Friday, June 21, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


AT&T LG Optimus G and G Pro prices dropped to under a $100

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 11:06 AM PDT

Today we’ve learned some excellent news regarding two impressive phones over on AT&T from LG Electronics. The Optimus G flagship from last year, as well as the recently released Optimus G Pro 5.5-inch powerhouse have both been hacked in the price department. In light of LG announcing the G2 coming in August, AT&T is doing a nice summer sale.

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The Optimus G was their main device last year (as was the LG Nexus 4) with a 4.7-inch HD display and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor and more, and earlier this year they released the Optimus G Pro. More details can be found in our full review. That flagship 5.5-inch phone rocks the new Snapdragon 600 (like the HTC One) and is quite the impressive handset to compete with the Note II.

So how cheap can you get one? Perfect timing for a summer sale AT&T is dropping the older Optimus G down to $49 with a new 2-year contract, which isn’t bad at all. Then, you’ll be able to get that huge Optimus G Pro for only $99. And of course, that’s with a new 2-year contract.

The best deal here is that Optimus G Pro. With a 5.5-inch 1080p display, quad-core Snapdragon 600 and 2GB of RAM. Not to mention a 13 megapixel camera and a massive 3,500 mAh battery. $99 for that phone sure beats the price you’ll pay for that Note II at the moment. Whether this is in light of yesterdays G2 announcement, or to get some summer sales, we’re not sure. However, hit the links below to grab one today. The deal ends on July 25th according to AT&T. Oh, and check out the timeline below for our past coverage on both smartphones.

SOURCE: AT&T

Google Mine: an unannounced place to catalog and collect things

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 10:43 AM PDT

It is looking like Google has begun testing a new service called Mine. The details are just starting to come available and for now what we have seen has the service listed as being “internal only.” That of course brings the warning that Google always has plenty of items in such a state and not all will see a public release. That said, Google Mine looks to be a place where you can collect and catalog things.

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Google Mine could be used to keep track of things that you currently own and also a place to keep track of things that you may like to someday own. As one would expect with a Google service, Mine does have Google+ integration. The integration looks to include your Circles, Stream and Photos and is further described as follows;

“Google Mine lets you share your belongings with your friends and keep up to date with what your friends are sharing. It enables you to control which of your Google+ Circles you share an item with. It also lets you rate and review the items, upload photos of them and share updates on the Google+ Stream where your friends get to see and comment on them."

Some of this also appears connected to recommendations and real-world sharing. Some of the features include being able to send a request to borrow or try out something a friend has and also share details of items that you are hoping to purchase in the future. The sharing details of items brings the recommendations portion in that you can get feedback from friends.

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A few of the messages connected to these features include “lent” and “got it back.” And for those who plan to borrow regularly, there is also one labeled “had in the past” that should help you keep track of what you have borrowed. Aside from the talk of what will be available on the web, it also looks like an Android app is being tested. Similar to Google Mine, the Android app is being testing internally only and at the moment is in the Bazaar (the internal Play Store).

Again, we do have to remember that we have yet to see anything official from Google in terms of Mine. In the meantime, this does seem like a good way to Google to gather quite a bit of extra data on each user and that does leave one to ponder the name. Is this mine a place where you keep your things, or is it a nice play on the ability that Google will have in mining your data?

VIA: Google Operating System, Google+ Mike Elgan

Pantech Flex getting Jelly Bean with AT&T

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 09:29 AM PDT

AT&T has begun rolling out another Jelly Bean update and this time around the lucky users are the ones sporting a Pantech Flex. The update is bringing Android 4.1.2 and the carrier has the delivery coming over-the-air. We suspect those with a Flex will be anxious, however AT&T has said you will be alerted by way of a text message when the update is ready for your device.

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AT&T is promising this update will “make all current functions even faster, smoother and smarter.” Of course, part of that that comment likely means the smoothness that comes along with Project Butter. Not to mention, the other Jelly Bean specifics such as Google Now and the improved Google Voice search.

Users will also notice the AT&T Drive Mode which is an app that is said to be designed to help “prevent” texting while driving. As we know from other Jelly Bean updates, this will also bring goodies such as the expandable and actionable notifications as well as widgets that will automatically resize if they are too big.

This update will also include a few accessibility improvements. These will include support for external Braille input and output devices over USB as well as Bluetooth and Gesture modes for those who may be visually impaired. Bottom line here, the Pantech Flex is getting Jelly Bean and we suspect more than a few will not only be happy, but be glued to their handsets waiting for that text message notification.

SOURCE: AT&T

E FUN 7″ and 8″ Nextbook Premium tablets arrive with Walmart

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:43 AM PDT

E FUN has launched another pair of Android tablets. These latest models are in the Nextbook Premium line and include the 7-inch 7SE-8GP and the 8-inch 8HD. Both models are available by way of Walmart and both will arrive priced under $100. Specifically, the 7SE-8GP will be $69 and the 8HD will be $99.

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Beginning first with the 7SE-8GP, this model will have a resolution of 800 x 480 and arrive powered by a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. This model will also have a VGA quality front-facing camera, HDMI-out, USB 2.0 and a microSD card slot for additional storage. This model will be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. On a positive note, the tablet will have access to the Google Play Store.

Shifting over to the 8HD and we find a device with a slightly better set of specs. This model will be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (again with access to the Play Store) and powered by a dual-core 1.5GHz Cortex A9 processor with 1GB of RAM. The Nextbook Premium 8HD will also have a display resolution of 1024 x 768, 8GB of internal storage, microSD card slot, VGA quality front-facing camera and a 2 megapixel rear-facing camera.

Bottom line here, neither of these are what we would consider high-end tablets, however given the price points they seem like they could be a good match for someone on a budget. Well, that or possibly a good option for the younger person in your life — that way at least you would not break the bank should they break the tablet.

SOURCE: MarketWire

Sony teasing second-gen smartwatch for next week

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 08:09 AM PDT

Sony may have launched a smartwatch back in 2007, however it hasn’t been until recently that the category has gotten any real attention. Things seem to have began with the Pebble Kickstarter, but that has been followed by others including the AGENT and GEAK Watch smartwatches.

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Earlier in the month Sony launched the “Open SmartWatch” initiative and as of today it looks like they may have a new watch coming. The details are minimal at the moment, however the Sony Xperia Twitter account has recently begun talking about smartwatches. Earlier this morning they posted a message that read as follows;

“Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock”

Also included in that brief statement were hashtags mentioning the Mobile Asia Expo and itstime. That tick-tock message included little more than a picture of the Sony SmartWatch. Interestingly enough, that is not the only smartwatch post coming from the Sony Xperia account. As you can see in the image below, Sony also cited how “one in three smartphone users want smart wrist wear.”

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And then there was the bragging. Sony talked about how their smartwatch is the “only wearable device with 200 firstgen apps.” That first-generation mention seems to imply that Sony may have a second-generation in the works. Based on what we are seeing, that second-generation Sony smartwatch may be announced next week during the Mobile Asia Expo.

Otherwise, touching back on the Sony Open SmartWatch initiative. This launched on June 13th and basically opened things up so developers could build (and later share) custom firmware options for the Sony SmartWatch. We have yet to see anything solid come as a result, but it is refreshing to see Sony open things up in a manner similar to what they do with AOSP and smartphones.

Apple shares iOS pie-chart, reminds Android users about fragmentation

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:42 AM PDT

We suspect many Android fans are familiar with the pie chart that Google uses to show the break down of versions, however it looks like Apple has recently begun doing the same for iOS. While there is likely a better reason, this almost seems like Apple has done this in an attempt to bring some fragmentation shame to Google.

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That said, Apple discussed these numbers back during WWDC and at first glance, the iOS pie chart does look a bit cleaner. Of course, as Android users will likely know, there is a big difference in how Android and iOS updates are handled. And honestly speaking, Apple has a good thing going with how they control the updates.

Basically, Apple controls the updates which means they are easily able to push them to devices using iTunes or an over-the-update process. Android on the other hand has the manufacturers and carriers to contend with in terms of rolling out updates. Not to mention, there are quite a few additional Android models as compared to iOS devices.

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Another part of the issue are the Android devices that manufacturers and carriers are still selling. Without naming specific offenders, there are plenty of handsets still available for sale with versions that are now several years old at this point in time. With Apple on the other hand, all the devices currently being sold are running the latest version of iOS.

Bottom line here, while this seems like Apple was trying to shame Google, it does bring the topic of updates to the forefront once again. And with that, it remains that there needs to be a better system in place for pushing out these updates. Or at the very least, Google needs to find a way to ensure manufacturers and carriers stop selling outdated devices.

VIA: Apple Insider

SOURCE: iOS Dev Center, Google Developers

HTC marketing deal tipped with Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr.

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 07:08 AM PDT

HTC had previously said they were going to stop hiding their brand and go “bolder with marketing.” In what looks to be a follow-up to those statements, the company is said to be in talks with actor Robert Downey Jr. The details have yet to be confirmed by HTC, however this deal is reportedly for a global two-year marketing deal.

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The current set of details are coming by way of a recent Bloomberg, who are reporting this as a $12 million payday for the actor. While Downey may be well known for movies such as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes, he is not expected to be in character for the campaign.

It is looking like Downey will be playing himself in this campaign and perhaps more important for him — it is being reported that he will have the final decision on all creative elements. This campaign is expected to be a mix of print and billboard ads as well as television commercials. Beyond that the details are limited.

A representative from HTC has said they “have nothing to announce today on a new marketing campaign.” Basically, it looks like HTC is attempting to do something (to use their words) bold. The eventual outcome remains to be seen, however when competing against the likes of Samsung it seems HTC has to do something.

It was noted that Samsung spends about $10 billion per year when it comes to marketing. HTC on the other hand, has a budget of around $1 billion per year. That said, based on a limited budget and an attempt to make a bold move, it seems Robert Downey Jr. may be a good move. Along with those previously mentioned movies, he is also committed to Avengers 2 and 3 and The Judge and Chef — which is really just another way of saying his name should be staying in the limelight for a while.

[Update] HTC has provided Android Community with a statement;

“We have nothing to announce today on a new marketing campaign. But as we've said over the past several months, HTC is working to change its approach in how and where it markets its products to compete in a more effective manner. The all-metal design has drawn overwhelmingly positive feedback from media and consumers alike. Anyone with a penchant for metal should be able to appreciate its appeal.”

AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans updated

Posted: 21 Jun 2013 06:30 AM PDT

AT&T had announced some updated GoPhone plans earlier in the month and as was expected, those plans have since come available. The carrier has updated the basic/quick messaging plans, however the focus here will be on the smartphone plans — of which there is now two new options available.

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The smartphone plans range in price from $25 up to $60 per month depending on the amount minutes and data you prefer to have available. The new plans are the $40 and $60 options, however all four plans break down as follows;

  • $25 — 250 minutes, unlimited messaging
  • $40 — 500 minutes, unlimited messaging, 200MB of data
  • $50 — unlimited minutes, unlimited messaging, WiFi data only
  • $60 — unlimited minutes, unlimited messaging, 2GB of data

These plans are all unlimited for text, picture and video messages for those sent within the US. There is also unlimited messaging to Mexico and Canada included, however that is only for text. Otherwise, users will also be able to add some additional data to three of those four plans. The one exception is the $50 per month plan which maintains itself as WiFi data only.

The $25 per month plan can add 50MB of data for $5, the $40 per month plan can add 100MB of data for $5 and the $60 per month plan can add 1GB for $10. Bottom line here, while it is nice to have options available, it seems the solid option would be the $60 per month plan. Of course, those lower plans could be good for those needing/wanting a mobile phone for emergency or limited use situations.

Aside from the named features, each of these plans also come with the basics. In other words, they all include goodies such as voicemail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, nationwide long distance and three-way calling. With that in mind, AT&T has a few options for smartphones including the HTC First for $449.99 and the Samsung Galaxy Express for $249.99.

SOURCE: AT&T

LG to have event in New York City on August 7th

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 07:38 PM PDT

My oh my, what interesting times we live in. LG, the Korean mobile phone division, has announced to the press that on August 7th they’ll be having a press event. The most leery part of the message we received was… that they didn’t mention what the event was for.

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We won’t even pretend to be psychics here, but it would be quite thrilling to see LG show off the new G2 with the Snapdragon 800… that is, if that is what it’s about. When we say we know absolutely nothing about the event, we’re not even batting an eye. We seriously know nothing regarding where it will be, who will be there, or even if there will be electricity in the joint.

Hopes are high that the G2 will debut, and if it does, it’ll be a great addition to the LG family. If it doesn’t, we might be getting a view of their new Tablet – should it appear. Really, it’s all speculation from here, and we don’t want to say things we could take back, so take it as you will.

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Again, the event is set for August 7th, and when it happens, we’ll be there. What will come? That’s entirely up to LG. Fingers crossed that it’s something good though, and that they’re not just serving cheese.

Aio Wireless integrating 4G LTE

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 07:19 PM PDT

4G LTE is getting harder and harder to miss. The irony is, that it’s literally true. You see, it’s not exactly breaking news that 4G LTE is slowly surpassing 3G as the mobile network of choice. So with that astonishing revelation (sarcasm) comes the even more astonishing revelation that more and more companies are getting into the 4G mix – and Aio is one of them.

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Aio, the no contract wireless provider, is going out of their way to make sure that the 4G LTE network speeds available to Verizon and AT&T customers come over to their end of the stick as well. If they can, they’re guaranteed to bring in more customers and more followers as a whole. When has that ever been a bad thing?

To coincide with their launch of 4G LTE service, they are also announcing the new addition of ZTE Overture, a phone that allows for it. The Overture runs Jelly Bean, a touch 4″ LCD display, and memory up to 32GB. Not a bad sideshow if you ask us.

If you already own a 4G LTE phone and are with Aio, you can also anticipate the new 4G service to come to you as time progresses. In the meantime, you can check out the Aio site for more details.

SOURCE: Aio

HTC CEO Peter Chou sticking by brand

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 06:21 PM PDT

The latest, most breaking news out of HTC is at least somewhat consoling: Peter Chou, head CEO for the company will not be stepping down, no matter how turbulent or troubled the future may get. For Mr. Chou, it’s been a personal investment since day one.

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Most recently, Peter has watched numerous executives of his walk out the door at HTC, and pack up their things. He’s also seen the introduction of new execs, but all in all, it’s been a very rough year business wise for the company. Peter is not at all phased by it.

“There are a lot of rumors that say I would quit, but I never said that,” he said most recently when pressed about the option of walking away. “I’m not going to find another job.” His tenacity shows.

Although WSJ reports that HTC has lost four-fifths its value in the past year, they’re readying a brand new line of product, such as the One Mini, and the new One tablet. No one is quite sure what to make of HTC as of right now, but one thing is for sure, at least the captain has promised that he’ll go down with the ship, should it even begin to sink.

SOURCE: The Verge

Sony Xperia ZL receives Android 4.2.2 Update

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 05:04 PM PDT

Europe gets a lot of nice things first that we don’t. Whether it’s interior design, Porsche’s, or just the prettiest models this side of the Milky Way, it always seems to have the lead example. Unfortunately for us, yet again, the same can be said for the Android 4.2.2 update for the Sony Xperia ZL, as that’s exactly where it’s headed first.

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When we reviewed the Sony Xperia ZL we were extremely satisfied with its hardware performance, satisfied by its nice screen, but walked away slightly disappointed in its battery performance. It’ll be very interesting to see if Android 4.2.2 does anything to fix the battery performance, but we imagine that in terms of helping it move along faster and more efficiently, it’ll be all game and more.

Probably the most ironic part about the Xperia ZL getting the 4.2.2 update is that it’s actually getting it before the Xperia Z, which has been on the market longer on its current firmware. On the Xperia ZL, you’ll see an update to version 10.3.A.0.423, which will bring with it updates to Sony’s apps for media, and also some enhanced screen widget function, and most importantly, the ability to use 64GB microSD cards.

The Xperia ZL shows just how far Sony has come since its Ericsson days (Anyone remember those!?). But more importantly, with the Android 4.2.2 update, it can finally keep head to head with its competitors from Samsung, HTC, and LG. Although it’ll need some further fine tuning in the next generation to have everything absolutely perfect, we’re quite pleasantly surprised by how quickly Sony has launched this update.

SOURCE: GSMArena

Spotify update brings notification bar controls and better radio streaming

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 04:50 PM PDT

Today we have good news for those of you still opting to use Spotify over options like Google Music All Access or Rdio. Would you look at that, Spotify has answered our requests. Back in May they finally added landscape mode (only a year late) and today they’ve pushed another with even more of those top requested features.

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Ignore the fact that their new Google Play Store artwork (above) has a pretty sad looking lad listening to music, and take a peek at the “what’s new” tab because you’ll like what you find. Today they’ve added a feature we’ve been requesting for months and months. That is notification pulldown bar controls. Yes!

Android 4.1 and above has expandable and usable notification options, and pausing or controlling our music from here is a rather convenient feature. That was our only outstanding complaint about Spotify, so now I might be debating the switch back from All Access. Kidding. However, here’s the full change log for those curious.

New: Now you can control playback from the notification area. Skip and be happy. Android version 4.1 and above.
Fixed: Some troublesome Facebook login issues.
Fixed: A bug that could cause a white screen just when you least expected it.
Improved: Radio performance.
Fictitious: This app can be controlled using telepathy.

Adding a bit of humor to an otherwise dull update, Spotify announces (jokingly) that you can now control the app using telepathy. Wouldn’t that be nice? In the real world, they’ve fixed many Facebook login (and logout) issues, the white screen error has been fixed, and they’ve also improved radio performance. Good stuff all around here from the folks at Spotify.

That’s about it. If you’re still loving everything Spotify has to offer and want to control those tunes with ease hit the link below and get the latest update.

VIA: Play Store

Where’s my Mickey; The cute little mouse makes his way to Google Play

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 04:32 PM PDT

It feels like yesterday that I was sitting down at the kitchen table, learning how to read in none other than a Disney book. Fast forward to today, and you can teach your child how to use a mobile phone (and hopefully read) with the new “Where’s my Mickey?” Google Play Android application.

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In the Exclusive trailer for the game (Which you can see below) we see that Mickey needs help getting water to set up a tourist lemonade stand next to a saltwater beach. Him and his friends must use mini-games to control the weather and obtain fresh water, and all the ingredients needed to stop all the tourists from going thirsty. It’s a cute take on something so simple, and something so summery.

When we take a better look at the screenshots, we see an in depth game with a lot of character. One of the most intriguing things to us is the dynamic weather change. Although we’re not sure how that would work in a cartoon based game, it’s an interesting idea, and clearly adds a bit of a challenge into the general mix.

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Lastly, at the end of the trailer, we see that there will be more mini-games added to the game, as well as more characters to come. Although this game may not be entirely suited to adults (we do know a couple who would like it however) it does breathe a breath of fresh air; it’s cartoon based.

Where’s my Mickey is available on Google Play now.

SOURCE: Google Play

Hootie for Twitter: Hands-on with an app for the minimalist

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 04:28 PM PDT

Today we’re taking a very quick look at a recently released Twitter app and client on Android called Hootie. It has been available for a short while, and was making the rounds over on Reddit. The developer put a lot of effort into offering a beautiful and simple design, but it’s lacking in features. With all the talk about Falcon Pro and others having issues, we figured it was time to check out another option.

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As we all know, Twitter only allows third party apps to serve 100,000 users, then it gives them the cold shoulder. Popular options like Falcon Pro have suffered from this, as has the end user, so today we wanted to share a new Twitter app with everyone. It’s called Hootie and has a great look and general design, animations, and feel, but sadly isn’t quite as feature rich as most.

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Hootie is very minimalistic. If all you want is a beautifully designed Twitter app that you can read your feed with, post updated, and RT the occasional story, this is perfect. For those power tweeters needing a suite of features, settings, themes, and notifications this certainly won’t be for you. Here’s our quick hands-on with the new app.

As we said in our video Hootie is rich in design, but lacking in features. There’s absolutely no settings of any kind. We can’t change the update times, get notifications, change the themes or look in any way. It’s as plain as they come, but one of the prettiest looking plain Twitter clients we’ve seen lately.

It’s extremely fast, smooth, and clean looking to say the least. There’s a nice stretching animation as you scroll down you feed, and the Hootie bird animations are pretty slick too. Seriously this app is awesome if you’re going on just looks, but falls short of something I’d use daily based on the lack of features.

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So with us complaining so much about the lack of features why are we even mentioning it today? Because it’s got an excellent design, has tons of potential, and is great for the minimalistic that just wants a clean and simple Twitter client without all the bells and whistles. Again, if you’re a Falcon Pro refugee we’re going to recommend Robird for Android, otherwise try out Hootie from the link below.

SOURCE: Play Store

Lenovo putting emphasis on the mobile industry

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 03:52 PM PDT

Lenovo, which has been working non-stop to popularize its laptop range (which currently takes up 80% of their total sales) is currently seeking other ways to broaden its financial horizons. The most popular idea for profit within the company has been a serious expansion and push into their mobile side. So that’s exactly what they’re going to begin doing, as of now.

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In China, Lenovo is the number 2 most popular smartphone lender, taking up over 11% of the market. In a country filled to the absolute brim with people, this is a huge margin. As of right now, China currently has over 1 billion mobile phone users. Lenovo feels that if it can tap into this market, as well as other mainstream markets, it may be able to make a serious case for itself.

The goal for Lenovo this fiscal year (Which ends in March of 2014) is to sell 50 million phones, a number that is certainly within their range. For comparison, Samsung has sold over 10 million Galaxy S 4′s to date since launch, and that number is expected to rise incrementally as time goes by. It’s not entirely implausible that Lenovo can reach its goal and if they do, it’ll show their group of investors that they have the reach needed to initiate the growth expansion.

The biggest hurdle for Lenovo will be the U.S.A market, which has struggled to take them in with stride, where it so far has only sold laptops. Their biggest rivals there will be Samsung and Apple, but we remain confident for Lenovo. After having tested some of their products, we felt they were of a decent quality. It should be interesting to see how Lenovo sets its sights for long term growth in the mobile market, outside of the laptop one.

SOURCE: Phone Arena

SwiftKey Keyboard slices price in half thanks to 5-star ratings

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 03:24 PM PDT

Today the folks from SwiftKey are busy sharing details about just how popular their keyboard is for Android. Being one of the most successful and popular 3rd party keyboards to date, they’ve been near the top of the “top paid” charts for some time. Today announced they have over 150,000 5-star reviews in the Play Store, and to show their celebration and appreciating they’ve cut the price in half.

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So while this is a celebration for all those who already use and enjoy SwiftKey, who probably left a good 4 or 5 star review on the Google Play Store. It’s also a great moment for those who haven’t made the jump to take advantage of the opportunity. Over on their blog they’ve shared all the details, and are trying to convince others to try their keyboard today.

As you all know, we’ve been huge fans of SwiftKey for some time already. Their next word prediction, word suggestion engine, and even gesture based Flow typing is all excellent. We’ve been covering SwiftKey since the beginning, and it’s good to see a top quality company succeed. Google recently launched their Jelly Bean keyboard for all, and that’s probably digging into SwiftKey purchases, but now that it’s 50% off you might as well try it.

The developers confirmed over 77% of buyers left a 5-star review of SwiftKey, and 93% left 4-stars. So in case you’re bad at math, almost everyone absolutely loves the keyboard. We’re looking forward to seeing what SwiftKey announces next, as they’re always innovating. Either way hit the link below to leave a review, or get it while it’s 50% off.

Do you use SwiftKey, Google Keyboard, Swype, or something else? Let us know!

Play Store Link

SOURCE: SwiftKey

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active hands-on

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 02:00 PM PDT

Samsung previously announced the the Galaxy S4 Active, however that didn’t stop them from showing the handset during the Premiere 2013 event which took place a bit earlier today. As a result of the Galaxy S4 Active being on display, we got to spend a bit of time checking it out in person. The Active is the dust and waterproof version of the Galaxy S4 and that was one of the highlights of the event.

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Samsung showed the handset being dunked in a tub of water and even talked a bit about the Aqua Mode. This mode, as the name would imply — is for use when in the water. Basically, Aqua Mode will allow you to take pictures and capture video while underwater. Also worth mentioning, the bit about the handset being dust and waterproof comes by way of the IP67 certification.

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For those curious, that means the Galaxy S4 Active should be good in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Keeping on the topic of capturing images and video, the Galaxy S4 Active is equipped with a rear-racing 8 megapixel camera and a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Otherwise, the handset is sporting a 5-inch Full HD display, quad-core 1.9GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot.

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With the exception of the 8 megapixel rear-facing camera, the handset is quite a bit like the regular GALAXY S 4. For comparison, the regular model has a 13 megapixel camera on the back. The other notable difference between the regular and Active models will be found towards the bottom of the front — those three buttons. The Galaxy S4 Active has a physical button for Menu, Home and Back (in that order from left to right) while the regular model has a physical home button with the others being capacitive. You can see the side-by-side of the two in the above gallery.

Despite the Galaxy S4 Active being dust and waterproof, it is not big and bulky like similar handsets. In fact, when sitting next to the regular GALAXY S 4, the handsets are really close in size. There are however some differences in design. These differences come in addition to the buttons and can easily be seen on the back of the handset. The Galaxy S4 Active has an edging towards the top and bottom on the back. The camera lens, flash and Samsung logo however — are all sitting in the same place.

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While the Galaxy S4 Active was shown today, the handset has already come available for pre-order with AT&T. The carrier has it priced at $199.99 and available in Urban Gray and Dive Blue. Those pre-orders are expected to ship on June 19th and in-store availability is set to begin on June 21st. Bottom line here, the Galaxy S4 Active looks like a good option for those who were interested in the regular model, but wanted something a bit more friendly for the active outdoor type of user.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom hands-on

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:48 PM PDT

Here in London we’ve got our hands on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, the company’s latest effort in crossover machines between the point-and-shoot camera and their hero smartphone, the Galaxy S 4. This device is certainly a considerable bit thicker than the smartphone already on the market, yet it’s not quite as large as the original Samsung Galaxy Camera. It’s there that this machine finds its half-way point.

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This device works with a 16-megapixel sensor up front with a physical camera shutter button up top. If you look at this device from its lens side – otherwise known as the back if you’re thinking about this device as a camera phone – you’ll think you’re looking at a compact shooter. You’d never know the difference. From the display side of this device, on the other hand, it’s essentially a Galaxy smartphone – with a big hump on its back. A 4.3-inch Galaxy Smartphone, that runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

That’s not to say that this machine is uncomfortable to use. We’ll gladly switch out the Galaxy Camera for this machine, especially since it’s going to be working with the next generation of software advances, including Galaxy S 4 cross-over wireless sharing, and all the 4.2.2 Jelly Bean enhancements from TouchWiz. It’s also slightly smaller, promises better battery life, and will obviously double as a phone.

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The Galaxy S4 Zoom works with a 4.3-inch qHD 540 x 960 display, and the same odd 1.5 GHz dual-core with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, an accelerometer, digital compass, A-GPS, and GLONASS as well. The panel on the shutter button side of the machine holds a removable 2,330 mAh battery pack – replaceable and interchangeable, too.

Inside this device will be working with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz over the top, while the whole system appears to be able to work with essentially the same camera features as the Samsung Galaxy S 4. Smart Mode, Drama Shot, and Action Freeze are here, as is Photo Suggest for this device’s gallery.

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Up front you’ll also find a feature new to the Galaxy Camera line: “Samsung Zoom Ring”. It’s just a physical control for your optical zoom, on the surface, but if used when you’re on a phone call, camera mode will be activated and a photo snapped is a photo sent – through MMS in this case. Pretty neat right. Overall the device feels decent, but we’re sad it doesn’t have a 720p HD display. For those who thought the Galaxy Camera was too expensive this could be the perfect fit to marry both a Galaxy Camera and Galaxy smartphone, but the phone specs aren’t quite what most want in today’s world. However, it will certainly do just fine.

Have a peek at our up-close and personal look at this machine above and below. Samsung was nice enough to show us a few flip cover cases and accessories (wrist bands) for the Galaxy S4 Zoom. And while we’re here we took a moment to snap some S4 Zoom vs Galaxy Camera pictures too. Take a peek below. As soon as we hear pricing we’ll be sure and update, we have a feeling this could be another one of those AT&T exclusives.

-– This hands-on was contributed to by Cory Gunther

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Samsung Galaxy NX Camera hands-on

Posted: 20 Jun 2013 01:16 PM PDT

As the most powerful camera yet graced with Android to have been revealed to the public thus far, the Samsung Galaxy NX is bound to be under a bit of scrutiny before it’s accepted as a top-notch shooter. What we’ve got here is a camera that’s as massive as your everyday interchangeable-lens DSLR, but with the ability to connect to the web and take advantage of the full Google Play collection of Android apps. Thanks to WiFi and 4G LTE, it does it all. It’s part of the next generation of Android devices, if you’d be so bold as to say so.

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While the Samsung Galaxy Camera (the first) worked with the display on its back as the only way to see through its lens, this device incorporates a physical viewfinder as well. You’ve got a user interface atop Android that’s not all that unlike what we’re seeing with the Galaxy S4 Zoom, both of them reminiscent of the ever-so-slightly unique original Samsung Galaxy Camera. This includes horizontally situated apps and a camera interface optimized for this camera specifically.

All the details can be found here, but we’ll mention them again. We have a full-size DSLR-like camera with a 20.3 MP hybrid autofocus setup, it’s mirrorless, and you can swap out the lens. 18-55mm, 55-200mm, and more. The device works with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on a 4.8-inch 720p display, and has a suite of camera apps dedicated to make your photography experience top notch. It’s powered by a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, has 16GB of internal storage and a micro-SD slot. My biggest (and only) complaint about the original was battery life, and Samsung fixed that. The Galaxy NX Camera has a huge 4,360 mAh battery. And it’ll need it for zooming with those lenses.

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This device is able to make use of a variety of lenses, including both those able to work with manual zoom as well as those working with automatic focus. The sensor on this camera is well-and-away the most powerful ever attached to an Android operating system directly, and the whole camera is presented here by Samsung to be a real-deal full-fledged member of the NX camera family. So how about the important specs? For you camera aficionados: With an advanced hybrid Auto-focus feature, and a fast 1/6000 sec shutter speed and 8.6fps shooting mode it should be plenty fast.

With pop-up flash up top, palm-friendly grip on the right, and rubbery bumper around the viewfinder around the back, this machine is set to be the first real usher of Android into the high-end camera universe. We’ll have to see if the professionals grace it with arms wide open though. (Creed song reference)

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While we’re still debating if it’ll be worth switching from the non-Android shooter we’ve taken the photos you’re seeing above and below with, one thing is clear: this is a rather enticing proposition for lovers of Google’s mobile OS. Have a peek above and below and see what Samsung has in store for this, another unique entry in this week’s barrage of new devices. More hands-on and video is coming up quick.

Give us more details, release date, and a price please Samsung. Rumors have it for a late July release so we’ll be waiting to hear more.

– This hands-on was contributed to by Cory Gunther

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