They’ll have single player challenges available as well for those who’d rather not get shot in the face too much. Here’s what to expect from this free game.

• 12 player online multiplayer matches
• 4 maps
• 2 modes – Deathmatch and Domination
• 5 classes – Soldier. Gunner, Sniper, Medic, Stealth – each with their own unique weapons and skills
• 100+ upgradeable weapons
• 3 vehicles (including helicopters)
• 120 single player "training" challenges

So, Gameloft promises the game will be out tomorrow, or sometime tonight. So you’ll want to check back here as we’ll have all the details once it becomes available. In the meantime, enjoy these brand new screenshots below giving you a look at what to expect from this awesome looking shooter for Android.

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T-Mobile LG Optimus L9 Jelly Bean update paused

Posted: 08 May 2013 01:50 PM PDT

Jelly Bean began rolling out for T-Mobile users with an LG Optimus L9 a few weeks earlier. As of today however, that update has since been placed on pause. The details are coming by way of T-Mobile, who have said the update was placed on pause by LG. The silver lining here is the use of the word pause. Of course, we suspect those still rocking Ice Cream Sandwich may be a bit disappointed.

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According to T-Mobile, the update was paused in order to “improve performance on the new software version.” T-Mobile has also said they don’t know when the update will be resumed. Just to clarify, this is the update that was arriving as Android 4.1.2 and with baseband version P76920d.

LG didn’t offered any specifics here, however we have seen a few complaints coming from users that did manage to get the update. The issues seem to circle around app crashes and battery life. And while we suspect some will be disappointed by the extra wait, those who have yet to update may be the lucky ones.

Based on this it is looking like all LG Optimus L9 users with T-Mobile will be getting another update. There will be the group that upgrades to Jelly Bean for the first time and the group that gets the improved version of the update. Lets just hope for the sake of those who have already updated — that the new and improved update comes sooner rather than later.

[via T-Mobile]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Optimus L9
    Manufactuer : LG
    Carrier : T-Mobile
    Announced Date : August 29, 2012
    Release Date : November 01, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.5 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : IPS LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.19 Inch
  • Width : 2.68 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 125 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2150 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : MSM8225
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 4 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 5 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • A2DP
    Location Features:
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :