Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Apple patents curved battery tech – so much for a Nexus smartwatch

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:03 AM PDT

Today we’re learning that the folks up at Apple headquarters have just secured another patent that could be a huge deal in our mobile future. Apple has just patented some form of “curved battery” technology. With mobile devices growing to all shapes and sizes, and wearable computing (like Google Glass) taking off, this could be a big win for Apple in the courtroom.

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Wearable computing is just starting to take off, and we don’t yet know what the future holds. However things like smartwatches, Google Glass, and more, the possibilities are endless. While it's not a guarantee any Apple product will use this technology any time soon, it does pique our interest as to what they have planned. If anything. Apple often patents technology without ever using it.

And yes, we’re talking about the iWatch, or whatever you want to call it. I’m not a fan personally of the smartwatch idea, but then I’ve not seen anything revolutionize the idea behind it. Don’t just toss a screen on my wrist, give me a reason to get one. This recent Google Nexus smartwatch render had me excited though. However, will something like that become a reality with Apple patenting all this curved battery tech? Who knows.

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The patent was reportedly filed in January and awarded to Apple this week. Maybe, just maybe, we might see something in the form of an iWatch at their upcoming WWDC, but that’s doubtful. Obviously the idea behind a curved battery, even though the technology isn’t fully here yet, could be useful for all types of devices and not just a watch or wearable computers. Smartphones, tablets, and more could all benefit from what Apple claims will "facilitate efficient use of space" in electronics.

Is this another grab by Apple to secure a patent they can use in the courtroom, or will we actually be seeing some form of technology or new product from the Cupertino company soon? Who knows. More details can be found from the links below.

VIA: Mashable
SOURCE: USPTO

NVIDIA shows off Tegra 4′s pressure sensitive stylus support

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:34 AM PDT

The palm pilot is something we never thought we’d see again, but here we are with the Samsung Galaxy Note series rising in popularity, and millions of users loving that stylus. This week at Computex the folks from NVIDIA have been showing off their new core-deep and integrated DirectStylus capability that’s been added to the Tegra 4. Which will in turn be a feature in upcoming quad-core T4 tablets and more.

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Yes, the image above is an odd device being held by NVIDIA’s own CEO, and it looks like a 7-inch HTC One. We’ve reached out to NVIDIA for comments on the device, and will update when we learn more. That immediately caught our attention, but the news here isn’t the device, it’s the integrated experience being delivered by the Tegra 4 processor. Update: NVIDIA has confirmed the device is a reference Tegra 4 tablet to showcase the new features. No HTC Phablet, carry on folks.

With devices like the Note series having active digitizers and stylus support from Wacom, the demand for this type of option is growing by the day. Tablets are continuing to be a large part of daily activities, and being able to use a device with a pen and paper type experience appeals to many. NVIDIA’s DirectStylus feature looks to improve their options, and add the feature to all upcoming tablets.

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More details are available from NVIDIA’s Blog post, which explains what we can expect with this new feature. The important bit here being you won’t need expensive displays like the Note II and it’s pressure sensitive digitizer to enjoy the same experience. NVIDIA’s Tegra 4 powered tablets will do it at the core level, and as a result customers will get cheaper devices, yet more features.

This will be built in and then up to manufacturers to add or implement. Hopefully that new HP Slatebook x2 or the upcoming Toshiba slates announced today will all offer this next-gen tech. We’d love to give it a try and compare to Samsung’s offerings.

HTC COO steps down as trouble in paradise continues

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 10:10 AM PDT

With strong sales for their new flagship HTC One smartphone there still seems to be a little trouble in paradise. We’re now learning that another high-level exec from HTC has stepped down. This time it’s Chief Operating Officer Matthew Costello, who isn’t leaving the company but will step down and remain on board as an “executive adviser” moving forward.

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There isn’t all bad news though, at least according to Bloomberg. While their COO is stepping down, this is one move of many we’ve seen lately, but will be a part of a new quality assurance team being assembled by the manufacturer. So not everything is as bad as it seems. Or at least that’s what they’d like us to believe.

Costello is the latest senior of many to step down as of late, following a series of others who stepped down late last month. These details have all arrived by way of an email seen by Bloomberg, which they also claim has been confirmed by HTC. Costello's tasks will be taken over by Fred Liu, who’s the president of engineering and operations at the moment inside HTC.

We’re also hearing that while Costello is out and Liu is in, Liu’s duties will increase significantly as the new COO in an attempt to clean things up and oversea many key important areas. Things such as sales, operations, quality control, and much more. We’ll see how things progress from here, but it still isn’t looking good. Even after a May report of increased revenue and the HTC One topping 5 million in sales. With a Nexus edition and Verizon all on board the summer numbers should only improve.

VIA: SlashGear

Redbox Instant app arrives for Google TV users

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 09:46 AM PDT

Redbox Instant originally launched back in December of last year. At the time the service was only available for those who happened to have a beta invitation though. The good news arrived in March when the beta tag was dropped and the service launched for any and all that wanted to use it. The smartphone and tablet app was available at that time and as of today there is news for those using a Google TV.

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Simply put, Redbox Instant has arrived for Google TV users. Well, select models of the Google TV anyway. The Redbox support pages list the support as being for the following devices;

“47G2 and 55G2 Google TV-enabled Smart TVs from LG, NETGEAR’s NeoTV Prime with Google TV, the Sony Internet Player NSZ-GS7, and the Vizio Co-Star”

Assuming you have a supported system, how about we talk some features. The app is said to deliver the full Redbox Instant experience, which seems like another way of saying that it mirrors the already available smartphone and tablet app. Or in other words, Redbox Instant for Google TV will allow you to stream movies. Users will even (without a current subscription) be able to rent and/or purchase movies.

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Other features include the ability to reserve a DVD from your local Redbox kiosk. For this option you will be able to pay for your rental or use some of your available credits. For those not familiar with the Redbox setup, a monthly subscription will cost you $8 and it includes unlimited streaming as well as 4 DVD rental credits.

Otherwise, Google has said the Redbox Instant app has been “optimized for easy navigation and playback on your TV.” Bottom line here, if you have a Google TV and happen to be a Redbox Instant subscriber — now seems like as good a time as any to download the app and begin taking advantage of your unlimited streaming.

SOURCE: Google TV Blog

Falcon Pro v2.0 update teased ahead of release

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:59 AM PDT

The Falcon Pro Twitter account was updated to version 1.9 back in early May. That particular update brought some new customization options and some new features and was followed up with a smaller bug fixing update later in May. And well, coming back to the present day and it looks like we are getting closer to seeing the Falcon Pro v2.0 update. The developer has yet to reveal a release date, however he has begun to do some teasing.

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The teasing has been taking place on Twitter and is arriving in image form. At this time we have seen three images and each have come along with some basic details. The first of the three can be seen above and shows what is being described as a new “flat design.” This will include three colors and while things are starting to look good, there doesn’t appear to be all that much changing as compared to the currently available release. Of course, some of that is likely due to the image itself.

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Next up and again the image can be seen above. In this case we are seeing teasing that suggests v2.0 will be a “major” update with new features. While we obviously haven’t been shown all of the new features, one of them will include a new addition in the sliding menu. This one actually ties in with the image sitting below, with the above being the untapped (before) and the bottom being the tapped (after).

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As you can see from the images, that little triangle brings account switching. The developer has said this will be simple and fast account switching and while we have yet to get hands-on with this release, that certainly seems to be an accurate way of describing things.

With that, it looks like we are going to have to keep an eye on the Falcon Pro Play Store listing in hopes this update will drop soon. Otherwise, while the multi-account switching and the new look both appear as if they will be welcomed, we cannot help but wonder what else will be arriving with Falcon Pro v2.0.

SOURCE: Twitter @falcon_android

Wikipad game system set for a June 11 launch

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 08:19 AM PDT

It looks like the Wikipad is finally going to launch. Wikipad Inc. has come forward with a confirmed release date of June 11th. This is for the Wikipad 7 that we saw announced back in February and means availability for those in the US. A further global rollout is expected, however that is planned for sometime later this summer. Anyway, the Wikipad 7 will arrive priced at $249 and with specs to include a 7-inch display and quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor.

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The system will launch with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to include full access to the Play Store. In other words, those using the Wikipad should not find any shortage of available games. To make things a bit easier to find, the Wikipad will also have the NVIDIA TegraZone app which highlights games that have been optimized for the NVIDIA processor.

Touching back on the display and those who make the purchase will be seeing a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1280 x 800. Other specs include 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, HDMI-out and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. The system will also have USB along with a gyroscope, accelerometer and GPS.

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The system itself will have dual-analog controls along with game partners to include PlayStation Mobile, Big Fish Games and MADFINGER Games. Aside from serving as a dedicated gaming system, those game controls are detachable which will allow the user a regular tablet experience. Basically, this means those who pick up the Wikipad will be getting a game system and a tablet. And thanks to the Play Store access, similar to the game availability, the regular apps will all be available.

All said and done, while it looks like the Wikipad will be launching on June 11th, we are still hoping to not see any delays. Those who remember the full Wikipad story can look back to November of last year, which was when the system was originally expected to launch. The Wikipad was within a week of launching when it received the launch delay.

SOURCE: Wikipad

MetroPCS BYOP program tipped for a mid-June launch

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 07:46 AM PDT

Now that the T-Mobile and MetroPCS merger has been completed, we are beginning to see the mixing of the two networks. While we have yet to see any announcement from MetroPCS, leaked details are suggesting the carrier will launch the BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) program on June 12th. This will include GSM handsets and that means those users will be on the T-Mobile network.

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Given these details are still unofficial at the moment, they are a bit light on the specifics. For example, we have seen details about how users can bring Android handsets (as well as Windows Phone and the iPhone), but that the BlackBerry will not be welcomed. One remaining question comes in whether these devices can simply be unlocked or if they will need to be T-Mobile branded. Time will tell and assuming the June 12th date holds true — we should begin seeing additional details sooner rather than later.

Otherwise, aside from the kick off of the BYOP program with MetroPCS, it looks like the carrier will also be adding a few new devices to the lineup. These two should be familiar to some as they have recently been added to the T-Mobile lineups. The handsets include the Samsung Galaxy Exhibit, which is a re-branded Galaxy S III Mini as well as the LG Optimus L9.

The Galaxy Exhibit will bring a 4-inch display along with a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. The handset will also have Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz and a 1500 mAh battery, microSD card slot and 5 megapixel rear-facing camera. The MetroPCS pricing has yet to be revealed however we can look towards T-Mobile who have the device priced at $235.99 (full retail) or with a downpayment of $19.99 and 24 payments of $9.

Shifting over to the Optimus L9 and we find a handset with a 4.5-inch (960 x 540) display and powered by a dual-core 1GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor with 1GB of RAM. This handset also has 4GB of internal storage along with a microSD card slot, VGA quality front-facing camera, 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2150 mAh battery. The Optimus L9 should also be launching with Jelly Bean.

SOURCE: phoneArena

Sony Xperia M launching with focus on connectivity

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 07:16 AM PDT

Sony has unveiled their latest Xperia branded smartphone. The new addition is the Xperia M, which will be available beginning in the third-quarter of the year and in a single-SIM and dual-SIM model. Aside from the addition of an extra SIM card slot in on of the two models — the other specs remain the same across the board and Sony appears to be pushing a few items. Some of those features include NFC as well as the Battery Stamina Mode and easy connectivity with other Sony devices.

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First though, the specs. The Xperia M will arrive with a 4-inch (854 x 480) display, dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The handset will also have connectivity in the form of quad-band GSM/EDGE, HSPA+ and WiFi. Those making the purchase can also expect to find Bluetooth 4.0, a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The easy connectivity with other Sony devices comes by way of the one-touch functionality and will allow for image and music sharing from your handset to other Sony branded devices with NFC. Some of these include the new line of NFC-enabled BRAVIA televisions. The Xperia M will also have ANT+ wireless integration which will bring allow for connectivity with various sports related gadgets.

Of course some of the familiar Sony items will also be available. One of those will include the WALKMAN app which includes music and movies. The handset will also be compatible with the Music Unlimited service that brings access to more than 18 million tracks along with social integration and sharing. Otherwise, the Movies app has access to more than 100,000 movies and television series.

Touching back on the dual-SIM model and we learn this handset will allow the user to customize the setup for each SIM card. Basically, this means users will be able to keep work and play separate using different ringtones for each SIM. Finally, Sony has said the Xperia M will be available worldwide, however they have yet to specify which markets or any pricing.

SOURCE: Sony

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Toshiba Excite Pure, Pro and Write Tegra-powered tablets unveiled

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 06:38 AM PDT

Coming out of Computex, Toshiba has unveiled a trio of Tegra powered tablets all of which are sporting 10.1-inch displays and running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The new lineup consists of the Excite Pure, Excite Pro and Excite Write. Availability will begin later this month and expand to additional retailers in July. In the meantime, Toshiba has offered up plenty of spec related details.

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First up we have the Excite Pure, which has a 10.1-inch display at 1280 x 800 and a quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Other specs for the Excite Pure include 16GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 1GB of RAM and a 3 megapixel rear-facing camera. Shifting over to the Excite Pro and we find a device with a 10.1-inch display at 2560 x 1600 and a quad-core Tegra 4 processor. This model also has 32GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, 2GB of RAM, 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and Harmon Kardon speakers.

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The last of the three new tablets is the Excite Write, which as the name would imply — brings a focus on inking and note taking. The Excite Write has a 10.1-inch display at 2560 x 1600 along with a quad-core Tegra 4 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera and 8 megapixel rear-facing camera. Similar to the Excite Pro, the Excite Write will also have the Harmon Kardon speakers. More to the point for the Excite Write, this model has a Wacom digitizer that is paired with apps to include TruCapture and TruNote.

"With more and more consumers adopting tablets as their go-to devices for entertainment and travel, we wanted to push the boundaries even further and equip our new Excite tablets with the technology and features needed to maximize the potential of these devices. By focusing on boosting the capabilities of the screen – from increasing the resolution to adding a digitizer option – we're also evolving the way consumers can use these devices from consumption to creation."

The pricing begins at $299.99 for the Excite Pure and climbs to $499.99 for the Excite Pro and $599.99 for the Excite Write. As mentioned earlier, the availability will begin later this month. Specifically, all three models will be available with ToshibaDirect beginning on June 25th. Wider retail availability will then kick off in early July.

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In addition to the tablets, Toshiba is also offering a 2-in-1 protective keyboard cover that fits any of these three models. This keyboard cover has a Bluetooth keyboard as well as a magnetized notch that allows the cover to serve as a stand. All said and done, threee decent looking additions to the Excite tablet lineup. With that, make sure to check the images throughout the post and in the gallery sitting below.

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‘You Don’t Know Jack’ game comes to Android and OUYA

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 04:22 PM PDT

One of my favorite and out of control PC games from the 90′s has made its way to Android, and I can’t wait to give it a try. If you enjoyed some casual and rude trivia games back in the day on that old PC, then surely you’ve played YOU DON’T KNOW JACK and enjoyed all the humorous moments that followed. Well, it’s now available for Android and is also coming to the OUYA game console.

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Apparently this irreverent and ill mannered game has been available for Android for a few weeks, but this is news to me. Thanks to a surge in popularity from Facebook, iOS, and apparently now Android this game is back to take over our evenings. And help us turn friends into enemies.

Today we’ve learned that this classic game isn’t just readily available for Android, but it will soon be making its way to that OUYA game console. That’s only if you’ve actually (cough) received your kickstarter console yet. If not, the console should be going on sale in retail stores later this month. We say should be, but it’s had its fair share of delays.

Starting on June 11th this classic and hatefully fun game will be coming to the OUYA console where you’ll be able to “screw your neighbor” and basically slowly make your friends hate you. That’s how things turned out for me back when I was younger. Sadly it won’t be completely free on OUYA, and after the first 11 multiplayer questions you’ll have to purchase more for what we’re hearing will be $10. Get excited guys, I sure am!

SOURCE: Play Store
VIA: DroidGamers

Google Play Store for the web redesigned as images emerge

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 04:00 PM PDT

Google has been busy lately. From updating Chrome Browser for Android, a new Gmail this afternoon, and the entirely new Play Store a couple of months back. Today we’re getting our first look at the all-new redesigned Play Store for the web, and apparently this new look will be coming extremely soon to a web browser near you.

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At Google I/O we learned the web version of Google’s Play Store would soon be getting overhauled to closely resemble their new Play Store on all Android devices, and today we’re getting our first glance. Obviously the entire Google Now card-style layout is popular with Google, and won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

In fact, this card style layout from Google Now and countless other apps will probably be implemented deep into Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, which we’re still waiting to learn more about. We have a feeling this new web store will roll out along with the newest OS, but can’t confirm either of those at the moment.

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According to Droid-Life the images above are the new Web Google Play Store which should be coming “in the next few weeks.” As we can see, it closely resembles the version we’re use to using now, and the card style is looking good. It appears they still need to clean it up a bit and make things a bit more uniform and such, but overall it isn’t bad.

It’s basically the newest Google Play Store v4 tablet design moving over to the web, in a way, although the “devices” area will probably look a bit different as they intent to sell all those vanilla GALAXY S 4 and HTC One’s. What do you guys think of the new look?

Android distribution numbers show Jelly Bean rise to 33%

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 03:33 PM PDT

Earlier today we talked a little about the Android Army in terms of raw Android app downloads, and now this afternoon Google has released the latest Android distribution numbers for June showing some significant number changes. As usual this update shows developers the different Android version and platform distribution numbers, and as expected, Jelly Bean is still on the rise.

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The world’s favorite and best mobile OS isn’t slowing down, and neither is the latest version. It’s still crazy that Gingerbread is somehow in the lead still, but soon enough Jelly Bean will surpass the aging Gingerbread man and take charge. Last month Gingerbread was sitting around 38.5% and now it’s down to just 36.5% – showing a 2% drop in a month.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is still holding strong, running on roughly 25.6% of all Android devices, while Jelly Bean is quickly reaching the top of the charts, just like that Macklemore song. Android 4.1 and 4.2 Jelly Bean now combine for 33% of all Android OS installs, and that will quickly become the highest. Probably by the end of summer.

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With Android 4.3 Jelly Bean coming up next, and reportedly getting announced next week, JB should reach the top sooner than we expect. Keep in mind these numbers come from Google based on devices that check-in and are active on the Play Store over the past few weeks, so surely tons are missing like many of those old knockoff tablets, or devices without Play Store support.

With 48 billion app installs, 900 million new Android activations last year, and Jelly Bean adoption only increasing by the day things are looking good. Now all we need is Google/Motorola to drop that Android 4.3 X-Phone on us. Who’s with me?

SOURCE: Android

Verizon GALAXY S 4 goes ‘Google Edition’ with latest CyanogenMod ROM

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 02:40 PM PDT

If you’re the proud owner of a shiny new Samsung GALAXY S 4 from Verizon Wireless, we have some good news. Why wait for Samsung’s Google Edition, which won’t support Verizon CMDA, when you can get stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and a whole lot more right now? Today the extremely popular developers CyanogenMod have confirmed their latest nightly builds will support the handset.

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If you’ve already rooted that new GALAXY S 4 and unlocked the bootloader, all you’ll need to do is wait until tonight when the CyanogenMod team pushes out another round of nightly builds for all their supported devices. As the Verizon GALAXY S 4 (as well as the other two CDMA carriers) have been officially added. For Verizon’s model you’ll be looking for “jfltevzw” on their download page.

We’re guessing you all know plenty about CyanogenMod at this point, but if not lets just say this custom ROM brings completely stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean as Google intended. Then adds tons of optional customization, tweaks, additional features, and more to make it the best Android around. At least that’s what their millions of users think. If you haven’t rooted yet, we confirmed the simple one-click root method last week, so that’s a good start.

The CyanogenMod ROM crew initially said they wouldn’t be supporting the GALAXY S 4, but since all of them have been hacked and bootloader unlocked, not to mention millions of sales, they will be giving them the CM treatment. Head to the source link below and you’ll be able to get a heavily tweaked and improved vanilla flavor of Android for your GALAXY S 4 well before the “Google Edition” hits the Play Store later this month.

Give it a try if you dare, then head back to Android Community and let us know in the comments below how it all works out.

SOURCE: +CyanogenMod
VIA: Droid-Life

Samsung GALAXY S 4 Zoom spotted at the FCC

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 02:07 PM PDT

We could finally be seeing more details for Samsung’s first “camera phone”. A few weeks ago a device that’s being reported as the GALAXY S 4 Zoom was spotted getting Bluetooth certified, and today the same unknown device has just cleared the FCC. Known as the Samsung SM-C101 and possibly coming soon we have more details below.

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We don’t know too much at the moment, but come June 20th Samsung could be unveiling their first cameraphone to go along with the GALAXY S 4, and the Samsung GALAXY Camera. A perfect mid-range blend between the two for someone that wants the best of both worlds in one, but doesn’t need the top end of either.

According to leaked specs, which we can’t confirm at the moment, The GALAXY S 4 Zoom will be a decent little 4.3-inch qHD mid-range smartphone, but rocking a solid 16 megapixel camera and more. The rumored SM-C101 cleared the FCC so now all we need is for Samsung to announce whatever this device is. Here’s the rumored specs we’ve heard so far.

• 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display at 960 x 540
• Dual-core 1.6GHz processor
• 8GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot
• 1900 mAh battery
• WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
• Android Jelly Bean
• 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera
• 16 megapixel rear-facing camera with a 10x optical zoom

Samsung is expected to announce a slew of new devices on June 20th, and most likely we’ll be seeing this GALAXY S 4 Zoom, and their recently confirmed new Galaxy Tab 3 series. Interestingly enough the FCC report today doesn’t show an LTE version, and only HSPA+. We know the Galaxy Camera rocks Verizon 4G LTE and would expect this phone to do the same. Stay tuned for more details, as they should be arriving soon enough.

SOURCE: Engadget

Hulu for Android update brings higher-resolution playback

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 01:49 PM PDT

When the Hulu Plus app first came available for Android the updates were all about adding additional device support. Those who remember that time will likely remember that frustration if your device was not on the supported list. And well, it looks like the Hulu Plus app updates have sort of come back to that. Except in this case it is not about device support, but about the higher-resolution playback support.

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That being said, a new Hulu Plus app update has recently landed in the Play Store and it brings talk of higher-resolution playback for three devices. At the present time those three devices include the Samsung GALAXY S 4 as well as the HTC One and the HTC DROID DNA. We suspect this support will eventually spread to other devices, however for now it seems the basics are more than covered with the GALAXY S 4 and the One.

If you happen to be sporting any of those devices and happen to be doing some streaming, make sure you look for the “hq” option. According to the folks at Hulu, using the “hq” option will make you “feel like you have bionic retina implants minus the deductible and waiting for its invention.” We aren’t certain we can say that it is quite that good, but given the displays on these three handsets, any improvement is likely going to be welcomed.

Otherwise, while the Hulu Plus app is free to download, you will need to be a subscriber in order to get any use out of the app. There is a free trial available, however after that you will need to be willing to shell out the $7.99 monthly subscription fee. The app will allow you to stream over WiFi, 3G or LTE and brings television and movies. Plus, there is also a kids section which has numerous options including SpongeBob SquarePants, Kung Fu Panda and Caillou.

Aside from the kids section, one of the Hulu Plus perks comes for those watching on multiple devices. You see, Hulu will allow you to pause on one device and pick up right where you left off on another. In addition to smartphone and tablet support, Hulu Plus is also available using a regular web browser as well as on other devices such as the Roku and Xbox 360.

SOURCE: Google Play Store

ASUS Transformer Book Trio runs Android and Windows 8 simultaneously

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 01:29 PM PDT

Today the folks from ASUS had plenty to announce at Computex 2013, and their new Transformer Book Trio is the oddest of the bunch, but looks pretty interesting. In what they’re calling the “world’s first three-in-one notebook, tablet, and desktop PC.” The Transformer Book Trio does it all. Runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Windows 8, and even can be your desktop PC if you’d like.

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It certainly won’t be cheap, but if this can eliminate one or more of our devices we carry around daily it could be somewhat successful. There’s a lot of technology packed into one (or two) devices here, so lets dig into the specifics. This 11.6-inch 1080p device runs Windows 8 and Android simultaneously and can switch between the two instantly. No waiting for each different OS to boot.

The 11.6-inch Android 4.2 Jelly Bean slate rocks an Intel ATOM processor running at 2.0 GHz, comes with 64GB of internal storage and should last for around 15 hours running Android. Then the “notebook” aspect of this device runs Windows 8 when connected to the keyboard dock. That keyboard dock is special though, it’s a full-fledged desktop PC that once connected to an external monitor becomes one powerful machine.

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The keyboard dock has quite the spec list inside too. Including the new fourth-generation Intel Core i7 U4500 Haswell processor, a 1TB hard drive for plenty of Windows 8 storage, and even a built-in battery that helps power the “notebook” side of the device when attached to the 11.6-inch tablet. This is truly a Transformer in every sense of the word.

We’ll report back when we learn additional details or a price for this powerful all-in-one device.

Amazon Kindle Fire HD discounted for Father’s Day

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 01:02 PM PDT

Similar to what we saw for Mother’s Day, Amazon has begun offering a discount on the Kindle Fire HD lineup for Father’s Day. The discount applies to the Kindle Fire HD 7-inch as well as the HD 8.9-inch and 8.9-inch 4G models. Regardless of the model you choose the discount and how to get it remains the same. Basically, those purchasing any Kindle Fire HD can save $20 by entering “DADSFIRE” during the checkout process.

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The one interesting aspect of this sale, and let this serve as a warning to those who may be considering a purchase for your dad — the offer is only available through June 8, 2013. And yes, that is apparently despite Father’s Day not actually happening until June 16th. With that in mind, you still have about five days to take advantage of this offer and ultimately, this means you can score a Kindle Fire HD for as little as $179. Specifically, that would be for the 16GB Kindle Fire HD 7 with Special Offers.

Otherwise, aside from the Father’s Day Kindle Fire HD offer, Amazon has also announced Coins and a new login service in recent history. The Amazon Coins are a virtual currency and sort of like using a gift card for your purchases, you will be able to buy a set amount of coins up front and then use those towards future purchases. Amazon has 100 Coins selling for $1 with discounts for those buying in larger quantities.

The Amazon login service will be similar to what we have seen from Facebook and Google. Basically, this will allow the user to sign up for an account using their Amazon credentials. This Amazon login service was announced a short while back and initially rolled out for Zappos and Woot, however we suspect more sites will offer this as an option moving forward.

While we suspected Amazon would offer something for Father’s Day, we also suspect Barnes & Noble will have a similar offer. Barnes & Noble have yet to make an announcement, however they did have a similar offer available for Mother’s Day. Bottom line here, if your dad is living in the Amazon world, or willing to make that a home then this Kindle Fire HD offer could be the one you are looking for.

New and improved Gmail hits the Google Play Store [Download]

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 12:40 PM PDT

Last week Google announced an all-new and improved Gmail for desktop and mobile, and today it’s finally hitting devices. After first pushing the new and organized Gmail to desktops, today the app has arrived in the Play Store for some. Again, this is a slow staged rollout and isn’t appearing for everyone, but we have a few download links below to keep things simple.

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Now that it’s finally hitting devices we can tell you it looks pretty amazing. Not only does this completely change and organize your inbox, but we have that tablet style slide-out navigation panel to the left, new colored organization, and even pull down to refresh. Yes! It’s about time we got an overhaul on Gmail.

So far everything looks pretty nice, and the pull down to refresh animation is full of Android Holo and looks amazing. Obviously swipe to clear and delete is the focus here, but the simple multi-delete option from before is gone. Instead you have to long press to select multiple emails for deletion or forwarding. And each one you have to long press, it doesn’t recognize you’re in that mode and let you tap away. Not a fan.

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However, we can empty the entire trash with a single button now, so that’s a plus. The tablet UI looks pretty awesome too but we’ll be digging around for a few more minutes to see if there’s anything else special hiding in the all new Gmail. The update will slowly be arriving so if you haven’t got it yet, just hit the download link below and enjoy the all-new Gmail for Android.

DOWNLOAD: Gmail version 4.5

SOURCE: Play Store
VIA: AndroidPolice

Lenovo K900 smartphone global expansion detailed

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 12:17 PM PDT

We got our first look at the Lenovo K900 smartphone back in January during CES. The handset has since come available in select markets, however as of today Lenovo has announced the latest in terms of the global expansion. The K900 came available in Thailand and Malaysia this week which brought the total market availability up to eight countries. But with that in mind, Lenovo has also dropped some details in terms of where the K900 is heading next.

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Lenovo has said they plan to have the K900 available in 18 markets total by years end. This of course, means ten countries in addition to the current eight. We have yet to see the full list of 18, however Lenovo has said that it will include China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Otherwise, Lenovo has said those other markets will be announced in the “near future.”

We recently learned that Lenovo had their eyes on the US smartphone market, however these hasn’t been any mention of the K900 coming available just yet. In the meantime, those in China and Southeast Asia will be seeing more of a US basketball star. Lenovo has recently picked up NBA superstar Kobe Bryant to help promote the handset. With that, those not as familiar with this handset may not realize it is Intel powered.

Specifically, the Lenovo K900 has a dual-core 2GHz Intel Atom processor with Intel Hyper-Threading Technology. Otherwise, the handset has a 5.5-inch IPS display with a 1080p resolution and 400+ ppi. The display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 2. Based on the display size the K900 can be considered large for a smartphone, however the handset is still thin and light. Lenovo has said the handset measures in at 6.9mm thick and weighs in at 162 grams.

The other aspect Lenovo pushes with the K900 is the camera. The rear-facing camera is 13 megapixel and with the Sony Exmor BSI sensor and a large aperture f1.8 lens. Looking towards the front of the device and there is also a front-facing camera which is said to have an 88-degree viewing angle. Lenovo touts this as being the “widest available on a smartphone front camera” and as being convenient for both video calling and snapping selfies.

SOURCE: Business Wire

T-Mobile HTC One software update rolling out with minor fixes

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 12:12 PM PDT

This afternoon we finally learned that Verizon will be carrying the impressive HTC One smartphone, sometime this year. However, all those on other carriers have been enjoying it for well over a month. If you’re one of those proud owners on T-Mobile we just learned that they’ll be sending a quick bug fixing update to handsets starting today.

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So while Verizon users wait to even get the smartphone, T-Mobile is already busy updating and improving their version of “The One” smartphone. It’s a very minor update, in every sense of the word minor, and apparently looks to only be fixing some issues with visual voicemail. I’m asking myself who still leaves voicemails? I know I don’t.

According to the T-Mobile support page the update should be arriving today, as we speak, and will continue to roll out until June 16th. Where you’ll then need to manually check for updates to pull down the latest and greatest. As you can see from the image below, there’s really nothing too exciting about it.

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The HTC One on T-Mobile is getting a tiny little 18 MB update that is listed as bringing “Visual Voicemail performance” and that is all. T-Mobile does however mention to make sure battery is above 50% before updating, but we’re expecting this to be an extremely quick update. There’s no other details on what this might fix, if any, but if you notice any changes after rebooting drop us a comment below.