Friday, May 10, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Google axes the Motorola X-Phone in latest Analyst report

Posted: 10 May 2013 10:57 AM PDT

With only a few days left before Google’s annual developer event Google I/O kicks off, we’re starting to hear some bad news regarding the Motorola X-Phone. While most of the reports have only been rumors, last night some analyst reports suggested Google has actually axed the X-Phone. Claiming that Google is distancing themselves from the phone simply because it isn’t up to their standards.

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We’ve heard a lot regarding the X-Phone. Many reports claim Google’s been working on this device alongside of Motorola, others have stated it’s all Motorola. Then Google even came out and said there was 18 months of products in the pipes before Google’s influence would be seen in Motorola devices. Many are excited about the device either way, so here’s why you shouldn’t worry about this rumor.

The rumor basically states Google’s turned down the X-Phone, and returned the project to Motorola for further testing, development, and to improve features. This could all just be hype, and possibly an old rumor that was fired up after those comments last month where Google’s CFO said Motorola’s products didn’t “wow” Google. We’ve seen more and more of the X-Phone lately, so take this analyst report with a grain of salt.

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According to GSM Insider the smartphone is still coming, and Motorola still aims to put a lot of effort behind it, we just don’t know when. This also means Google might distance themselves from the handset, and it won’t come with stock Android like the leaked images we saw last week. The device has appeared as the Motorola XFON, it was spotted in benchmarks, and tipsters that leaked the photo claims it will arrive on all major US carriers, including Verizon with 4G LTE.

At this point we really don’t know what to believe. This has been such a hyped device simply for the ties to Google, so for now we’re taking everything with a grain of salt. We have a feeling Google will be dropping the XFON at Google I/O next week, but there’s a good chance Motorola will do their own thing later this month, or in early June to reveal the handset.

SOURCE: PocketNow

Google Wallet physical cards cancelled ahead of Google I/O

Posted: 10 May 2013 10:46 AM PDT

It looks like Google Wallet will be amongst the topics discussed next week during Google I/O. Basically, Google is expected to announce some new features for Wallet. At present it looks like these will include everything from additional rewards and offers to loyalty points. Perhaps more important, it was also said that Google will be adding additional merchants which should make it a bit more convenient for those looking to actually use Wallet.

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Aside from what may be coming, it is also looking like one feature has recently been given the boot. The feature that will not be included in the discussion at I/O is the physical Google Wallet cards. Details of these cards originally leaked back in November of last year. At that time we saw an image of the card along with some basic details on the Google Wallet help pages.

The dropping of the cards is reportedly due to Google CEO Larry Page. It was said that Page felt these cards were not on the same level as what other payment startups have been doing. Sources have said Page felt they “did not press forward innovation as payments startups like Square have done.” Another factor that was said to have added to the decision was a demo filled with glitches. Page apparently had also been skeptical of these cards for some time now.

On that note, adding additional merchants to Wallet could help to increase the user base however there seems to have been the potential for increased awareness with the physical Wallet cards. They could have potentially brought Wallet into the minds of additional users, not to mention, got users in the habit of using Wallet even if they do not have an NFC (or Wallet capable) device.

Other details touched on the crossover between Google Wallet and Google Now. At present, it looks like that will not be happening. While there isn’t any reason to believe something will not happen in the future, at present the Wallet and Now teams are described as being “siloed.” In addition to dropping the physical card, it seems some members of the Wallet team have been dropped as well. Details show the head of Google Wallet, Osama Bedier, has left. It was said that Bedier was “pushed out” and Sridhar Ramaswarmy is now in charge of Wallet.

SOURCE: AllThingsD

Facebook Home arrives for the GALAXY S 4 and HTC One

Posted: 10 May 2013 09:56 AM PDT

If you’re the proud owner of the HTC One or Samsung’s new GALAXY S 4, and have been looking to cover that beautiful 1080p display with some Facebook, we have good news. Facebook received an update last night enabling their “home on Android” launcher to support and work wonderfully with both devices.

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Yesterday evening Facebook updated their regular app, not Home, and that is the update you’ll need to run to the Play Store and grab should you want to try Home on your GS 4 or HTC One. The update fixed some bugs, allows for comment deleting from the mobile app, and then added support for both devices mentioned above.

Yesterday we learned a lot about Facebook’s plans with Home. For now the app has received over 1 million downloads, and then Facebook mentioned tons of updates are coming soon to Home. They’ll be tweaking the user experience, and even returning the standard Android icon dock we all love, and what makes a phone a phone. So for now it’s still the same, but changes are coming.

Don’t run to the Play Store too fast and get this. The HTC One works great with Facebook Home, but after the install you’ll have that huge black bar with the dedicated 3 dot menu button on bottom, which is a drag, and scrolling through the app tray doesn’t appear to be all that smooth.

However, it appears to work quite well on the Galaxy S 4 and viewing photos on the 5-inch 1080p display look gorgeous. We’ll stick to our regular Android, but feel free to hit the link below to get it yourself.

SOURCE: Play Store

Google Hangouts could launch at Google I/O as rebranded version of Babel

Posted: 10 May 2013 09:51 AM PDT

Google Babel has been discussed quite a few times over the recent weeks. Babel is said to be a unified messaging service and details have turned up in everything from leaked screenshots to Gmail source code. Of course, there had also been a leaked memo which offered details such as how Babel would bring features to include synced notifications. As of today, another Babel related leak has surfaced and it is now looking like the service has been rebranded ahead of a Google I/O announcement.

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TechRadar is reporting that Babel has been rebranded as Google Hangouts. The details of the name change come by way of sources from within Google who provided updated screenshots. These new screenshots do not offer a tremendous amount of new insight, however they do clearly list items such as “Sign out of Hangouts.” Of course, the connection here would have us looking towards Google+.

Basically, it is expected that Google+ Hangouts along with other services such as Google Talk will be tied in with this new service. Hangouts appear as if they will bring a service with a wide range of functionality. But perhaps more important, a unified messaging service could simplify things for the average user. After all, there has been plenty of confusion with similar services from Google in the past. For that you can simply look towards Google Talk and Gmail Chat.

Looking back to some of the earlier Babel (now Hangouts) details and we have seen this as a service that will be available on a wide variety of platforms to include Android and iOS as well as in Chrome, Gmail and Google+. Some of the earlier features such as the synced notifications will be nice for those with multiple devices. After all, we cannot imagine many enjoy deleting notifications from messages that have already been read somewhere else.

Otherwise, there had also been some chatter about Google possibly integrating Voice with Hangouts, however that seemed more of something that would come in the future as opposed to at launch. In fact, even the earlier leak had the Voice integration as coming “eventually.” Anyway, for now we are looking towards an announcement next week during Google I/O and in the meantime, we are going to be on the lookout for additional details.

SOURCE: TechRadar

Samsung GALAXY S 4 Active with rugged design appears headed towards AT&T

Posted: 10 May 2013 09:06 AM PDT

Details of a rugged version of the GALAXY S 4 have leaked in the past and while we have yet to see an official announcement from Samsung, it is now looking like the device will be coming to AT&T. This latest round of leaked details hasn’t included a possible release time frame with AT&T, but it was said the GALAXY S 4 Active will be carrying the model number of SGH-I537. The previous leaks suggested the Active would be arriving in July.

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As we often see with rugged handsets, the GALAXY S 4 Active is expected to be waterproof and dustproof, but otherwise retain the specs and features of the existing GALAXY S 4. As a recap, the currently available GALAXY S 4 has specs to include a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 2600 mAh battery, 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 13 megapixel rear-facing camera. In addition, the GALAXY S 4 is running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

While there are some advantages to getting a rugged handset, we do have to remember that some may not necessarily even need a GALAXY S 4. Sure, the 1080p display and quad-core processor are both nice bumps from earlier models, but they may not benefit everyone the same. Basically, we are getting to the price here. The GALAXY S 4 is currently sitting at around $199.99 for the 16GB model. Looking towards the Galaxy S III and we see a device with solid specs and with much lower prices. Current AT&T pricing on the Galaxy S III is as low as $29.99 (refurbished) on a two-year agreement. For some, price may win out.

The other tricky part here, while the Galaxy S III would likely be sufficient for many in terms of hardware specs, we do understand the desire to have the latest build of Android. On AT&T the Galaxy S III is still running Android 4.1, which means you will be missing some features such as the lock screen widgets. Granted, that is not a make or break feature, but looking forward we are never sure when older handsets will see an update and that can be unsettling for some.

VIA Twitter @evleaks

Google’s next-generation Nexus 7 specs leak ahead of I/O 2013

Posted: 10 May 2013 07:59 AM PDT

Earlier reports have pegged July as the release timeframe for the next-generation Nexus 7 tablet. While that still remains to be seen, it looks like a fairly complete set of specs have since been leaked. Some of them touch on earlier rumors, such as in the case of the display. This latest Nexus 7 leak has the display resolution jumping from 1280 x 800 up to 1920 x 1200.

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Before we dive into the remaining specs, we should point out that while these are not coming from Google, they are coming by way of a source that has a proven track record. The details have been released by KGI securities analyst Mingchi Kuo. Other specs mentioned in this report include the processor, which in this case looks to be an APQ 8064 from Qualcomm. This would also be a rather big shift as the current generation Nexus 7 is sporting a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3.

Remaining specs look like they will include an HD quality front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and 4000 mAh battery as well as support for the Qi wireless charging standard. Similar to the current Nexus 7, the next generation model is also expected to arrive with NFC. There has also been some recent chatter surrounding NFC, or more to the point, Wallet. Google is expected to announce some updates to Wallet during I/O.

Given many of these specs mentioned touch on earlier rumors, there isn’t much in terms of surprise. The other side here is the price. It is being reported that Google will be keeping the price of the Nexus 7 the same. Basically, that is to say Google will have the Nexus 7 available with a starting price point of $199. Further details from Mingchi Kuo show how this would mean Google would be losing roughly $5 to $10 per unit sold.

Aside from a price point that stays the same despite the increased in specs, it looks like the Nexus 7 may also be a bit thinner and lighter. For this, the changes would includes a thinner bezel around the edges and a case thickness of somewhere between 7.5 and 8.5mm. Again, looking for the comparison, the current generation Nexus 7 measures in at 10.45mm thick. All said and done, assuming these analyst details prove accurate — the Nexus 7 should be getting a good boost. That also brings another point, Kuo believes Google will be able to sell roughly 5 million during the second half of 2013.

[via 9to5 Google]

AT&T adds the black HTC One, 32GB GALAXY S 4 and LG Optimus G Pro

Posted: 10 May 2013 07:01 AM PDT

AT&T has a few new smartphone additions as of today. Or maybe more specific, AT&T has some updated models from earlier releases available as of today. The news includes the GALAXY S 4 which is now available in a 32GB model as well as the Stealth Black version of the HTC One and the LG Optimus G Pro. Anyway, as these are simply additions to previous releases, the specs and pricing may sound familiar to some.

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All three of these devices are available by way of the AT&T website. Beginning first with the 32GB GALAXY S 4. AT&T has this model priced at $249.99 on a two-year agreement. Alternatively, the full retail pricing is $669.99. Unlike the 16GB GALAXY S 4 which is available in black or white, the 32GB GALAXY S 4 is only available in black. For comparison sake, the 16GB GALAXY S 4 is priced at $199.99 on a two-year agreement.

Next up is the HTC One. With this the One is now available in Stealth Black (in addition to the previously available Glacial Silver). The black model One is available in the 32GB and 64GB varieties and those are priced at $199.99 and $299.99 respectively. The full retail pricing for the HTC One is $599.99 (16GB) and $649.99 (32GB).

Last up is the general availability of the LG Optimus G Pro. This handset is selling for $199.99 on a two-year agreement or at $549.99 with no agreement. The Optimus G Pro brings features to include a 5.5-inch Full HD display, quad-core 1.7GHz processor, 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 3140 mAh battery, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Those curious about any of these may benefit from some of our reviews and for the links — head to the Story Timeline sitting below.

Carmageddon for Android released by Stainless Games

Posted: 10 May 2013 06:36 AM PDT

As was expected, Stainless Games Ltd has released Carmageddon. The app can be found by way of the Google Play Store and at the moment is available in two versions. There is the promo release and the paid release. The key here, both of these are the full and complete game. That being said, lets cover what Carmageddon is and break down these two versions to see which you may want to grab.

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Carmageddon originally launched back in 1997 and while having sold more than two million copies, it was not without its share of controversy. Without getting deep in that story, lets just say that Carmageddon is on the violent side. Stainless Games Ltd eventually lost the rights to the game and things stood still for quite some time. More recently though, they secured those rights and proceeded to launch the game as a Kickstarter offering. That project has since closed and that is why the game has returned. That is also why there are several versions available.

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The Promo release, which is free for the first 24 hours (basically, you will need to download this on on May 10th if you want it) as a thank you to the Kickstarter project. The other release is priced at $1.99. As mentioned, both are the full and complete game. The catch with this, the Promo release will be removed from the Play Store after 24 hours which means it will never be updated. In other words, if you want updates, you may want to grab the paid version.

Of course, there is always the option to download the promo release and play it for a while to make sure this is the game you want. Otherwise, Carmageddon will run on devices with Android 2.3.3 or later and for those wondering, this is the same game that many came to love (or hate) back in 1997. Those looking for the links, you will be able to grab the Promo version here and the paid version here.

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BBC show Watchdog to investigate Samsung Galaxy S 4 app bloat

Posted: 10 May 2013 03:01 AM PDT

A lot of people who purchased the Samsung Galaxy S 4 have turned the device on only to realize that only half the storage promised is available to use. The reason so much in the 16 GB of internal storage is full as soon as the device is turned on has to do with a huge amount of software bloat. The BBC network in the UK has a TV show called Watchdog.

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The show is a consumer affairs program and it is set to air an episode of an investigation into Samsung’s popular smartphone. The episode will reportedly air on May 15. While most of us in the US won’t be familiar with Watchdog at all, apparently the show is very popular and has been on the air in the UK since 1980.

The program reportedly has a long track record of investigative journalism that has at times resulted in consumer rights complaints and even the creation of new laws stemming from its coverage. While it’s unclear exactly what the episode will cover, it’s a safe bet that considering almost 8 GB of the 16 GB storage is filled up with Samsung installed software right out-of-the-box that will be the main focus.

Samsung certainly risks consumer ire when it advertises 16 GB of storage and only half that amount is actually available to users. Granted, it’s straightforward and easy to delete the content you don’t want making bloatware more of an irritation than a true fault with the smartphone. However, it certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility for the show to result in Samsung having to be more clear about how much storage space is actually available.

[via SlashGear]

Bluetooth SIG documents tip Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is real

Posted: 10 May 2013 02:50 AM PDT

If you follow the smartphone and technology world, you may be familiar with the Bluetooth SIG. That is an organization that lays hands on pretty much every device that uses Bluetooth to ensure that it works as it is supposed to. Some documents have turned up over on the Bluetooth SIG that seem to show that the rumored Samsung Galaxy S 4 Zoom is an actual device.

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That is of course assuming that the part numbers that have been rumored to go along with the also rumored Galaxy S 4 Zoom, SM-C1010 and SM-C101, are accurate. The information on the Bluetooth SIG website really sheds no light on exactly what the device will offer. The only thing it does have is a design name listing Samsung Mobile Phone SM-C101.

Rumors insist that the Galaxy S 4 Zoom will look like the S 4 Mini. The most interesting feature rumored for the Zoom is an impressive camera. The rear camera is said to feature 16-megapixel resolution and optical zoom. Clearly, that rumored optical zoom is where the device gets its name.

Other details of the phone that had been rumored include a launch date of early June. The phone will come in black first and as a white version is tipped. Exactly how much the phone will cost is unknown, but if any of these rumors are accurate it sounds like a high-end device.

[via SlashGear]

ASUS Tranformer tablet teased in latest Computex video

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:36 PM PDT

With Computex quickly approaching it’s about time we start seeing teaser videos and hints at what companies might be bringing to the show, and today ASUS has done just that. The folks from ASUS released a quick Computex 2013 teaser trailer, and mention the word “Transform” about 4 times and it has our interest piqued.

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The last main tablet from ASUS, in terms of Android, was the Infinity Pad back in February, and since then we’ve been waiting for their next big announcement or flagship tablet. They’ve been busy updating everything to the latest version of Jelly Bean, released the 7-inch ASUS FonePad and MemoPad, but it’s time for more Transformer Tablets.

Computex isn’t usually a big event for Android, but there’s a chance we’ll see some hybrid Windows 8/Android tablets come out to play, as well as countless other devices. Instead of wondering what we might see, we’ll just let you enjoy their teaser video available below.

With plenty of “Transform” taglines plastered throughout the video and talk of innovation, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Computex 2013. With quad-core Snapdragon 800 processors, Tegra 4 and more on the Horizon June 6th for Computex would be a good time for ASUS to announce their next-gen Android tablets. We’ll monitor their teaser videos and update when we know more.

[via Droid-Life]

Robird for Twitter updated with timeline streaming and lower price

Posted: 09 May 2013 03:52 PM PDT

Last month while searching for a suitable replacement to TweetDeck since Twitter decided to shut it down, we stumbled across and then reviewed an awesome new Twitter client called Robird. It offers nearly as many features as we’ve seen from most, has an awesome flat Holo-inspired UI, and today just got updated with even more neat features.

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If you’ve been looking for a fast, stable, and smooth Twitter client for Android that also has working push notifications, Tweetmarker support, and more you’ll want to check out Robird. Since reviewing the application on April 5th it has seen 3 updated that fixed bugs and added new features. It’s safe to say the developers are working hard on Robird.

Along with multiple themes, notification options, in-stream enable/disable images and more today they’ve updated Robird with another excellent option. And that is streaming support. This means you can enable real-time streaming on your Twitter feed on mobile. No more dragging down or hitting refresh, it does it all automatically. For those worried about battery they’ve added an “only stream on WiFi” option to conserve that precious juice too.

Today’s update added support for the Timeline real-time streaming mentioned above, they also added some more locale options, and squashed some bugs with a few image previews not always appearing. Then, today Robird lowered the price of their highly customizable Twitter client to just under a buck. It was previously $1.99 but now just $0.99 cents and you’re set. If you were debating giving it a try, now would be a good time. Get it from the link below.

[via Play Store link]

HTC One doesn’t support Qualcomm Quick Charge

Posted: 09 May 2013 03:31 PM PDT

Earlier this year when Qualcomm announced their new Snapdragon 600 and 800 series quad-core mobile processors, one awesome feature was Quick Charge. Sadly we’ve recently learned this additional layer to improve battery life and recharge time was left out of HTC’s flagship One smartphone. Even though their HTC DROID DNA enjoys new technology.

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You may be asking yourself what Quick Charge is, and we have all the details right here. Qualcomm explained it in detail back in February on their blog. Explaining that newer devices with their Snapdragon S4 and above (Galaxy S III, DROID DNA, Nexus 4, and more) all charge faster than devices without Quick Charge. Basically less time near a wall, and more time enjoying your smartphone.

Quick Charge is a rapid charging technology that lets devices charge nearly 40% faster. So that GALAXY S 4 will take under 3 hours to charge 100%, vs 4 hours with older devices with a similar sized battery. The important part here being that this feature is a part of an integrated solution in the power management chip on Qualcomm Snapdragon devices, from there, it’s up to the manufacturer to support and allow Quick Charge to work. Most do, even HTC, but with the HTC One they left this impressive feature out.

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Rapid charging isn’t new, but the way Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors power management handles it is what makes this a unique feature for Snapdragon-based devices. Quick Charge 1.0 allows their PMIC to accept nearly 10 watts of power via USB, and their new Snapdragon 800 can accept 60w and charge devices 75% faster.

So while the Samsung Galaxy S III, GALAXY S 4, Nexus 4, even HTC’s DROID DNA, and nearly 70 other Snapdragon devices has this feature, oddly HTC decided to leave it out. Quick Charge is hardware based that needs to be supported by the devices micro-USB port, then the Qualcomm processor does the rest. Maybe this was a cost cutting feature, we’re not sure, but for some reason or another HTC left it out of their One smartphone. We’ve confirmed this with our own tests where the One takes significantly longer to fully charge 100% than the GALAXY S 4 with a bigger battery. HTC PR has also confirmed the One doesn’t support Qualcomm’s Quick Charge feature.

This could also be a feature HTC chose to disable to possibly prolong the life of their non-removable battery. So how are you liking your HTC One, and have you noticed the recharge rate isn’t as fast as some devices you’ve used in the past?

Facebook Home update will return our standard Android icon dock

Posted: 09 May 2013 01:53 PM PDT

The folks from Facebook have apparently been having a pretty good month if recently released numbers are accurate, but changes are still coming to Facebook Home. Today they revealed more than 1 million users downloaded Home, and those who still enjoy it use Facebook 25% more. After many complaints however changes are coming, and Facebook is giving us back our standard Android icon dock we all love, and need.

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As you saw in our Facebook Home Review, the idea is pretty great, the experience is decent and fun, but it completely limits many of the phone and Android features we know, love, and need. Well, if today’s reports from TechCrunch are accurate that’s about to change a bit. We’ll be getting a bug fixing update later today, and then an overhauled Facebook Home is in the works too.

Facebook's VP Cory Ondrejka had a few things to say about Home, and we have all the details. They'll be adding a "Dash Bar" to manage friends and start chats more easily, an improved "dock" as well as a better "new user experience". The most important part here being the dock. Facebook Home removed the standard icon dock in Android for sending a text message, easily making a call, and much more. This made it a great social phone and launcher, but not a very good actual “Phone” to say the least.

The next version of Home will return our lovely dock tray of apps, and will also have a new user experience. On first install you’ll get a better navigation and instructional how-to, so users won’t be lost an quickly uninstall the app. We’ll be able to import our old dock of apps, and even create our own in Facebook Home. Lastly Facebook Home will still respect your old device, instead of taking over 100% and putting Facebook front and center while limiting everything else.

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We won’t have to choose between having a function Android smartphone and all of our games and apps, or having our friends and social world front and center. Instead of taking over our homescreen Facebook Home will be a layer that will give you the best of both worlds. Or so they think. Do you guys buy it, or are you still staying away from Facebook Home?

Facebook Home reaches 1 million downloads, usage on the rise

Posted: 09 May 2013 01:35 PM PDT

Back during the beginning of April Facebook finally released their “Home on Android” simply called Facebook Home. Now just a month later they’ve confirmed the application has already reached 1 million downloads, and as a result Facebook usage for those with Home installed has increased roughly 25%. That isn’t all either, they have new features coming soon too.

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Today while hosting a small event Facebook had tons of news to share regarding download and usage numbers, updates, new features and more according to Tech Crunch. Facebook Home officially hit devices on April 12th, and in just 10 days reached 500,000 downloads. Now less than a month later that number has doubled and they’ve hit the 1 million milestone. However, they didn’t say how many of those were active installs, which is the important stat here.

We don’t know how many people are still using Facebook Home, and surely many tried it out just for fun and didn’t decide to keep it. Facebook did mention that for those enjoying Home their Facebook usage has increased by 25% a day. That’s quite a bit if you ask us. We’re already on Facebook enough, but to each his own. Then while going over the numbers Facebook shared some details on an incoming update. Facebook will see a bug fixing update (in the Play Store of course) later today, and coming soon is an improved and tweaked user experience.

As you saw in our Facebook Home Review, the concept is good but it just limits too many of those phone and Android features we know, love, and need. It sounds like Mark Zuck and company took notice of everyone’s complains, because the new update will address many of these issues. They’ll be adding a “Dash Bar” to manage and start chats more easily, an improved “dock” as well as a better “new user experience”.

The minor bug fixing update should arrive soon, then the improved Facebook Home experience is also in the works, but no details on when that will arrive.

[via TechCrunch]

YouTube paid channel subscriptions confirmed starting today

Posted: 09 May 2013 12:59 PM PDT

Over the past few weeks we’ve been hearing a few reports that Google would be introducing some sort of paid channel subscription service for YouTube. Paying a monthly fee to watch your favorite YouTuber. Many were expecting something quite large, but today Google quietly confirmed that starting today this is real and available now in a small pilot program.

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The initial pilot program appears to have 53 partners already on board with Google, and they’ll be adding many more in the coming weeks and months. At first you might be worried, but this isn’t current content you love now costing some coin, instead it’s new content that will give us something worth watching, and YouTube partners a better way to make a profit from their work.

Looking down the list there isn’t anything too major in the lineup of paid channel subscriptions. I think the only one I’d actually pay for is UFC Select to watch fights, get access to exclusive video and more. No more searching for UFC fights that get pulled, or some teen that uploaded his fight from the Xbox game. Photo guide channels, recipe.TV, Laugh Factory, Comedy.TV and much more. So while it’s a decent start, nothing too eye-catching here.

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As you can see Laugh Factory has a free 14-day trail, and then will run YouTube viewers $2.99 per month, while bigger subscriptions such as the UFC was $5.99 and up. The full list can be found at YouTube/paid_channels. Again, we aren’t losing content here, just gaining additional options, but at a cost.

Once you pay for a channel you can view it with that Google account from your computer, laptop, tablet, or even smart TV’s. More channels are coming soon, and Google states all will require the 14-day free trial option. Now just give me HBO and Showtime for $4.99 a month and I’m sold.

Snapchat: Deleted images found hidden in the app

Posted: 09 May 2013 12:28 PM PDT

Snapchat touts itself as being the “fastest way to share a moment with friends.” While you can share moments with a variety of apps, Snapchat sets itself apart from the rest by allowing the sender to control how long that message will display on the recipients phone. Users sending images have the option for the image to display up to 10 seconds. Regardless of the specific time you set, the image is supposed to be deleted once that clock runs out.

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With that in mind, a recent report is now showing that these images are not actually being deleted from your phone. The work is being done by Decipher Forensics who note that while the app mentions they deleted the image, it is actually being assigned a new file extension and kept within the app. According to Richard Hickman, the Snapchat app has a folder called RECEIVED_IMAGES_SNAPS and the images are being tucked away with a .NOMEDIA file extension.

The key here, while these are not going to be visible by the average user, they are there and can be found. The Snapchat app is available for Android as well as iOS, however as of now it looks like the work has been done on the Android side. Hickman has said he perfected the steps to extract these images on an Android device and is now setting his sights on the iOS version. Basically, with a little work (and some money) parents, lawyers and the police can get access to these supposed deleted images.

Interestingly enough, Hickman also talked about how images that were taken (and deleted) using the default Android camera app were harder to find as compared to Snapchat images. Bottom line here, this isn’t to say that Snapchat is bad or that it shouldn’t be used, however this should make you think twice about sending any questionable images.

[via KSL]

Amazon Kindle smartphone with glasses-free 3D tipped

Posted: 09 May 2013 11:16 AM PDT

Amazon is getting ready to release a pair of smartphones, and even an audio-streaming device of some kind, new tips suggests, and one of those smartphones will even feature 3D. It’s time to fire up those Kindle smartphone rumors again guys. Apparently the high-end Amazon smartphone will use eye-tracking and glasses-free 3D, among other things, for hands-free usage and much more.

Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 11.08.18 AM

According to The Wall Street Journal, sources close to the matter have confirmed the Seattle based e-commerce giant is actually developing a pretty wide array of smartphones, media players, and other gadgets. Their Fire HD line has been popular, but their next move will most likely be in the smartphone space.

Two of the tipsters suggest the new glasses-free 3D display will use eye-tracking to let users completely navigate the device without using their hands, at times, and offer a 3D experience and almost hologram experience like nothing seen before on a smartphone. Apparently Amazon's Lab126 hardware division has been hard at work on these gadgets, and as you can see things are sounding pretty interesting right about now.

“Using retina-tracking technology, images on the smartphone would seem to float above the screen like a hologram and appear three-dimensional at all angles" the insiders claim. "Users may be able to navigate through content using just their eyes.”

That is direct from one of the WSJ sources. The tipster then goes on to mention at least two smartphones are being actively developed in the Cupertino campus, as well as the audio-streaming device, and currently are known as Project A, B, C, and D. Most likely all will run on Amazon’s heavily skinned version of Android, but so far we don’t have any additional details. Could they shock the market and offer something truly unique with this hands-free 3D experience?

The rumors and tips go on to state these could be released in the coming months, but at the same time one or all of these projects could get tossed aside for performance or financial reasons. So basically some stellar new hardware could be coming from Amazon, but at the same time these special projects might never see the light of day.

Android Authority

Android Authority


Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5: battle of the idols (video)

Posted: 10 May 2013 02:56 AM PDT

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 featured aa

The rivalry between Apple and Samsung is the stuff of legends. But there's a rivalry in the tech world that is even fiercer – that between the fans (or fanboys) of the two companies.

What's with the iPhone and the Galaxy S line that makes people go for each other's jugulars? Is it because they embody very different philosophies? Is it because Samsung and Apple have gone to great extents to create and maintain hostility between the two camps? Regardless of the answer, one thing's for sure – millions of people love the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5, making this Versus probably the most interesting confrontation of 2013.

Without further ado, let's pit the Galaxy S4 against the iPhone 5 in our versus comparison. We'll look at build quality and design, displays, specs, and software features, in an attempt to see which phone is better. In a hurry? Jump straight to the video comparison.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

To get the obvious out of the way, it's darn hard to compare two devices that are so different as the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5. And the difference is the most visible when it comes to design. Samsung's device features smooth curves, a huge screen framed by slim bezels, and a mesh like pattern on the plastic back cover.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 s4 handling aa

The iPhone's design is more industrial, with sharper lines and a sleek, cold metallic feel to it, conferred by the aluminum unibody. Of course, it's much smaller that the Galaxy S4, a trait that has come under criticism lately, as smartphones push the upper limits of screen sizes.

Samsung's choice of materials for making its flagship devices has been debated ad nauseam, so we won't insist on the "plasticky" feel of the Galaxy S4 that some people loathe with a passion. The iPhone may feel more premium, but there are many other, more important, factors that should influence your buying decision, that "premium feel" seems almost trivial. With that said, the aluminum unibody of the iPhone makes it very robust, as our drop test has shown you.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 5 back aa

It may be more fragile, but the removable back plate of the Galaxy S4 enables it to offer two important features – a microSD card slot and a removable battery. If these two features are high on your shopping list, the Galaxy S4 is the way to go.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 s4 back cover off aa

It's almost impossible to call out a winner here, simply because picking between the design of the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5 is largely a matter of personal preference. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

The difference an inch can make

Apple has stubbornly stuck with a smallish display on the iPhone, leaving competitors to serve the increasing number of customers looking for an expansive visual experience on their phones. While the iPhone 5 is taller than previous versions, its display is still just 4-inch across, which makes it seem almost inadequate alongside the Galaxy S4. We do realize that some people prefer compact phones, but in our book, the larger display of the Galaxy S4 is a major plus.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 size difference aa

The display of the Galaxy S4 is not only larger than the iPhone 5's, but also comes very close of beating it in terms of quality. As we reported a few weeks ago, the display experts at DisplayMate gauged the AMOLED panel of the new Galaxy S4, and found that it's as good as or better than the display on the iPhone in many ways. For context, the same experts criticized the Galaxy S3 for its lack of brightness, inaccurate color reproduction, and overall lower quality when compared to the iPhone 5.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 displays aa

Apple's device may still be king in certain areas (color calibration is almost perfect), but the full HD display on the Galaxy S4 is giving it a serious run for its money. When drawing the line, both phones have excellent displays that will satisfy all but the most picky of users.

The specs war that wasn't

iPhone fans have long got accustomed to say that specs don't matter, the experience does. And that may be true, ultimately, but specifications sheets still give us a pretty good indication of what a device is capable of.

On one side, we have Apple's homegrown A6 processor (made by Samsung, for irony lovers) with two cores clocked at 1.2GHz. A PowerVR SGX 543MP3 GPU and 1GB of RAM complete the picture of a device that doesn't shine through raw power, but does deliver a very smooth user experience. The version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 that we reviewed features a Snapdragon 600 processor, an Adreno 320 GPU, and 2GB of RAM, which on paper (and in benchmarks) should crush the iPhone.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 5 performance aa

The S4 certainly beats the iPhone in the Geekbench benchmark, but the difference in real life use is almost unnoticeable. Why is that? Because Apple does a very good job at optimizing iOS for the iPhone hardware, while iOS app developers have a much easier time adapting to one hardware configuration, instead of dozens, as it happens on Android.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 geekbench aa

While both phones work buttery smooth, the specs junkie should focus their attention on the Galaxy S4. Not only it's more powerful in terms of raw performance, but the S4 features an SD card slot, a removable battery, NFC, an IR blaster, a thermometer, a barometer, and a few other sensors. The iPhone 5, by contrast, seems bare of features.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 s4 performance aa

We'll include here the discussion about accessories. If you're coming from a previous Apple device and you have several accessories already, the iPhone 5 (plus an adaptor) might be a good choice for you. If that's not a problem for you, we don't see any reason why you'd choose an iPhone over the more feature-rich Galaxy S4.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 5 dock connector aa

Battery and cameras

One of the perks of having a larger device is the larger battery capacity. Indeed, the 5-inch Galaxy S4 has a whopping 2600mAh battery, the biggest in its class, and close to double what the iPhone 5 offers at 1440mAh. However, thanks to the smaller display, smaller resolution, and better optimized hardware, the Apple device usually manages to get users through a day of light to moderate utilization. With more intensive use, however, the iPhone 5 is often depleted before the evening.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 5 battery aa

The Galaxy S4 is able to power through one day of heavy use without breaking a sweat, and is likely to resist up to two days with light to moderate usage.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 s4 battery aa

In terms of quality, the cameras on both the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5 are excellent. The iPhone is well known for the quality of its optics, while the 13MP sensor on the Galaxy S4 lets smartphone shutterbugs take clear and detailed images.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 camera 2 aa

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 camera 1 aa

The most notable difference when it comes to cameras is the inclusion of special features in the photo apps on the iPhone and the Galaxy S4. The iPhone features two special modes, Panorama and HDR, which simply doesn't compare to the wealth of features that Samsung baked into the camera app on the Galaxy S4 – Eraser, Drama Shot, Shot and Sound, Cinemagraphs, dual recording, HDR, and panorama.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 cameras aa

iOS vs TouchWiz: a familiar story

As one of the most popular mobile operating systems, iOS suffers from a major problem – people know it too well. Save for a few major additions, like Facetime and the notification shade, iOS has remained mostly unchanged since its early days. While constancy can be good, it can also lead to boredom and fatigue, which may explain why many iPhone users are switching to Android. iOS 6 provides the smooth, super-polished experience that people expect from Apple products, but overall, the OS feels static and a bit dated.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 5 ui 1 aa

TouchWiz is another well known mobile operating system, that people tend to either hate or love. The colorful and cheerful interface, with its bubbly design, can be a joy to use, but many prefer a more understated and elegant design. The implementation on the Galaxy S4 doesn't bring any major changes to the overall design language of TouchWiz, but Samsung compensated with a number of new features. Air View (control the phone without touching it), S Health, Group Cast, Eye Pause, Eye Scroll, and WatchON are some of the most important new features, with staples like Multi-Window multitasking making a comeback.

galaxy s4 vs iphone 5 s4 ui 3 aa

The Galaxy S4 doesn't bring any revolutionary features to the table, but it does offer some new and potentially better ways of using your smartphone. Yes, you might live happily without them, but you may also find that they are the best thing since sliced bread. It's a matter of personal preference really.

Hands-on video

Pricing and final thoughts

The Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Apple iPhone 5 are similarly priced, despite the fact that the iPhone is more than six months old. In the United States, you can get the devices for about $700 unlocked, and on contract, they will typically set you back $200.

So, which one's better? The Galaxy S4 has better specs, a nicer display, a bigger battery, more software and hardware features, and a better camera. Unless you absolutely dislike plastic, TouchWiz, or large phones, you'll be better off choosing the Galaxy S4. The iPhone 5 is a great device, but that doesn't change the fact that it feels so limited compared to modern Android smartphones.

How does the Galaxy S4 compare to the iPhone 5? Answer our poll and tell us your opinion in the comments.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
    


BlueStacks announces GamePop: Subscription-based home gaming console for Android

Posted: 10 May 2013 01:29 AM PDT

BlueStacks GamePop
Let’s face it, no matter how big any of these new Android phones turn out to be, gaming on them still wouldn’t be as fun as when you do it on an actual, full-size TV. There’s a certain type of immersion that you can only get from a 40- or 50-inch flatscreen television while playing with the lights off and 5.1-channel surround sound blasts all around you from a stereo in the same room. In light of this, BlueStacks — a software company responsible for a popular Android emulator for the desktop — has announced that it will now offer its very own Android games console to try and take on the whole Android gaming industry and turn it up… to 12.

It’s called GamePop, and it has just been made available as the first free Android games console — with a slight twist. You can only get it through a month-long promotion as part of a $6.99 monthly service subscription. In other words, it’s a subscription-based gaming service not unlike similar offerings that we’ve already seen before. But BlueStacks is trying to differentiate GamePop from everything else by bundling a free console and controller as part of the monthly service.

The great thing about GamePop is that it doesn’t require any special development to be used as an Android games console (unlike Ouya, for instance). According to BlueStacks, it will be able to run Android games natively, so you can just plug it in, turn on your Android device, and get to playing pretty much right away. We’re not completely convinced that this kind of setup will work without problems, but we would definitely be impressed if it did.

One important thing that’s worth noting is the fact that if you want to place a pre-order for the GamePop now, you’re going to have to pay for a year’s worth of service up-front. That means that your total bill for your first transaction with BlueStacks (for GamePop) will amount to about $84 USD at least. That’s the price of convenience, apparently.

If you want to find out more about the kind of titles that you will be able to play on the GamePop console once it arrives, as well as how the whole GamePop gaming service will play out if you do sign up for it, then check out the information laid out in the press release below.

BlueStacks Announces GamePop, Brings Famous Mobile Games to TV

Mobile gaming comes to the living room via new product, service; several top developers on board

Palo Alto, CA May 9, 2013 – Mobile company BlueStacks today announced a new gaming console and subscription service called GamePop. The system includes a custom console and gaming controller free as part of the $6.99 per month service for May pre-orders only. This marks the first time a gaming console has been offered free with a subscription. The company recently passed 10 million users of its App Player software, which allows mobile games to be played on Mac or PC.

BlueStacks has also announced content deals today with several top game developers for the new platform, including Glu Mobile, Halfbrick, and OutFit7 – makers of the popular Talking Tom series.

“BlueStacks has credibility in the microconsole space that others just don’t have,” said Shainiel Deo, CEO of Halfbrick. “We’ve been a featured partner in App Player since early on and they’ve delivered on every promise in terms of distribution. GamePop is a great incremental channel for us.”

Other Google app-makers with the coveted "Top Developer" badge coming on the platform include the #1 kids app-maker Intellijoy, as well as Deemedya, Chinese wunderkind Droidhen and many more yet to be announced. "Mobile gaming has been taking off the past few years. BlueStacks’ vision is to bring that same experience to bigger screens," said BlueStacks CEO, Rosen Sharma. The all-you-can-eat pricing model for GamePop lets users enjoy a much broader range of games, just as you can watch more movies with Netflix versus the pay-as-you-go model Blockbuster employed.”

"Mobile gamers continue to show higher levels of engagement and longer play sessions on larger form factors," said Glu CEO, Niccolo de Masi. "BlueStacks and GamePop offer developers like Glu an opportunity to potentially reach a new audience of gamers with great 3D, high-production value content. We see significant potential in BlueStacks' approach to the console gaming market." Developers keep all of the in-app purchases that run through their apps with GamePop – BlueStacks does not take any share. Additionally, 50% of GamePop subscription revenue will be shared back with developers, apportioned by usage.

BlueStacks plans to market GamePop subscriptions directly from GamePop.tv, which went live today. Their main site, BlueStacks.com the company announced for the first time today clocks 1.6 million unique visitors every month and growing. GamePop will also be featured on BlueStacks' Facebook page, where they maintain a community of 1.2 million fans.

    


Android powers 59% of smart mobile devices shipped in Q1, what can Apple and Microsoft do?

Posted: 10 May 2013 01:03 AM PDT

high end phones

Latest figures show that Android was the operating system of choice for over 182 million smart devices that were shipped during the first three months of this year. According to a new report by research company Canalys, 308.7 million smart mobile devices (which includes notebooks as well as tablets and smart phones) were made in Q1 and Android powered 59.5% of them!

What is interesting about these numbers is that Canalys has added notebooks into the equation. This gives Microsoft a better representation and means that this isn’t just another set of Google vs Apple statistics. If you include notebooks and Microsoft Windows then Apple only has a 19.3% share of the market (with iOS and OS X) and Microsoft has an 18.1% share (with Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 RT, Windows Phone 8).

Tablets continue to be the fastest growing segment with worldwide tablet shipments growing by 106.1% year-on-year to 41.9 million units. Apple’s dominance in this area can’t be denied and iOS has a 46.4% share. However Apple’s market share is shrinking and Q1 was the third consecutive quarter where Apple lost market share to Android.

The bulk of the 308.7 million smart devices shipped in Q1 were smartphones with just over 216.3 million shipped. Android was the dominant OS with 75.6% of smartphones shipped using Google’s open source OS. Samsung continues to dominate increasing its volume by 64.3% year-on-year, while Apple saw only a modest annual growth  of 6.7% in its smart phone shipments.

The growth in sales of the iPhone is at its lowest level since the launch of the original iPhone back in 2007 and clearly the Cupertino company faces some strong challenges. To be fair it isn’t the end of the world for Apple (yet) as it did ship over 37 million iPhones but clearly Android phones like the Galaxy S4, the HTC One, the LG Optimus G Pro and Sony’s Xperia Z are more than a match for the iPhone.

Canalys Smart mobile device shipments exceed 300 million in Q1 2013

What can Apple do?

All the current Android flagship smartphones use much bigger displays than the iPhone (which now even at 4 inches is looking small). They all have quad-core processors, they all have 2 GB RAM and they have HD (1080p) displays and they all offer NFC. None of these things are true for the iPhone 5.

For Apple to maintain its momentum the next iPhone can’t be just a tweaked version of the iPhone 5. Traditionally Apple released a new design (iPhone 3G, iPhone 4 and iPhone 5) every two years and in the in-between years it released a tweaked, faster version (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4S). If the next iPhone from Apple is the iPhone 5S with just a faster CPU and a few tweaks then the company will be in serious trouble. Product naming aside it needs to release a new design (an iPhone 6) with a HD display, a bigger screen and more CPU power. Apple also needs to embrace NFC.

But that isn’t all. iOS needs to be updated radically. Sir Jonathan Ive is now hands-on with the design of iOS after Scott Forstall left (was pushed) Apple. He needs to radically refresh the current iOS UI which is six years old and is missing lots of “standard” features that Android smartphone users are used to.

What can Microsoft do?

This is a tough question. I will go out on a limb here (bullet proof vest on, helmet secure) and say that Windows Phone 8 isn’t actually that bad. Please don’t shoot! The problem Microsoft has is that it’s business model is broken. Google went open source with Android which means that every manufacturer from Samsung down to some small Chinese outfit can make Android phones. Second, Google went into the hardware business (with partners like LG and Asus) in a way that actually boosts sales of Android. When Microsoft went into the hardware business it just annoyed its OEMs.

Apple is different as it is at the “high end”. The iPhone is seen historically as a premium product. Its marketing is based on a small number of models at the top end (compare how many models of iPhone there are to how many Samsung devices you can buy). Microsoft are stuck in an old business model with only one or two major hardware partners (Nokia and HTC) trying to convince the world that Windows 8 on the desktop is just like Windows 8 on a phone or tablet!

What Microsoft need to do is lure developers and handset manufacturers to Windows Phone 8. There are several ways it can do this, it will never open source Windows Phone 8, but it could open source parts of it and offer developers (and manufacturers) the freedom to tweak the OS. It could also tempt developers with special handsets at reduced prices etc. To get more handset manufacturers it could also relax the procedure for becoming a OS partner, maybe waive some fees etc. Once developers and handset manufacturers are truly keen on Windows Phone 8 and once they have some freedom to tweak and differentiate then the consumers will come.

What do you think, is Android destined to be the dominant mobile device OS? What can Apple and Microsoft do?

    


What is the best Android phone of 2013?

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:05 PM PDT

Android phones
In the past 12 months, we saw the quote-unquote phablet — a.k.a. the overgrown smartphone — rise to dominance, and now it has pretty much become the new face of the Android smartphone market. Gone are the days of phones with modest 3.5-inch screens, dual-core processors, and limited wireless features. Nowadays, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a handset that doesn’t have a 5-inch screen, quad-core CPU, and some form of next-gen wireless networking.

Last year’s phones were great, don’t get us wrong. Who could forget the HTC One X, the first Android handset with a quad-core processor? Or the nature-inspired Samsung Galaxy S3? Again, last year’s phones were awesome. But it’s about time that we all took a look at a new list of the best Android phones ever released so far, and compare them with the stuff that we believe will arrive in the later months. Then we’re going to pick out the very best one out of this selection, just like we did in 2012.

2013 has been an absolute whirlwind of a year for Android. We’re seeing the biggest device makers try their best to exceed consumer expectations, while at the same time, trying to one-up each other by releasing bigger, better, and faster phones. There has been a lot of emphasis on “bigger” there, but we’re not complaining.

There are a lot of great phones worthy of being called the best out there, and we know that more are on the way (Nexus 5, anyone?) so we will update this piece accordingly. But we also know that there can be only one. So without further ado, meet the contenders.

HTC


If you’re looking for reasons why you should not upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S4 — or purchase any other phone, for that matter — we can give you at least one. The HTC One is, by far, the absolute best Android phone that HTC has ever concocted, and it’s a serious contender for the title of best smartphone of 2013. It’s also a symbol of HTC’s fight for survival.

HTC One Specs

  • 4.7-inch Super LCD3, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), ~469 ppi
  • 4MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (1080p video recording)
  • 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait 300 CPU + Adreno 320 GPU
  • 32GB/64GB internal storage (no microSD support), 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2.2
  • 2,300mAh battery (non-removable)

We have to admit, the HTC One doesn’t exactly scream “best Android phone ever” on paper. Some of its features might even make it look a bit underwhelming. “4-megapixel camera?” We know, we had the same reaction when we first found out about it, too. But don’t let it fool you.

Although the HTC One might appear to be under-specced, it’s anything but. It’s actually one of the more feature-rich handsets outed so far this year, especially when it comes to the camera. It also offers a unique homescreen experience courtesy of a little something called HTC BlinkFeed, which may or may not be useful depending on how you use your phone.

The bottom line is, in the sea of Android copycats, the HTC One easily stands out. Now if only HTC can get it to the hands of consumers already…

HUAWEI


Trying to capitalize on the enormous amount of work that it did dating back to early 2012, Huawei is now on the verge of convincing many people to change their viewpoints concerning the Huawei brand. Still, though it’s no stranger to catching people’s attention, Huawei has all its work cut out for it.

As part of its plan to take on the entire Android market on all fronts, Huawei is expected to launch the still rumored Huawei Edge, a smartphone with an all-aluminum chassis and top-of-the-line features that would make most big brand flagship phones from other companies cry.

Huawei “Edge” Specs

  • 4.9-inch, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels)
  • 13MP camera
  • 1.7GHz quad-core K3V3 CPU + Mali T604 GPU
  • 16GB/32GB internal storage
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
  • 2,600mAh battery

It’s not clear when — or where — the Huawei Edge is first going to arrive. But once it does, it’s likely to be talked about, pictured, tested, and perhaps even mandhandled as much as possible. We know we would.

LG

Nexus 4
LG pretty much gets a free pass to be on this list because of its status as maker of the current flagship Nexus smartphone from Google. And it doesn’t hurt that it did a really great job with it, too. The LG Nexus 4 is one of the most in-demand Android phones out on the market because it offers a no-frills “stock” Android experience, one that won’t leave users annoyed with bloatware and scrambling for ways to flash custom ROMs in order to get some peace of mind.

LG Nexus 4 Specs

  • 4.7-inch IPS+, HD (1280×720 pixels), ~318 ppi
  • 8MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (1080p video recording)
  • 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait CPU + Adreno 320 GPU
  • 8GB/16GB internal storage (no microSD support, 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2.2
  • 2,100mAh battery (non-removable)

Another thing that makes the LG Nexus 4 a must-have is the fact that it gets Google-issued Android software updates faster than any other handset you can buy right now, which is standard operating procedure for all of Google’s Nexus devices. There are some who find the Nexus 4′s lack of support for microSD cards quite disappointing, but the good news is that Android — the default version of the operating system itself, that is — doesn’t really take up too much space to begin with.

With all of that said, the LG Nexus 4 is clearly not the most powerful model that you can get your hands on. People tend to buy it more for the software, and rarely ever for the hardware. It even lacks an FM radio, but buying it will likely to lead to you saving a bunch of money, and that’s a good thing.

MEIZU


Meizu claims a spot for itself in this year’s list of contenders for the best Android phone with the upcoming (still rumored) Meizu MX3.

Meizu MX3 Specs

  • 5.1-inch LCD, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels)
  • Exynos 5 Octa processor
  • 32GB/64GB internal storage + microSD card support, 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Very little is known about the Meizu MX3 at this point, so we can’t really tell you much, though we want to. The most interesting bit of info that we know about it so far? It will ship with the exact same processor that’s fitted in the Samsung Galaxy S4. If that’s the case, it’s sure to be a powerful phone, no matter what.

MOTOROLA


Not much is really known about the rumored Motorola/Google X Phone at the moment — though there has been no shortage of rumors that sometimes seem to contradict each other whenever they pop up. But even now it doesn’t look like it’ll have much to offer in terms of specs. Just as with Google’s Nexus line of smartphones, the draw will likely be due to the software, as there is a possibility that the X Phone will launch as the first handset rocking Android version 5.0.

Motorola Google X Specs

  • 4.8-inch LCD, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels)
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
  • 32GB/64GB internal storage (no microSD card support), 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.2 Jelly Bean or Android 5.0.1

Even if the X Phone doesn’t launch with what would then be the latest version of Android, it is still more than likely to have other things going for it, though it’s difficult to tell exactly what these will be. In any case, it’s surely something to look forward to if only for the fact that it will mark the first time in a long time that Motorola launches anything new. So keep watching.

SAMSUNG


You can’t have a list of the best Android smartphones without what is currently considered by many as the undisputed king of all: the Samsung Galaxy S4. It has all of the features that made its predecessor, the Galaxy S3, a favorite, plus it also comes with the latest version of Android pre-installed.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Specs

  • 5-inch Super AMOLED, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), ~441 ppi
  • 13MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR + 1080p video recording)
  • Exynos 5 Octa 5410 with PowerVR SGX 544MP3
  • 16GB/32GB/64GB internal storage + microSD (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
  • 2,600mAh battery (removable), 62 hrs. music, 17 hrs. talk

On top of all the Samsung Galaxy S4′s standard features, there’s also a number of exclusive software tricks, of which some can be life-changing while the rest are completely useless. Some users have argued that Samsung should have just left these software tricks out in favor of letting users enjoy all the extra storage space, but the die has been cast.

Many people have been very vocal about their disappointment in the Galaxy S4′s apparently limited amount of internal storage (at least in the case of the base model that’s supposed to offer 16GB), but we think that if the urge to purchase this Android-based powerhouse is strong enough, that won’t be enough to stop them. After all, what’s the point of having a microSD card slot?

Also of note from Samsung is the upcoming Galaxy Note 3, which is sure to arrive at some point in the not-so-distant future. Have a look at a quick list of its rumored specs below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Specs

  • 5.99-inch Super AMOLED, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels)
  • 13MP auto-focus camera with LED flash
  • Exynos 5 Octa SoC with octa-core Mali-450 MP GPU
  • Uknown amount of internal storage, 3GB RAM
  • Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean or Android 4.3 with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0

In many ways, it will be like an upgraded version of not only the Galaxy S4, but also the Galaxy Note 2. It won’t be without issues (Can you imagine how hard it will be to buy pants after this?) but we have a strong feeling that these will be outweighed by all of the benefits.

SONY


Sony has been making a lot of moves in the Android universe lately, and users can’t help but notice. But don’t call it a comeback; Sony has been here for years. The flagship Xperia Z is the product of the vast amount of knowledge and experience that Sony has acquired from working in the mobile industry for so long.

Sony Xperia Z Specs

  • 5-inch TFT, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels), ~441 ppi
  • 13.1MP auto-focus camera with LED flash (HDR, 1080p video, sweep pano)
  • 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Krait CPU + Adreno 320 GPU
  • 16GB internal storage + microSD (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, upgradeable to Android 4.2
  • 2,330mAh battery (non-removable), 40 hrs. music, 11 hrs. talk

As you can see, the Xperia Z is not just beautiful on the outside. With the kind of specs it has, it’s quite beautiful on the inside as well. Its camera feature in particular is interesting, owing to its use of the exclusive Exmor RS sensor from Sony. And did we mention it’s water-resistant, with the ability to survive being dipped for up to 1 meter under water?

It may not be a Nexus, but Sony has promised to provide plenty of software support for users of the Xperia Z well into the future. In fact, it decided to create an Android Open Source Project for it last month in order to show its commitment. Among other things, it fully works with the latest nightly builds of CyanogenMod as well.

XIAOMI


Although not very big in the West, Xiaomi is one of the few Chinese brands worth keeping an eye on. Its next move is expected to be the launching of the rumored Xiaomi MI-3 or M3 smartphone, pictured above in metallic and glassy form.

Xiaomi M3 Specs

  • 5-inch LCD, Full HD (1920×1080 pixels)
  • 13MP camera
  • 2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
  • 3,000mAh battery

If you think that the Xiaomi M3 kind of looks like the HTC One, you’re not alone. And if you think that it would be a leading benchmark scorer when it finally arrives, you’re not the first person to think that, either. It looks like the only thing that could hurt this phone’s chances of becoming a worldwide best-seller is if it gets outed with a ridiculously high price tag. That, or if it isn’t made available worldwide in the first place.

Prospective owners of the Xiaomi M3 will probably have some way of importing it into any country somehow. But of course, it would have to actually be for sale first before that can happen. So for now, we wait.

ZTE


Rounding out our list of contenders for the title of best Android phone in 2013 is ZTE, with a phone that is rumored to be the first one in the world to have the NVIDIA Tegra 4 SoC. Here’s a spec sheet based on all of the things that we’ve learned about it so far.

ZTE N988 Specs

  • 5.7-inch, HD (1280×720 pixels)
  • 13MP auto-focus camera with LED flash
  • NVIDIA Tegra 4 SoC
  • 2GB RAM, unknown amount of internal storage
  • Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

We still aren’t sure why ZTE might think it’s a good idea to pair a low-resolution panel with such a large display on a device — akin to what they did with the ZTE Grand S — but perhaps we’ll find out soon enough.

The use of NVIDIA’s latest Tegra SoC ensures that it will easily ace benchmark tests and possibly offer unrivaled mobile gaming performance, a la Project Shield. Besides which, it will probably have no trouble running the latest version of Android (and maybe even much later ones), and that makes it worth looking forward to as well.

Which of the above-listed Android phones do you think will win? Did we miss anything? Are there any handsets listed here that don’t belong? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
    


‘New Nexus 7′: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, WUXGA display, Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, $199 price tag – analyst says

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:27 PM PDT

nexus-10-vs-nexus-7-12

Nexus 7 (2012 model) vs Nexus 10 (2012 model)

An analyst says that Google will unveil a second-generation Nexus 7 tablet at Google I/O next week sporting superior specs compared to its predecessor, while being equally affordable.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has sent out a research note revealing potential specifications for the second-generation Nexus 7 tablet a few days ahead of Google I/O 2013.

Still made by Asus, the new Nexus 7 would offer the following specs and features:

  • 7-inch LTPS display with 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA) resolution
  • quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (APQ8064)
  • 5-megapixel camera
  • HD front-facing camera
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth
  • NFC
  • 4000mAh battery with Qi wireless charging support
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Assuming the information is accurate – and we can never guarantee that with analysts – we're looking at several upgrades compared to the current Nexus 7. The second-gen version would sport a high-resolution display, the same kind of processor found inside the Nexus 4 smartphone, but also a rear camera. The device would run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean – which we've seen in our own server logs recently – and offer wireless charging support.

nexus-7-2-analyst-1

Image Credit: KGI Securities

When it comes to design, the tablet is said to have a smaller bezel and feature a plastic case. Kuo provides details on the actual suppliers for various second-gen Nexus 7 components, see screenshot above, but we have no way of confirming them at this time.

According to the analyst, Google would sell the device at cost, losing from $5 to $10 with each device, and would make it available through the Play Store and other retailers. Interestingly, storage isn't mentioned – we'd expect at least 16GB on the cheapest version – but it looks like versions with more memory could also be launched.

Not that it matters as much what Google will call the new tablet, the second-gen Nexus 7 is named “new Nexus 7″ by Kuo, not Nexus 2 7.0 or any other strange-looking product name we’d expect to see there.

That said, we'll cover Google I/O in great detail next week at which point we'll be able to tell you more about this just-a-rumor-for-now next-gen Nexus 7.

    


Who wants to be an editor? Flipboard for Android gets a major update

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:19 PM PDT

Flipboard 2.0

Apple iPhone and iPad owners have been using the new Flipboard 2.0 for over 6 weeks now, and now it’s our turn. Today, Flipboard has officially launched version 2.0 in the play store. What does the update bring? Magazines, but not the type of magazines that you buy from your local 7/11.

Flipboard magazines are created by the people. for the people. If you have ever dreamt of being an editor in chief, or just want to share your hobby or passions with the world, now you can. The Flipboard team also decided to make it ridiculously easy to create and manage the magazines, with the ability to add content from all over the net. You can also manage your magazine on your desktop at editor.flipboard.com.

To get a better understanding of the new features watch the video tour:

Have you had a chance to test out the new Flipboard? What are your thoughts on the new magazine feature? Let everyone know in the comments below.

    


Google services and survival: Will Android make the cut?

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:52 PM PDT

Android

Google is known for scuttling services that are no longer deemed to be beneficial or profitable. But with trends and statistical analysis going against legacy Google apps and social, will more recent efforts like Android and Google+ still be here a few years down the road?

Google is a company known for experimentation. After all, with all that resource and talent, you can expect Google to take the adventurous route in launching new services left and right. Take for instance apps that came from Google Labs, which is the source of a handful of apps and features we take for granted as mainstream products today.

But it’s not all rosy for these products and projects. Google does cancel apps and products that are no longer deemed in line with its overall business strategy. Take Google Reader, for instance. Even with millions of active users, Google decided to close down the service by July this year. And according to statistical analytics, there are a few factors common among services that Google discontinues, and it is likewise for services and apps that Google decides to keep.

The analysis on Gwern.net is a bit lengthy, although it takes into consideration various data points and factors, such as the use of FLOSS, and whether the app is related to social media. Here are a few findings. In gist, for a Google product to survive, it has to have the following criteria:

  1. Not be an acquisition
  2. Not be free, libre or open source software (FLOSS)
  3. Be directly making money
  4. Not be related to social networking
  5. Have lots of Google hits relative to lifetime
  6. Have been launched early in Google's lifetime

In all, Google has a shutdown rate of 35 percent.

The analysis actually made a listing of risk factors for popular Google services, which includes both a five-year survival rate based on these criteria, weighted with the author’s own personal prediction. Notably, Project Glass only has a 37 percent five-year survival rate. However, the risk factor was a low 0.10, which means Glass is one of the Google products likely to go beyond five years.

Strong apps include Search, News, Books and AdWords, among others.

Now taking into consideration our original question: will Android last five more years? Consider that Android does not fall under criteria #1, #2, #3 and #6 (possibly even #4 since social networking remains to be a popular application on mobile devices), does this mean that Android has a low survival rate?

Not necessarily. As the author posits, Android is one of those products that are big enough that “Google losing interest would not be fatal.”

How about apps like Google+, then? The social network only falls under #1. Consider also that earlier attempts at social networking, like Google Wave, failed. It seems that Plus has now become a catch-all for all of social-related services, and “anything to do with social will now either be merged into Google+.”

So no worry here, folks. Our favorite Android and Google+ are safe, at least for the foreseeable future.

    


Nexus 4 apparently retired by some UK retailers, Nexus 5 coming soon?

Posted: 09 May 2013 05:48 PM PDT

Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4 aa (10)

A new report says that some UK electronics retailers are about to retire the five-month old Nexus 4, fueling speculation that a next-gen Nexus version could soon be launched.

With just a few days to go until Google I/O 2013 kicks off, we're not surprised to see plenty of Nexus-related rumors hit the web, so we'll remind you that nothing is official just yet about upcoming Nexus devices.

TechRadar now says that the Nexus 4 "has been taken off the shelves of two British retailers" including Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U. The two companies have apparently stop selling the device in the region, which is still be available from Google's online store or local carriers including O2.

We can independently confirm that neither Carphone Warehouse nor Phones4U will let you buy the Nexus 4 from their respective online stores. When searching for it on Carphone Warehouse, the handset does appear in a drop down list of suggested products, but when it comes to checking out results, you're only offered Nexus 7 pages. Furthermore, the product page has also been retired. Phones4U still has the Nexus 4 product page up, but you can't buy the device anymore, and it doesn’t say why you can’t order it at this time.

Considering that only a few months ago the handset was selling like hot cakes in various markets including the UK, then the simplest explanation would be that a next-gen Nexus handset is indeed in the works. Why else would retailers discontinue the "old" Nexus 4?

Are we looking at a Nexus 5 handset, possibly made by LG? Or is it that 32GB Nexus 4 LTE model that was recently mentioned by a slew of unconfirmed reports going to be unveiled at Google I/O? We'll be able to answer that question soon enough, as the event gets underway.

    


Samsung Galaxy S4 Active and Samsung Zest coming to AT&T, new report says

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:47 PM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 vs htc one s4 in hand aa

A new rumor says that Samsung's rugged Galaxy S4 version will hit AT&T stores in the future alongside another new Samsung smartphone reportedly called "Zest."

The information comes from @evleaks, a Twitter account known for the various details and images provided about mobile devices ahead of their launch. While the source has been rather accurate in the past, we'll still remind you that nothing is confirmed just yet, so take everything with the appropriate grain of salt.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

An image of the Galaxy S4 Active is not provided at this time, as we're only told given AT&T's model number for the device, SGH-I537. The current AT&T Galaxy S4 version has model number SGH-I337, which is very similar to Active's rumored number:

An user agent profile for the SGH-I537 seems to reveal that we're looking at a Samsung device that would feature a 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) display, which is what we'd expect from the Active in the first place.

The Galaxy S4 Active has been the star of various reports in the past – only yesterday we've seen a different report saying the handset will hit Europe at some point in July – with Samsung already confirming that a rugged Galaxy S4 is in the works. However, the company never confirmed the "Active" name for the device.

Samsung Zest

While the Galaxy S4 Active is expected to be a high-end handset – it's logical to assume that the handset would be a regular Galaxy S4 version with rugged capabilities on top – this rumored Zest is said to be an entry-level device:

Specs and features are not available for the handset, but a user profile for it reveals that it will feature a display with 800 x 480 resolution.

We'll be back with more details about these new AT&T handsets once they're available.

    


AT&T announces new Aio Wireless prepaid brand

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:31 PM PDT

AT&T

Just last week, we reported that AT&T was preparing to launch new prepaid plans under the existing "All in One" brand. Now it’s official, Aio Wireless has now arrived, with plans starting at $40.

Aio Wireless intends to roll out across the United States next year, but it is currently being tested in Houston (TX), Orlando (FL) and Tampa (FL).

In total there are four different kinds of plans available. The $40 Aio Basic plan is for feature phones and includes unlimited talk, text and data – though it is throttled after using 250MB.

Next up is the $55 Aio Smart plan, which is only for smartphones. This plan includes unlimited talk, text and is throttled after 2GB usage.Need more data than that? That’s where the AiO Pro plan comes in, providing 7GB. Additionally, you can pay a one-time charge of $10 each month for an additional 1GB of data.

The fourth and final plan announced is called "AiO Tablet". As you guessed it, the plan is designed for tablets, and includes 250MB high-speed data. Keep in mind that LTE service isn’t provided for any of these plans, it’s just HSPA+.

AIO

As for the phone selection, the best Android device that can be purchased directly from AiO Wireless is the dual-core Samsung Galaxy Express for $250, luckily AiO Wireless makes it easy to bring your existing GSM handset over to their service, charging just $10 for a SIM card.

What do you think of AT&T’s new prepaid MNVO, how do you feel it stacks up to existing prepaid offerings?

    


AT&T 16GB Samsung Galaxy S4 costs $237 to build, says report

Posted: 09 May 2013 03:22 PM PDT

samsung galaxy s4 vs galaxy s3 s4 touchwiz aa

You go to buy your new Galaxy S4, reach for your wallet and pull out $200, sign the contract and walk away with the next Big Thing. Or if you don’t like contracts, you throw down around $700 for Samsung’s latest. But how much is the U.S. version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 really worth, when it comes down to parts and manufacturing? About $237, according to research firm IHS.

The latest IHS teardown report arrived today, stating that the bill of materials for the AT&T version of the Galaxy S4 comes in at $229, with the manufacturing costs bringing the total to $237.

How does that compare to the Korean LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy S4? It’s a bit cheaper, with the Korean version coming to $252, combining manufacturing and BOM. What’s really interesting is that despite similar looks, these two versions share very little in common, internally.

samsung galaxy s4 vs galaxy s3 s4 performance aa

We already knew that the processors were different, with a Snapdragon 600 ($20) in the U.S. version, versus the Exynos 5410 ($28), but it doesn’t end there. In fact, about the only two components that bare the exact same vendor and model number are the Samsung display and a Broadcom NFC controller.

When you look at the prices involved to build the Galaxy S4, does mean we are getting hosed, regardless of what version we get? It might seem that way at first glance. After all, most of us pay $200 upfront for such a device, and then there are the prices involved with the two-year contract we commit to.

Just remember, there is a lot more involved with determining the Galaxy S4′s retail cost than just parts and manufacturing. Samsung not only has to pay the costs of assembly and distribution, but they also have to consider support for the devices, and their multi-billion dollar marketing efforts. That’s not to mention all the research and development, these things just don’t come cheap.

What really matters is the profit margins that Samsung is making for the handset. Think they are charging too much for the Galaxy S4? Just remember that the iPhone 5 costs around $207 with parts and manufacturing, and yet the two handsets sell for comparable subsidized prices.

    


Is Amazon developing a phone with 3D display technology?

Posted: 09 May 2013 12:22 PM PDT

amazon logo 4 [aa]

Hopetts/Flickr Amazon will launch a smartphone September 6, sources say.

If recent rumors are to be believed, Amazon is developing a smartphone. With 3D capabilities. This 3D technology wouldn't require users to wear any special glasses, and images would appear to float above the screen as well as add depth to images. The device is also rumored to use retina-tracking technology, much like The Galaxy S4, to allow users to scroll through content.

This falls into a larger hardware push by Amazon, who is also reportedly working on a set-top box for streaming content. We've also heard of a smartphone that had no 3D capability, so we could see multiple offerings on top of their Kindle line of tablets. Both the set-top box and phone are good ideas, and fall into their strategy for media consumption.

Amazon was at the forefront of the "race to the bottom", which saw very good devices sold at rock-bottom prices. That business model is designed to get users to shop exclusively at the online marketplace, which is how companies like Amazon intend to profit from the tablet or phone. Others, like Google, quickly followed suit.

While a 3D phone seems interesting, it also sells to a niche market that doesn't exist. The display technology is probably expensive and sensitive, driving cost up. A 3D screen would be a first, which is as detrimental as it is special. With such radical hardware, special apps would need to be developed to take advantage. That's a lot of extra work for developers, with little to no return in sight.

The source responsible for the information straddled the fence tightly when prompted for release dates. According to that person(s), Amazon has designs on releasing hardware in the next few months, but could also shelve some products. A set-top Amazon streaming box seems appropriate, but a 3D phone? We'll not expect a 3D 4G LTE device from Amazon anytime soon.

 

    


WeatherSignal turns your phone into a personal weather station

Posted: 09 May 2013 11:44 AM PDT

Weather Signal

You pop up your favorite weather app, check the temp. You dress according, then head outside. That’s when you notice it: the trusty weather gods got it all wrong – again.

Maybe they said it wasn’t windy outside (and it it was..), perhaps they revealed it was going to be a scorcher (but it’s cold as hell). Regardless, you wish there was a better way to get accurate, local weather information. That’s exactly what WeatherSignal hopes to accomplish.

You might already know about OpenSignal, the company whose namesake app is designed to create crowdsourced maps of mobile phone network coverage. Their latest effort takes a similar concept and applies it to the weather, using your smartphone to create a bigger picture of what the weather is like around you.

How the data is gathered

Like most apps that rely on crowdsourcing, the more you put into it, the more you get out. While you are not required to contribute weather information, it certainly helps the project along. So how does it work?

First you need to download the free app from Google Play. Once downloaded and opened up, you will be greeted by a simple interface with three tabs, “Dashboard”, “Map” and “Report”.

The map tab shows a world map (shocking I know). The report tab allows you to enter manual information about rain, snow and hail. Dashboard is where most of the magic happens, as it displays information gathered from the sensors in your phone, which it can optionally share with the world around you.

Not every phone has the types of sensors needed to gather all this information, however. According to Samuel Johnston, OpenSignal’s community manager, the best phone for the job is none other than the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Using the S4, the app can get readings on temperature, light, magnetic flux, pressure and humidity. This is possible because the Galaxy S4 has quite a few unique sensors like a barometer, hygrometer, and magnetometer. Unfortunately, not even the Galaxy S4 has a way to figure out wind information.

So what if you don’t have the latest and greatest from Samsung? No worries, the app can still get basic information like temperature readings and manual weather reports.

Using a specially developed algorithm, WeatherSignal can even figure out the temperature on phones that don’t have an external thermometer. This works by using your battery’s temperature to figure out the ambient temperature around your mobile device.

While just one of these readings might not mean much, it’s all about the bigger picture that your phone helps create. OpenSignal also says they will use environmental-fingerprinting tech to figure out if a phone is indoor or out, making the data much more accurate.

weather-signal-screenshots

Not perfect yet, but lot’s of promise

Okay, so you might not want to forsake the weather gods just yet. Right now, OpenSignal is in the very early stages of getting this project started, and since the app was just released, there are only so many phones currently contributing data.

The company is also still trying to figure out the best ways to analyze the data gathered and how to effectively translate that into real-world weather information. Why contribute if the information isn’t perfect yet? For one thing, because it has a lot of promise. For another, because it is fun, exciting and different.

Collaborating to provide weather stats on a wide-scale is a big ambition, and a concept that will only get better in time. Additionally, even though the Galaxy S4 is the only device with all the sensors needed to accurately gauge the weather, that too will change in time.

    


Asus hints at new Transformer device in “We Transform” Computex teaser video

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:49 AM PDT

Asus Transformer

A new Asus Transformer device is what Asus seems to hint at in the first of a series of five video trailers for its Computex event on June 6.

The conclusion is a pretty easy one to draw, since the company has written the slogan “We Transform” at the top of the page promoting the event. This is the same page that also includes spots for four additional trailers, which we’ll presumably see soon enough.

The trailer, which you can watch below, is basically an ode to the company’s innovation abilities, showcasing products like the Zenbook, Transformer Book, Fonepad or its Transformer tablets.

An interesting thing to notice (which Engadget has noticed, too) is that, around the 0:32 mark, a tablet-like device with a stylus makes an appearance (see screenshot below). Could Asus be hinting at something there? Maybe an Asus tablet with more stylus-oriented features, or even a competitor to Samsung’s next Galaxy Note device, also said to be coming soon? Only the company itself can know that.

asus transformer

The Transformer range started in 2011, with the TF-101, and its most current iteration is the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity. While it’s pretty safe to assume that a slogan like “We Transform” can only refer to a new member of the Asus Transformer range, the trailer leaves quite a lot to the imagination as to what Asus may have in store for us.

On the other hand, there have been rumors of two new Transformer tablets, as hinted by data coming from a Russian certification institute: the TF302T (Wi-Fi-only) and the TF302TG (Wi-Fi and 3G). There were also mentions of a Wi-Fi-only TF501T and a TF501TG, also having 3G connectivity, although nothing other than the names are talked about.

Hopefully, Asus will make things a little clearer in the next few videos, although the company probably won’t want to totally ruin the surprise for the event.

What do you think Asus will unveil at Computex?

    


Why are carriers turning away from the iPhone?

Posted: 09 May 2013 10:39 AM PDT

Apple-Store

Apple, the company that really created the modern mobile technology market, is slowly becoming less relevant in it. Some of that has a lot to do with users, who find much more tangible benefit to an Android device. Another aspect of their slide are calculated business tactics that are beginning to catch up with Apple.

The average consumer views the iPhone and iPad as ubiquitous to sector they represent, much like we call facial tissue 'Kleenex'. Rather than really weigh their options, consumers often go for what's known. Apple has relied largely on their past image, as well as consumer ignorance, to carry them through.

For many, the iPhone is simply the device that works best for them. They are either invested heavily into the Apple ecosystem, or have a very finite set of needs that only the iPhone can provide. In those instances, that consumer has made the right decision for themselves, and negotiated the muddy waters of smartphones successfully.

That's a long term strategy, with no initial return on investment, in a market that changes rapidly.

A majority of consumers simply want a device that's fun, and maybe 'cool'. To really understand the market is to grasp that not everyone follows tech closely, or is heavily invested in who makes a device or what it represents. Many people gravitate towards the iPhone because of the image Apple has manicured for it, not due to any particular use case scenarios or personal preferences. For those buyers, it's another way to wedge themselves into societal acceptance.

apple-money-2

Bloatware and bloated wallets

Carriers are interested in our wants and needs, but only because it translates into dollars and cents. The price carriers pay for an iPhone is astounding, at nearly $600 per device. Considering the 'it' factor the iPhone had for so long, carriers found themselves needing the device more than they wanted it.

Sprint had the Apple dilemma a few years ago. They didn't have the device, and were suffering from it. The goal for subsidy carriers like Sprint is to have people sign contracts, and the device is a large factor in the decision. At the time, it was simple: no iPhone, no customer.

They signed a deal with Apple, agreeing to purchase $15.5 billion in iPhones over the next several years. What the deal accomplished was making Sprint more relevant to the consumer. What it failed to do was make Sprint solvent, or even profitable.

Sprint reluctantly admitted that the deal would not earn them a profit until at least 2015. That's a long term strategy, with no initial return on investment, in a market that changes rapidly. Carriers also can't manipulate an iPhone, as they can with another device. There is no bloatware to be added, or security software to weigh it down. You get what Apple gives you, at the price they ask.

So why do it?

Let's get down to the dirty details. A carrier pays $600 for an iPhone, yet sells it to the consumer for $200. The carrier is now $400 upside down on the deal, initially. They make that up to you in monthly service fees. We've explained before how unsubsidized plans can actually save you quite a bit of money, and this is a very typical case. For unsubsidized plans, everyone wins. Consumers may need to spend a little more upfront, but the long terms savings are undeniable. Carriers, in turn, don't have to make up lost revenue via a bloated monthly contract fee.

samsung-galaxy-s3-vs-apple-phone-5

You get what you pay for

Apple is a for-profit company, and will maximize their profit as best they can. This is normal practice, but Apple seems especially adept. If carrier attitude is any indication, these practices may be coming to an end.

There have been rumors of a budget-friendly iPhone for some time now. That is partly due to carrier reaction to Apple, based on customer reaction to the carrier. Even that 'cool' label Apple wore so proudly is beginning to wash away. Samsung is steadily making strides toward cell phone prominence, and Android is a much more mature system now. As consumer attitudes change, so do carrier needs.

A larger carrier, like Verizon, can readily recoup the cost of steep subsidies. Smaller carriers, however, can not. With companies like Samsung offering a much better deal to the carriers, as well as a lot of bells and whistles to consumers, Apple is starting to lose face, and market share. A budget iPhone may help a bit, but that's a sector in the market that Apple is unfamiliar with, and perhaps unwilling to enter. Pride in the product they offer is their gift, and the curse. It put them on their pedestal, and may topple them as well.

    


Team Fortress 2 clone Blitz Brigade launches on the Google Play Store

Posted: 09 May 2013 09:54 AM PDT

blitz-brigade
After releasing a teaser trailer a couple of months back, Gameloft has just launched Blitz Brigade, which brings some really cool Team Fortress-like gameplay to the table.

The game, like a lot of Gameloft’s games, isn’t that unique, as it has a lot of Team Fortress elements. Blitz Brigade has five classes you can choose from, the Soldier, Gunner, Medic, Sniper and Stealth, which is similar to Team Fortress 2′s Soldier, Heavy, Medic, Sniper and Spy classes.

There are over 100 weapons, and everyone of them is designed for a specific class. Up to 12 players can play battle it out in multiplayers matches, and if you’re not into online play, there seems to be 120 “action-packed” singleplayer missions, though, like Team Fortress 2, most of the fun takes place online.

It’s great to see that a class-based multiplayer first-person shooter has finally made its way to Android. Team Fortress 2 is a blast, and there’s no doubt Blitz Brigade will also be a lot of fun, though, we can’t help but notice this is a free title. Just like the majority of Gameloft’s free titles, there will be a plethora of in-app purchases.

Gameloft definitely isn’t worried about being blatant when they borrow from another game. What do you think of Blitz Brigade? Let us know in the comments!

    


Google I/O 2013 companion app brings new lock screen widget and more

Posted: 09 May 2013 09:40 AM PDT

google-io-2013-companion-app
We’re just a week away from Google I/O 2013, and in anticipation of the event, Google has pushed out a really nice update for the Google I/O companion app.
The app has been equipped with some awesome features, such as a lock screen widget to view your schedule on the go. Take a peek at the changelog:

  • NEW! Scan attendee badges via NFC
  • NEW! Schedule changes are immediately synchronized between devices
  • NEW! Lock screen widget for viewing your agenda on the go
  • NEW! Vector-based maps with session info
  • NEW! Dedicated HDMI video output for livestreams
  • NEW! Automatic WiFi setup for attendees
  • NEW! Off-site attendee mode for livestream-only viewers
  • Use Google+ for login
  • Support for viewing Office Hours sessions
  • Improved support for devices with RTL locales

When launching the app, you’ll be able to sign in with your Google+ credentials, and after that you’ll be asked if you’re attending the event. If you’re not attending Google I/O 2013, the app won’t setup Wi-Fi access and let you choose your event schedule. Instead, it will only show sessions that will be livestreamed.

google-io-2013-app-1

The Google I/O 2013 companion app is also equipped with a beautiful Google Now-esque design. Additionally, it has optimized support for phones, 7- and 10-inch tablets, and works on devices running Android 2.3.3 or higher.

Aside from all of that, there’s a Google I/O countdown timer at the bottom of the sessions page, you’ll find a map of the conference building in the “Explore” tab, and there’s also a social stream under the “Stream” page. Just hit the Source link below to download the app.

Google I/O is going to be really excited this year, as there’s some big changes coming. Between Google Babel, a possible gaming platform and more Chrome OS news, I can hardly wait. Only a few more days to go!

Be sure to keep your browsers locked on Android Authority, as we’ll be bring you all the latest from this exciting event!

    


Rumor: Microsoft interested in buying Nook for $1 billion

Posted: 09 May 2013 09:16 AM PDT

Nook_HD+_with-google-play

Last week, B&N changed its tablet game in a big way, introducing Google Play support in a move that could put additional pressure on Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets.

So what’s next for B&N and its Nook tablet strategy? If a new report is to be believed, Google Play was simply an end-game move, as the company is looking to discontinue its Android tablet business next year. Even more intriguing is the possibility that Microsoft is looking to buy out the digital assets of Nook Media for $1 billion.

The report comes from alleged internal documents that have made their way into the hands of the good folks over at TechCrunch. The documents do not indicate what Microsoft plans to do if they end up buying out the Nook division, but they do point to B&N’s future plans for their digital content if they stay in control of it.

Instead of their own tablets, B&N supposedly would partner with third-party vendors to distribute their digital content. They would also continue with their existing Nook e-reader line.

Does this move make sense for B&N?

Microsoft already owns 16.8 percent of Nook Media. B&N continues to see declining interest for its Nook HD and HD+ tablets. Selling off the Nook line or ending support of Nook Android tablets wouldn’t have seemed so surprising just a week ago.

Of course, that was before B&N decided to unleash Google Play onto the device and cut the prices in time for Mother’s Day.

There has already been some speculation that releasing the Play Store was simply the Nook’s way of throwing in the towel. While that’s possible, it seems a little short-sided in thought. B&N has already received quite a bit of hype since announcing Google Play support. This means there are folks that are interested in the Nook tablets, provided there are more apps.

Shouldn’t B&N at least see where a strategy of supporting Google Play alongside its own digital content takes the company before deciding on the fate of its Android tablet business? For now, I’d take the report with a grain of salt. Will it is certainly possible, nothing is official until B&N says so.

    


OUYA update: launch delayed, Bing Gordon joins the board, and a new $15 million investment

Posted: 09 May 2013 09:04 AM PDT

OUYA

There's been some good news and bad news today for fans of the $99 OUYA Android gaming console. The good news: venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has led an investment drive worth $15 million for the project. As part of the deal ex-Chief Creative Officer of EA Bing Gordon will be joining the company's board of directors.

The bad news: the console's launch date will be pushed back from its scheduled June 4 retail release until June 25. It's not a total disaster, just more of a mild irritation for those itching to get their hands on their OUYA.

Three weeks isn't too long to wait, but surprisingly the decision to delay the entire launch doesn't appear to be caused by a technical issue or problems with the console. Instead, it turns out that they simply can't make enough of them. Here's the statement from OUYA regarding the delay:

in order to meet their greater than expected demand, we decided to shift the launch date by a couple of weeks – three weeks – which will allow us to create more units and, basically, have more units on store shelves in June.

An interesting business decision if you ask me, and I can’t help but wonder whether or not the real issue lies in the defective controllers. Early adopters have been reporting that some of the controller's buttons can become stuck underneath the faceplate. Fortunately, the problem has already been addressed, and all the new units will ship with the new fixed controllers.

OUYA controller

The new controller keeps the existing design, the button holes have just been made larger to prevent them from sticking.

But that's enough of the bad news, let's look at what this new $15 million investment means for the up and coming console manufacturer. The investment firm KPCB, of which Bing Gordon is a member, along with participation from the Mayfield Fund, NVIDIA, Shasta Ventures, and Occam Partners, has put together a fund designed to support game development on OUYA. As well as the $8.5 million raised by Kickstarter backers, Julie Urhman, OUYA's co-founder, confirmed that the investment would be used to bring exclusive titles to the console and to support small developers.

As already mentioned, the addition of Bing Gordon to the board of directors will no doubt bring a wealth of important connections to OUYA, thanks to his years of experience in the industry. This will be essential for capturing developer interest and securing distribution deals with retailers.

You'll probably have also noted that NVIDIA continues to lend support to the project, which could prove to be a big opportunity for the company considering that it failed to secure hardware contracts for the next-generation PlayStation, and is rumoured to be missing out on the new Xbox console as well.

Waiting a little longer is sure to irritate eager fans a little, and that's understandable. But ensuring that the launch goes well, making the right connections with retailers, and supporting developers is what's going to determine OUYA's long term success, and that’s surely worth the extra wait.


OUYA RAISES $15 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING; KLEINER PERKINS PARTNER AND
VIDEOGAME EXECUTIVE BING GORDON JOINS BOARD
Funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Mayfield Fund, and Others Will Support OUYA’s
Video Game Developer Ecosystem and Expand Production
LOS ANGELES – May 09, 2013 – Video game startup OUYA today announced $15 million in new funding led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), with participation from the Mayfield Fund, NVIDIA, Shasta Ventures, and Occam Partners. The company intends to use the additional funding to support OUYA’s growing game development community, and meet increased demand for the upcoming retail launch. KPCB General Partner Bing Gordon will join the company’s board of directors, which also includes Julie Uhrman, OUYA founder and CEO, and Roy Bahat, chairman of the Board.

OUYA’s vision for a new kind of game console, open to all game developers, was brought to life through the support of early backers who crowdfunded the initial product development on Kickstarter. The crowdfunding effort set Kickstarter records, and delivered $8.6 million –almost nine times the target raise — signaling strong consumer demand for the console. Venture funding validates the business strategy.

“We want OUYA to be here for a long time to come,” said Uhrman. “The message is clear: people want OUYA. We first heard this from Kickstarter backers who provided more than $8 million to help us build

OUYA, then from over 12,000 developers who have registered to make an OUYA game, next from retailers who are carrying OUYA online and soon on store shelves, and now from top pioneering investors.”

Before joining KPCB where Gordon is focused on digital investments, he was a long-time executive at Electronic Arts, beginning with EA’s founding in 1982 which had initial funding from KPCB. As an OUYA board member, Gordon will advise the company as it scales its development community and executes its retail strategy and product development plans. Gordon also serves on the board of directors of Amazon, Klout, Lockerz, MEVIO, Zazzle and Zynga.

“OUYA’s open source platform creates a new world of opportunity for established and emerging independent game creators and gamers alike,” said Gordon. “There are some types of games that can only be experienced on a TV, and OUYA is squarely focused on bringing back the living room gaming experience. OUYA will allow game developers to unleash their most creative ideas and satisfy gamers craving a new kind of experience.”

OUYA’s appeal lies in its unique philosophy within the console market. On OUYA, every game is free to try, and any developer can publish a game. OUYA is powerful enough to run 3D games in beautiful 1080p HD with its NVIDIA Tegra-3 processor, and open enough to invite game developers to bring their most creative inventions back to the television. More than 12,000 game creators worldwide have registered to make an OUYA game, from AAA studios to new entrants, including Square Enix, Inc., Double Fine Productions, Tripwire Interactive, Vlambeer, Kim Swift’s Airtight Games, Mighty Rabbit Studios, nWay, Polytron Corporation, and many others.

OUYA is now shipping exclusively to early backers as part of a preview program. On June 25th, OUYA will be available for purchase in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. through retailers Amazon, Best Buy, GAME, GameStop, and Target, and on OUYA.tv for $99.99. Additional controllers will retail for $49.99. Through these retailers, consumers can pre-order OUYA today.

About OUYA
OUYA is building a new kind of video game experience for the television. Created in 2012 by video game industry veteran Julie Uhrman, OUYA is bringing the most exciting, creative, and inventive free-to-try game play experiences to life – in 1080p HD – for $99. Uhrman and an initial team of game developers and industry advisors brought the concept to life with the help of award-winning designer Yves Behar.

OUYA is currently available for pre-order at retailers in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, and will be on store shelves on June 25, 2013. Visit ouya.tv for more information.

About Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) has backed entrepreneurs in more than 700 ventures leading to nearly 200 IPOs, over 375,000 jobs and a deep strategic network. The firm has helped build pioneering companies like Align, Amazon, Electronic Arts, Genentech, Genomic Health, Google, Intuit, Juniper Networks, Netscape, Symantec, VeriSign and WebMD. KPCB partners serve on the boards of Amazon, Apple, Bloom Energy, Flipboard, Foundation Medicine, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Nest, Square, Tesaro and Zynga, among others. KPCB accelerates the success of entrepreneurs with a team of partners delivering company-building services including strategy, operational scaling, recruiting, business development, product delivery and marketing communications. The firm invests in all stages from seed and incubation to growth companies. KPCB operates from offices in Menlo Park, San Francisco, Shanghai and Beijing. http://www.kpcb.com

    


Samsung SideSync feature demoed in official video

Posted: 09 May 2013 08:42 AM PDT

sidesync

Samsung SideSync has been recently announced by the company, as part of the experience its Windows 8 devices offer, now reunited under the ATIV brand.

Now, a new video has been posted online by the company, detailing what Samsung SideSync actually does and how it can help you, provided you own one of Samsung’s Windows 8 based PCs, on which it will come preinstalled. You’ll also need one of Samsung’s Android smartphones running Samsung’s SideSync app for Android, which is available from Samsung’s own Apps store.

Making videos that detail new features of its devices is a bit of a common practice for Samsung lately, with the company recently showing you some of the most interesting Samsung Galaxy S4 features in one, as well as the flagship smartphone’s design story in another, to name but a couple.

Now, it’s Samsung SideSync’s turn, which looks like a pretty interesting feature, allowing you to easily integrate your Android smartphone and Samsung PC. It can be used to sync content on your smartphone while it’s docked for charging, as well as to share a keyboard and mouse between the two, making messaging much easier, for example.

Copy-paste and drag-and-drop are possible, too, and so is sharing your phone screen on the PC, viewing content from it and performing various tasks with the mouse (you can also resize it to whatever dimensions you may need on your PC screen, which could be quite convenient).

To get a better idea, check out the video below:

It will be interesting to see what the future will bring for SideSync; will it remain only on Samsung’s PCs, or will it replace Samsung Kies in the long run, and be available for everyone, ATIV users or not? What do you think will happen?

    


Apex Launcher 2.0 arrives to Google Play, introduces notification badges

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:26 AM PDT

Apex Launcher

One of the great things about Android is that users aren’t under lock-and-key when it comes to customization. There are plenty of tools out there that can help you make the most out of your Android experience, such as launcher apps like Facebook Home.

Oh wait… you mean you want a launcher that actually improves your phone experience? Then you might want to check out the Apex Launcher, which has just received a new update to version 2.0. (Shameless jab at Facebook, I know.)

There are certainly some users that prefer Nova and Holo, but there is no denying that Apex is still a very worthwhile alternative. The most exciting features in the latest update are the addition of folders in the app drawer and integration with the new Apex Notifier for owners of the pro version.

What’s Notifier? It is an extension that works with the DashClock Widget and Apex Launcher.

With the Notifier running, you will see unread counts show up as a small badge above several Android apps such as Google Voice, Google Talk, Gmail, Battery Level, Calendar appointments, SMS, and Missed Calls. You can even pick and choose the apps that do or don’t show the notifications as badges.

While we’ve already covered the most significant features, there are a few other interesting changes mentioned in the official log:

  • Folders in the app drawer (pro)
  • Integration with Apex Notifier (pro)
  • Notification badge style options (pro)
  • Default on for external notifiers (pro)
  • Added vibration duration option
  • Improved activity picker and wallpaper chooser
  • Re-organized and improved settings menu
  • Disabled auto update checks by default
  • Removed permissions for notifications
  • Various fixes and improvements
  • Updated translations
  • Apex Notifier is an extension app that also supports DashClock (Android 4.2+).

If you’ve never tried the Apex Launcher before, you get the basic version of the app for free. To take advantage of the Apex Notifier however, you will need to have the Pro version, which will set you back $3.99.

For those that have already updated, what do you think of the new update?

    


The Earl rugged Android tablet bring a flexible 6-inch E-Ink display to harsh environments

Posted: 09 May 2013 07:25 AM PDT

  earl-rugged-tablet-1

There are plenty of rugged devices which can survive in harsh conditions and vouch to bring intelligent functionalities at the same time. While we had our share of tough Android slates over the time, we hardly saw a product that stands above the crowd. Usually, manufacturers base their designs on a regular tablet with slim forms and powerful specifications to create a slate that can resist dust, water, mud and small impacts. Product after product, the pattern repeats itself and the market ends up saturated.

This is not the case with the Earl tablet. An ambitious project which is still in a funding phase at the moment, Earl is designed as the perfect companion for outdoor use. Thanks to a flexible E-Ink display of medium size, a hard-shell case and plenty of intelligent features hidden underneath, Earl does more than to simply survive against threatening factors like water and dust: it helps owners fulfill their quests.

What separates Earl from other rugged tablets?

Unlike conventional resistant slates, like the Getac Z710 or the Toughpad range from Panasonic, Earl uses a flexible E-Ink display. Measuring only 6-inch, the unit has a decent 1024 x 768 pixel resolution and aims to help those who like venturing outdoors reach their destination safely, and as fast as possible. The simple nature of the display can guarantee low-power consumptions meaning more hours of use and plenty of battery juice for other elements.

Speaking of battery, Earl comes with a 3000mAh charge that can last around 20 hours thanks to that low-light panel and to a power-optimized 1GHz Freescale i.MX6 DualLight processor. The slate also comes with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, NFC and a classic AM/FM Radio that should prove useful in 10-hour trails.

earl-rugged-tablet-3

Software-wise, the rugged tablet is powered by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and can process plenty of data thanks to a healthy amount of RAM – 1GB. When it comes to storage, you can rely on 16GB of built-in memory and microSD support.

But what really caught our attention was a specific set of outdoor features:

  • GPS tracking – thanks to a high-end GSP chipset and to Everytrail.com, Earl can easily give users precise location reading, direction of movement and elevation. Moreover, the tablet can access thousands of maps right-away and when needed, measure hear rate, pace and cadence to external Bluetooth devices. Surprisingly, it even has Android Beam.
  • Weather alerts – the rugged companion also comes with a range of weather sensors embedded, which supply accurate and up-to-date information about changing conditions. The system is bragged as usable even in the most remote conditions and can let the user know important details such as current temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. Astrology lovers will enjoy Earl because when the weather sensor works in tandem with the GPS system, you can find out when and where the sun, moon and stars will shine brighter.
  • Safety guardian – that Radio feature we talked about is not used solely for entertaining. Thanks to an enhanced transceiver, Earl can act as a walkie-talkie system able to communicate and catch radio frequencies in a 20-mile radius. The Android power can also be seen here, because Earl also has the wits to transmit weather, location and route information over the air.
  • Smart display – the flexible E-Ink panel we like so much is designed by LG to provide superior visibility in direct sunlight and a night-light for after dawn. Moreover, thanks to its infrared touchscreen technology, the display can be used with gloves and with a wide range of motion gestures.
  • Quick charging – a high-efficiency solar panel with crystalline cells that can transfer 18% of direct sunlight into power juice is mounted directly on the back of the slate. Using this system, the tablet can be recharged in around 5 hours.
  • Resistant – lastly, this device comes with an IP67 rating, which basically stands for water, dust, shock, and mud protection. Owners can deep the slate under 3 feet of water for 30 minutes or take it to mount Everest without harming any internal part.

As far as Android goes, Earl is compatible with the wide majority of existing applications. It has support for various e-reader formats, such as EPUB, MOBI, PDF and can also extend to more functionality in the future, thanks to an open API project aimed to attract developers.

The complete package weighs only 11 ounces (or 311 grams) and measures just 0.6 inches in thickness – which is pretty nice for a tablet of this nature. As we said in the beginning, Earl is in funding phase right now – it has to gather around $250,000 before it will launch. Those who like the idea can pre-order one right now (through June 9) for $249, which is 30% of the retail price. The Earl is available in either black or white and will sell for around $350 once it’s launched.

earl-rugged-tablet-2

In case you also want 24k resolution topo maps pre-loaded on the microSD card, you’ll have to pay an additional $50. Otherwise, the Earl will only ship with 100k resolution logo base maps for the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

The device is expected to launch in August 2013 in the U.S., pending FCC approval, and in late 2013 in European countries, Australia and New Zealand.

    


Cyanogenmod 10.1 release candidate 1 builds go live on 45 handsets

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:52 AM PDT

Cyanogenmod

Builds have been continually rolling out for CyanogenMod 10.1, in the form of nightly and M-releases, for quite a while, and after much hard work the custom ROM is finally considered stable on enough devices to move on up to the release candidate stage. RC is a term reserved for only the most stable of builds, marking it as suitable daily use without glitches and crashes.

Reaching the RC1 stage also means that these are some of the last updates that these devices are likely to see for Android 4.2.2. As a quote from the CyanogenMod blog puts it:

This will be one of (if not the last) milestone releases before a 10.1.0 is pushed out.

So the team is probably quite close to pushing out a final release, which makes quite a bit of sense considering that a new Android version is rumoured to be appearing at Google I/O. The CyanogenMod team is known for pushing out stable, or finalised builds of their ROMs just before a new Android version shows up, in preparation for moving CyanogenMod onto the latest version of Android.

Anyway, the new RC1 builds have rolled out on 45 handset variants so far, so here's the full list:

  • Acer Iconia Tab A700 (a700)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire (1st gen) (otter)
  • Amazon Kindle Fire (2nd gen) (otter2)
  • Asus Transformer Pad Infinity (tf700t)
  • Barnes & Noble Nook Color (encore)
  • Google Galaxy Nexus (GSM) (maguro)
  • Google Nexus 10 (manta)
  • Google Nexus 4 (mako)
  • Google Nexus 7 (GSM) (tilapia)
  • Google Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) (grouper)
  • Google Nexus Q (steelhead)
  • Google Nexus S (crespo)
  • Google Nexus S 4G (crespo4g)
  • Hardkernel ODROID-U2 (odroidu2)
  • HTC One X (endeavoru)
  • LG Nitro HD / Optimus LTE (p930)
  • LG Optimus 4X HD (p880)
  • LG Optimus G (Intl) (e975)
  • LG Optimus L9 (p760)
  • LG Optimus LTE (SK Telecom) (su640)
  • LG Spectrum (vs920)
  • Motorola Droid 4 (maserati)
  • Motorola Droid Bionic (targa)
  • Motorola Droid Razr (spyder)
  • Motorola Razr (umts_spyder)
  • Samsung Captivate (captivatemtd)
  • Samsung Epic 4G (epicmtd)
  • Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Sprint) (toroplus)
  • Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon) (toro)
  • Samsung Galaxy Note (AT&T) (quincyatt)
  • Samsung Galaxy Note (T-Mobile) (quincytmo)
  • Samsung Galaxy S (galaxysmtd)
  • Samsung Galaxy S II (G) (i9100g)
  • Samsung Galaxy S II (T-Mobile) (hercules)
  • Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket (skyrocket)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (AT&T) (d2att)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (Cricket) (d2cri)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (MetroPCS) (d2mtr)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (Sprint) (d2spr)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (T-Mobile) (d2tmo)
  • Samsung Galaxy S III (Verizon) (d2vzw)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (GSM) (p3100)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (Wi-Fi) (p3110)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 (GSM) (p5100)
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 (Wi-Fi) (p5110)

As always, if you haven't already been prompted to install the CyanogenMod 10.1 update, then you can go to settings>about phone>cyanogenmod updates to manually check, or you can download your required zip file from the CyanogenMod download list to flash through recovery.

    


Sony makes a profit after five years of losses, Android helped!

Posted: 09 May 2013 06:49 AM PDT

sony logo [aa] (2)

The electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corporation has made its first profit in five years and according to its fiscal report the company saw its sales increase by 4.7%, primarily due to the benefits of folding Sony Mobile, what was Sony Ericsson, completely into the company. This is good news for the Japanese company which in the same period last year made a loss of around $4.6 billion. Although this year’s profits aren’t in the billions, it is just $435 million, its turnaround has been impressive.

Looking just at the mobile segment, Sony reckons that its phone revenues have increased 18%. This substantial rise was partly due to higher unit sales but mainly due the shift in the market from feature phones to smartphones. Since smartphones are more expensive then the total amount of revenue is higher. Looking at just the last three months, Sony’s mobile phone unit saw an 82% jump in revenue, to roughly $3.6 million. Unfortunately overall Sony’s Mobile Products & Communications business, which also includes personal computers, made a loss of just over $1 billion.

Other parts of Sony are also doing well. Its movie business managed to make $509m in profit because of some big box office successes like The Amazing Spider-Man and the 007 blockbuster Skyfall. Similarly Sony Music reported a profit of $396 million. Its gaming unit managed to make a small profit of $18 million but Sony is still struggling after a 12% decrease in sales of its PlayStation range of products.

Sony is confident that it can keep making a profit and its mobile phone division is expected to see significant increases in sales during 2013-2014, primarily due to anticipated sales of its high value-added smartphone models (i.e. its Xperia range). It also hopes to make more money in the PC arena by introducing more high value-added PCs.

Do you think Sony can compete with Samsung and HTC at the high end of the Android smartphone market?

    


Rumor: Samsung Galaxy Note 3, LG Optimus G2, HTC Butterfly 2 to arrive in Q3 2013

Posted: 09 May 2013 04:53 AM PDT

htc-droid-dna-vs-samsung-galaxy-note-2-1

Galaxy Note 2 (left) vs Droid DNA / Butterfly (right)

New flagship smartphones are said to come from the major brands in this year’s third quarter, in an effort to counter Apple’s next iPhone, rumored to launch during this year’s second half, according to a recent report.

DigiTimes - which isn’t always reliable when it comes to such rumors, so we’ll take what it says with a grain of salt - quoting industry sources, names Samsung, HTC and LG as manufacturers that are planning new flagship smartphones for the third quarter of this year. All of the claims in the report seem to confirm previous rumors, so it wouldn’t be too strange for us to see them materialized soon enough. But let’s take them one at a time, shall we?.

Who’s planning what?

Samsung is said to be preparing the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with the sources of the report mentioning specs close to the already rumored ones for it – 5.99-inch AMOLED Full HD display, Exynos 5 octa-core CPU (a quad-core variant was also mentioned in the previous rumors).

Next in the line of manufacturers said to be prepping new flagships is HTC, with the report mentioning the Butterfly 2. The device (which has been allegedly noticed in an OTA test a little while ago), is said to have a large-size Full HD display (no mention of the actual size), as well as some features already included in the HTC One, like BlinkFeed. Other HTC One features included are said to be the UltraPixel camera, as well BoomSound speakers.

Finally, LG is expected to launch its new flagship smartphone, the Optimus G2, which has been rumored quite a bit lately, be it in benchmarks and Bluetooth SIG or in leaked images (of course, nothing’s officially confirmed yet). Well, the report says that the Optimus G2 will have a 5-inch Full HD display, as well as a Snapdragon 800 CPU. It remains to be seen whether we’ll find out more about it at LG’s Macau event on May 30 or later this year.

Even if nothing is actually official at the moment, this can only mean that we have an interesting rest of the year ahead of us.

Which one of these flagship smartphones looks the most interesting to you (provided they confirm)? Let us know in a comment.