Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Huawei Honor 3 images leak along with full specs

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 10:47 AM PDT

If you like what you saw from Huawei‘s recently announced Ascend P6 smartphone, but are on a budget, the newly leaked Honor 3 could be what you had in mind. Some new photos have revealed the 3rd round in this devices history along with all the specs, and it is aiming to be a pretty well-rounded mid-range phone from the manufacturer.

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The Ascend P6 and Honor 2 mashed together would give you the Honor 3, and we can obviously see the design similarities from both devices. However, with the Honor 3 you’ll get something not quite as thin, a bigger battery, and it won’t break the bank either.

Found on a Chinese Blog by the popular site MyDrivers, we’re now getting a few different angles of the upcoming smartphone from Huawei. At this point all we’re waiting for is a release date, since the specs are also revealed in these leaked photos.

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The Huawei Honor 3 will be working with a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720p HD display, and Huawei’s own 1.5 GHz quad-core K3V2 processor along with 2GB of RAM. You’ll be enjoying 8GB of internal storage, and what we’re hearing is an 8 or 13 megapixel camera on the rear. The Ascend P6 is stylish and aluminum, but here we’re working with all plastic, just like previous Honor models.

We also have Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean with UI tweaks from their Emotion UI, and surely we’ll be learning more details about this phone shortly. Hopefully it will come at a decent price too.

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Huawei Prism II release confirmed by T-Mobile

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 10:29 AM PDT

Details of the T-Mobile Prism II leaked back in early-March and while things had been quite since, it looks like the carrier has recently confirmed the release. The Huawei Prism II has been added to the T-Mobile website with a coming soon style listing and is expected to be widely available in just few days time.

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Basically, it was said the national retail and online availability is set to begin on June 26th. And in a bit of good news for those who may have been waiting for this release, the handset quietly launched in select markets a few days ago. T-Mobile will have the Prism II priced with a downpayment $19.99. Those making the purchase will then be tied in to another 24 monthly payments of $4.

That would bring the monthly payment total to $96 and the total with the downpayment to $116. While that sounds like a really low price for a handset, we do have to remember that the Huawei Prism II is not sporting the highest of specs. That is not to say it will not be usable, but it will not be a powerhouse either.

The Prism II will arrive with support for the T-Mobile HSPA+ network and WiFi Calling. The hardware specs include a 3.5-inch (480 x 320) display, single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot and a 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera. The handset will also be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

VIA: phoneScoop

SOURCE: T-Mobile

CyanogenMod 10.1 Release Candidate phase draws to a close

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 10:02 AM PDT

Some good news has arrived for those who have been waiting for stable release of CyanogenMod 10.1.0. The Cyanogen team has announced the end of the Release Candidate phase which means things will be shifting towards the stable releases. The updated general release CyanogenMod 10.1.0 builds should be arriving very shortly, but that does bring the question as to which devices will be supported.

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According to what we have seen, the devices that will have support for the general release builds will mirror what we saw with the release candidate builds. Simply put, if your device had an RC build available, it will likely be covered. The folks at Cyanogen have said they “do not plan on incorporating devices that did not receive a RC into this release.”

Otherwise, if your handset is one of the Exynos based Samsung devices or powered by a Tegra 2 processor — you will not be seeing any general release CyanogenMod build at this time. There wasn’t much said on this matter, however a status update was promised for sometime “later this week.”

Looking forward, those who like to live on the edge will be getting some new M-release builds. These are milestone releases and considered more stable than the daily releases, but they are not quite ready for primetime. Anyway, these builds will bring new features and functionality including Privacy Guard.

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The Privacy Guard feature was recently merged into the nightly builds and will allow users to run certain apps in an incognito mode. Basically, Privacy Guard will allow users (by way of the App Info panel) to retain some anonymity by providing empty lists for apps such as your contact list, calendar entries and browsing history.

SOURCE: CyanogenMod Blog

Samsung Galaxy S 4 LTE-A gets unboxed and shown off by Samsung

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Samsung is showing off their latest smartphone model to join the Galaxy family, and that is the Galaxy S 4 LTE-Advanced for Korea. We’ve heard plenty about this phone and the next-gen LTE inside, and today they are giving us their very own hands-on and unboxing with the familiar handset. Check out the pics and additional details provided.

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The Galaxy S 4 advanced is nearly identical to the current flagship device available worldwide, only the processor and silicon under the hood has a few very important changes. For one, the device is powered with a 2.3 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, not the 600 like we have in the US, or the Exynos in other regions.

Then we still have the same 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 5-inch 1080p display and that 13 megapixel camera under the hood. It’s the same phone we know and love, only faster in every way possible. Both with the hardware speeds of that quad-core, and with the next-gen 4G LTE-Advanced operations it will allow.

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The Snapdragon 800 incorporates Qualcomm’s new RF360 LTE solution that will enable global LTE all in one device, one that should potentially work with all LTE bands, all in one device. So hopefully this is the next stage of Samsung’s flagship devices where the same phone will work globally. As well as with T-Mobile, AT&T, and even Verizon 4G LTE.

This device won’t be headed anywhere outside of Korea sadly, as they have one of the only up and operational LTE-A networks. Verizon is hard at work preparing the same, and surely other carriers are close behind in this next stage in the modern 4G LTE era. The images and video are provided by what we’re being told is Samsung’s social blog in Korea, and we’ll be learning more details soon.

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VIA: AndroidBeat SOURCE: Naver

Goodbye MOTO advertisements: conceptual, but intriguing

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 09:15 AM PDT

Some bold Motorola advertising images have surfaced this morning, though, before anyone thinks otherwise we should point out these are conceptual. That being said, these images have arrived by way of B.A. Bakken who is based out of San Francisco and posted them along with a brief mention of them being “pitch work for Motorola.”

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Needless to say, given the quality we suspect more than a few will be confused if or when these images separate and appear on the social media circuit. And just to drive the point home for those needing a bit more convincing, if these were actually going to be used by Motorola — do you really think they would first appear on the designers site. We suspect most will be able to answer that question with a no.

As you can see this round of work includes everything from print to web to giant billboards. One of the more interesting pieces can be seen below and includes the following message;

“It’s time. Time to pause and think. Time to be brave. Time to say farewell to the Motorola that’s shaped today. And start building tomorrow. When we are ready, we will let the world know. Until then. Goodbye Moto.”

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As you will see, these are all pointing towards August 1st. The August 1st bit suggests that is when Motorola will finally unveil the X-Phone. But again, similar to how these works are all conceptual — so is the August 1st date. That is not to say it could not happen on that date, but we certainly would not begin placing any bets that it will happen then.

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Bottom line here, while interesting to look at and fun to think about — we are still left waiting to see what Motorola has planned for the future. The one bit we can say now, we hope that Motorola has something better (or at least equally exciting) in the works because these images certainly do make a splash.

VIA: MyDrivers

SOURCE: Behance

AT&T HTC First: when an inventory sellout may not equal instant success

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 08:33 AM PDT

The HTC First has been an interesting handset to watch. The handset originally launched with a $99 price point that was quickly slashed to under a buck. When AT&T dropped the price to $0.99 (on a two-year agreement) that brought speculation about how things were going downhill for the handset. The carrier maintained the price drop was for a sale, however an end date has still not been announced.

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Flash forward till the present day and it looks like AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega has spoken up about the handset. And in fact, he has made an interesting comparison to another not-so-successful device. That other device was the Motorola ROKR, which some may remember better as the failed iTunes phone. The interesting part comes because while the ROKR was not a big success, he did talk about how he believes it helped AT&T get the inside track with Apple in terms of the iPhone.

“We have a great relationship with Apple just like we have a great relationship with Facebook,” he said. “We look forward to working with them to make Home better.”

With that in mind, De la Vega also spoke about how they remain committed to working with different iterations of products and partners. There wasn’t anything specific mentioned, however that does sound like it could lead to some interesting (and possibly unique) handsets in the future. Shifting back to the HTC First and there is a bit of good news for AT&T — they have sold out the current inventory.

AT&T hasn’t said how many they have sold in total, however De la Vega did speak about how they “sold a bunch more” after they lowered the price. That said, while there is plenty of criticism about Facebook Home, the handset wasn’t all that bad for $0.99 — after all, with a few taps you could turn the handset into a regular Android device. Not to mention, while the specs are not what we would consider high-end, they seem more than acceptable for a dollar.

SOURCE: CNET

Samsung GALAXY S 4 Developer Edition arrives for Verizon Wireless

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 07:59 AM PDT

Samsung had previously announced the upcoming availability of the Developer Edition GALAXY S 4. This model had been expected for AT&T and Verizon Wireless and as of today it looks like the availability has arrived for one of the two carriers. That carrier is Verizon Wireless and the handset is priced at $649.99 and arriving with the ability to unlock the bootloader.

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Given that ability, this model could be a good option for those who prefer to have their handset rooted and like to jump from ROM to ROM. The price certainly isn’t cheap, but it does mean you will have the ability to play around a bit. Not to mention, those picking this model will not be tied to a two-year carrier commitment.

Aside from the ability to unlock the bootloader, this handset will bring a familiar set of specs. The GALAXY S 4 Developer Edition will have support for Verizon 4G LTE as well as a 5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of 441. The handset will also have the quad-core 1.9GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and microSD card slot with support for cards up to 64GB in size.

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The Developer Edition GALAXY S 4 will also have a 2 megapixel front-facing camera, 13 megapixel rear-facing camera and arrive running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. All that being said, those who had been considering this handset now have a decision to make — pick up this model or wait a day and grab the Google Edition GALAXY S 4.

The GALAXY S 4 Google Edition will be available by way of the Play Store on June 26th. This handset will also be priced at $649, and while the hardware remains the same, the software will be a bit different. The GALAXY S 4 Google Edition will be running a vanilla version of Jelly Bean and also be given quick updates that mirror the updates we see for the Nexus line of devices.

SOURCE: Samsung

Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE release date confirmed by Verizon

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 07:23 AM PDT

The 4G LTE equipped version of the Casio G’zOne Commando smartphone wasn’t much of a secret, however as of today we do have an official announcement. The news comes by way of Verizon Wireless who have confirmed the pricing and upcoming availability of the Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE.

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Big Red will have the handset available for purchase on June 27th. The price will be $99.99, though that does come along with a two-year agreement and after a $50 mail-in rebate. Basically, if you are looking to pick up the Casio G’zOne Commando 4G LTE — you should be prepared to shell out $150 (plus tax) on the day of purchase.

In addition to adding the LTE connectivity, this model arrives Global Ready and with features to include the G’zWorld app and the G’zGear multi sensor tool. The World app will allow the user to track their activities on a map while at the same time being able to include pictures. These adventures can then be shared on Facebook and/or Twitter.

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The Gear tool will provide updates on items to include latest barometric tracking technology, earth compass, sun/moon displays, temperature comparisons, tide views, constellation gazer and virtual trail functions. These findings can also be shared with others using the Live G app.

Aside from those two apps, the G’zOne Commando 4G LTE will be arriving as a rugged handset with protection against elements to include shock, water, dust, vibration, salt, fog and humidity. The handset will also have a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video recording.

And keeping with the outdoor related goodies, the handset has a Glove Mode which should help when the temperature drops. Otherwise, while maybe not the best of names, this does appear to be a nice follow up to the original G’zOne Commando and possibly a handset that could fill the needs of someone who spends more than an average amount of time outside in the elements.

SOURCE: Verizon Wireless

BlackBerry Secure Work Space app launches for Android

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 06:53 AM PDT

BlackBerry announced the Secure Work Space app for Android earlier in the year and as of today that app has arrived in the Google Play Store. The app is called ‘Secure Work Space for BES10′ and while we suspect some may be happy to learn that it is available — there is a catch. Basically, while the app is available you still need to have the support of your company before getting any use out of it.

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This app is part of the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and it offers what is said to be “containerization.” Or in other words, this app will wrap the applications and offer the ability to connect securely. The Secure Work Space app will run on a tablet or smartphone and promises features to include AES-256 bit enterprise connectivity and encryption.

Users will be able to access email, contacts and a calendar using the Work Connect app. And as part of that security, users will be required to login before accessing any of those secure apps. Once signed in users will be greeted with a fully featured email inbox that includes the ability to file messages into folders for safe keeping.

Using the contacts app will provide access to the corporate directory, calendars will allow for multiple views and new appointments can be accepted from the invite or the inbox. The Secure Work Space app also has Tasks as well as a secure web browser that can be used to get access to the company intranet pages. The browser is HTML5 and another security related feature comes with copying work content.

Or more specifically, the security comes with the inability to copy work content to personal applications. Users will however have the option to securely view and edit those documents using Documents To Go. Those documents can also be sent to others — assuming they are in the company directory. Anyway, while feature rich, we go back to the bit about needing support from your company to use the app. Bottom line here, this marks the time when you can contact your IT admin about getting started.

SOURCE: BlackBerry, Google Play Store

OUYA game console arrives for retail sales

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 06:27 AM PDT

As had been expected, the OUYA game console has arrived with retail stores. Simply put, the console has shifted into general availability and those who are interested but have yet to make a purchase now have a handful of retail outlets to pick from. The pricing is the same as we had seen during the pre-order period, however there is some news about a few games that have recently arrived.

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First and foremost, the OUYA game console can be found with retailers to include Best Buy, Game Stop, Target and Amazon. The price of the console is $99. That price does include one controller, however those looking to do a bit of side-by-side gaming with a friend will have to shell out an additional $49 for the second controller. Basically, is you are looking for a system with two controllers you will need to be prepared with $150 (plus tax) to complete the purchase.

The first of the game related news is actually a two-game pack. This title comes by way of Swedish developers Redgrim, Grapefrukt and Snorkel. The game is called Mrs. Dad vs. Korv and this is said to bring a local multiplayer arcade style game that is “easy to learn, hard to master, all fun.” This is also an OUYA exclusive. The trailer for this game can be seen below.

Up next is a game called Tower Fall. This title arrives by way of Matt Makes Games and is also an OUYA exclusive. This game is described as being “both simple and robust” with mention about how it is a “breeze to pick up, and a bear to master.” Tower Fall has you playing as one of four characters that each have special treats. The Tower Fall trailer can be seen below.

Otherwise, while we have seen the OUYA console listed with a handful of retailers at this time, that list is expected to grow. For now all (with the exception of Amazon) appear to have the console in-stock and available for online orders. With that in mind, those venturing out to the real world may want to give a call to double check the inventory levels that your closest retail outlet happens to have.

SOURCE: OUYA Blog

Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2 hopes 3rd time lucky for wearables

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 02:31 AM PDT

Sony has unveiled its latest Android timepiece, the Sony SmartWatch 2 SW2, a 1.6-inch touchscreen accessory to your smartphone or tablet. Pulling caller ID, messages, Facebook and Twitter notifications, music information and control, and more to your wrist, the SmartWatch 2 pairs via Bluetooth with NFC thrown in to make that straightforward.

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Up front, there’s a 1.6-inch, 220 x 176 resolution touchscreen, with a brightness sensor to automatically adjust the backlighting depending on whether you’re using it inside or out. The plastic shell of the old models has been replaced with stainless steel and aluminum.

In fact, the SmartWatch 2 now meets IP57 standards for water and dust resistance, making for a far more rugged design. There’s a stainless steel strap in the box, but it’s compatible with any 24mm third-party strap, in case you’d rather dress it up with leather or rubber.

A little oddly, Sony has opted for Bluetooth 3.0 rather than Bluetooth 4.0, despite the newer standard’s benefits in power frugality. Still, the company estimates around four days of average use from a full charge.

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Although it’s being launched alongside the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the SmartWatch 2 should actually work with any Android 4.0+ device around. It’ll also run Sony smartwatch apps from the Play store, of which the company says there are now more than 200 to choose from.

If you’re not connected, it’ll operate as a standalone watch, with alarm functionality and the ability to scroll through old notifications. No word on pricing at this stage, but expect the wearable to hit shelves in Q3 2013.

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Sony Xperia Z Ultra revealed: 6.3″ 1080p and 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 quad

Posted: 25 Jun 2013 02:22 AM PDT

Sony has officially taken the wraps off of its new phablet, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, a whopping 6.4-inch Full HD Android smartphone powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 800 chipset. Running at 2.2GHz, the MSM8974 quadcore makes the Xperia Z Ultra one of the fastest – if not, for the moment at least, the fastest – phones around; it also gets 4G LTE and an 8-megapixel camera.

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The casing, a svelte 179 x 92 x 6.5mm and 212g, is waterproof and dust-proof, and in fact Sony has raised its game on that front compared to the Xperia Z. Whereas the original phone met IP55/IP57 standards, the new Xperia Z Ultra steps that up to IP58.

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There’s WiFi, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS, along with DLNA streaming, and Sony has used its Exmor RS for mobile camera technology and its X-Reality for mobile media optimization tech too. For the first time in a Sony smartphone, there’s TRILUMINOS pulled over from the newest BRAVIA TVs, too.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra overview:

Interestingly, the Xperia Z Ultra’s touchscreen – though not designed to work with a specific active stylus, as with the Galaxy Note II – can recognize not only fingers but any conductive material, such as a pencil tip. That makes for easy notetaking and sketching.

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Meanwhile, since 6.4-inches of phone might be a bit much to hold to the side of your head for long calls, Sony has also whipped out a new accessory, the SBH52 “mini handset”. Hooking up via Bluetooth – with NFC for easier pairing – the hands-free kit can be used as is traditional, with plug-in wired earphones, or held directly to your ear.

Sony SBH52 overview video:

Up front there’s an OLED display that can show caller ID, music information, and text messages. It also has HD Voice support – network depending – and a standalone FM radio with RDS.

There’s also the DK30 magnetic charging dock, which uses the power of magnets to guide the Xperia Z Ultra into place on the charging pins. That comes with two inserts, to suit the phablet whether or not it’s wearing an optional case.

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The Sony Xperia Z Ultra will go on sale – in purple, white, or black – in Q3 2013, with pricing yet to be confirmed. Sony hasn’t given specific dates for the DK30 and SBH52, though we’d assume they’ll appear on shelves at the same time as the Xperia Z Ultra.

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Imgur photo-hosting app for Android leaves beta, hits Google Play

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 03:55 PM PDT

In case you didn’t know, the most popular photo-sharing and hosting site around has officially launched their app for Android. Imgur has been running private and closed betas for their app, and we’ve mentioned it a few times in the past. However, this morning they finally announced the app, and it’s in the Play Store available to all.

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Previously it was a closed beta available to a select few, and then at the end of May it hit the Play Store but sadly was region restricted to Australia only. Now just a few weeks later they’ve finished up beta testing, ironed out the bugs, and released it for all.

Imgur is now available in the Play Store, works in the US, and shows as compatible with ALL of my Android devices. And I own… a lot. Not only can you enjoy the endless fun of photos (both safe and NSFW) with their gallery and widgets, but you can instantly upload photos on any Android device. Here’s the full list of what’s new:

* new widget
* saves scroll position on galleries
* image info in drop down
* share is on the header
* ads have been added
* swipe is improved
* moved sign in and edit image/album menu to be their own pages

Sadly, just like many of the Play Store comments have mentioned (and their what’s new notes), we can confirm the latest version has introduced ads to the app. So that’s a downer. They weren’t present during the beta, but someone needs to pay for the new features and fully available app.

Get the newly available for all Imgur photo-sharing app on Android from the link below. We’re hearing iOS will get it too, whenever Apple approves it. Have fun and don’t go too crazy on Reddit or those other forums you frequent.

VIA: Play Store

Google Music All Access bumps to $9.99 starting next month

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 03:06 PM PDT

If you’ve been looking for an excellent all-in-one solution to your musical needs, Google Music All Access has you covered. The service that delivers your own personal cloud of music, up to 20,000 songs, radio stations like Pandora, and access to millions of songs on-demand like Spotify. Announced in May at Google I/O this is a reminder that their introductory price is about to end.

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Google Music All Access has become my go-to music solution on Android, and my PC. At Google I/O the folks from Mountain View announced the new service, and it now competes with Spotify, iTunes Radio (see our comparison) and more. All Access will run users $9.99 per month, but if you hurry you can lock in the lower price.

An introductory price of only $7.99 per month was announced by Google. And if you sign up for All Access at $7.99 a month you’ll enjoy that low price for all your music needs. However, starting on July 1st the intro price will be ending, and users will be required to pay $9.99 instead.

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Google reminded us over on Twitter this morning, and we figured a quick shout out was in order so you can all enjoy endless music just as we are enjoying. I won’t be playing that new Kanye West album, but to each his own. All Access has continued to impress me the more I use it. Constantly creating new stations that interest me, or suggesting songs I find quite good.

As a reminder, you’ll get the first month free no matter what, then you have to pay. Get in as an early adopter now (before the end of June) and save $2 bucks a month in the process. Music aficionados will want to give it a try from the link below.

VIA: Google Music

Samsung partners with Carbon Fiber company – Say goodbye to plastic

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 02:19 PM PDT

It’s about time that Samsung says goodbye to cheap plastic materials, and this week they’ve done just that. The debate about Samsung and their continued use of cheap plastic materials for their electronics isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, with the HTC One coming with a durable aluminum design the debate has only been growing. This week Samsung entered a joint venture by buying out 50% of “The Carbon Company” known as the SGL Group.

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The news was very quietly announced by SGL Group themselves, confirming that the joint venture would see Samsung taking control of 50% of the company shares. The end result is a new company called “Samsung SGL Carbon Composite Materials” and they will specialize in carbon materials and carbon fiber for the masses.

The primary objective here is that Samsung wants to continue pushing the envelope with different materials for technology, and the partnership will offer a long-term supply of Carbon-Fiber materials for use in various Samsung products and consumer electronics. We welcome a Carbon Fiber wrapped Galaxy Note III with arms wide open!

The primary objective of the cooperation is to develop new industrial and electronic applications with carbon composite materials for Samsung and the Korean market.” – SGL Group

The group works with carbon fiber, but also with carbon and graphite. Their technology could be used in multiple different Samsung divisions. Carbon Fiber is extremely lightweight, ultra durable, and can be molded and curved into nearly any shape imaginable. Having this type of technology and a never-ending supply for Samsung could be huge moving forward in the smartphone and tablet market.

This will obviously roll into much more than just Samsung’s mobile division, but that’s where we are focused and the first thing that came to mind. With predictions of 100 million Galaxy S 4 sales, preparing new materials for the Note III and Galaxy S 5 is certainly a good move. We hope Samsung says goodbye to plastic, and welcomes Carbon Fiber to the mobile team.

Google Glass taken into the operating room

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 02:10 PM PDT

This can be likely be filed under the ‘it had to happen sooner or later’ category, however it looks like one surgeon has recently taken Google Glass into the operating room. This case, which is believed to be the first seems to have been done more in a attempt to show it is possible. Needless to say, the surgeon did make it clear that it is possible to use Google Glass during live surgery.

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First things first though, there are some issues the surgeon addressed going in to the procedure. The most important aspect seems to have been ensuring the privacy of the patient. In this particular case the procedure involved placing a feeding tube which was done endoscopically.

The technical term of the procedure is called PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) and is described as being a “simple and commonly performed” procedure. That was also another point made clear going in — to make sure the patient had the surgeons full attention despite the involvement of Glass. Hence the reason for starting with what is considered a simple procedure.

The setup was simple and involved Google Glass along with a newly created Google account, an active Hangout and an iPad. The Hangout stayed active during the procedure and things started with the surgeon explaining the procedure. From here he was able to perform the procedure while documenting everything that he saw. And in addition, everything he saw was being projected onto a nearby iPad for viewing.

The overall setup was said to have intentionally been kept simple. Again, this was more proof of concept than anything. With that in mind, it does look like this particular surgeon wants to take things a bit further and also went on to talk about how there should be a way to directly stream the endoscopic view thru Google Glass. So how about it, are you ready for your surgeon to become a “Glass Explorer Surgeon.”

SOURCE: @ZG JR Blog

Microsoft’s Age of Empires expected for Android by years end

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 01:25 PM PDT

It looks like Microsoft has plans to make some games available for Android users. This all stems from a report in Nikkei and unfortunately doesn’t offer much in the way of specifics in terms of which titles we will be seeing. There was one specific title mentioned, but otherwise it was said this will involve Xbox and PC based games.

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The games are said to be coming to Android by way of a partnership with Japanese smartphone game maker Klab Inc. These games are expected to arrive throughout the year beginning with Age of Empires. According to the report, this will be released as free-to-play for smartphones by the end of the year and “other titles will follow.”

While we are a bit curious to see what other titles will be brought to Android, it does seem to make sense that Age of Empires will be the first. After all, one of the few game related Microsoft entries in the Play Store is for an app called Crafting Guide. This, while not technically a game, is a guide that will teach you to “become a crafting expert in Age of Empires.”

Of course, another notable Microsoft game title available for Android is Kinectimals. Well, that and the Xbox related apps such as SmartGlass and My Xbox LIVE. Looking at other platforms and Microsoft has also (back in October) released Tentacles: Enter the Dolphin for iOS — this was previously available only for Windows Phone.

SOURCE: Reuters

Image: Microsoft

Sony Xperia Z update to 4.2.2 rolling out today

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 01:00 PM PDT

For those of you enjoying the Sony Xperia Z flagship smartphone we have some excellent news. Last week we saw our first leak of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean for the Z, after months of waiting for an update, then sadly the Xperia XL actually received the update first. However, today multiple reports are stating the Z is in fact seeing an OTA update as of this morning.

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Sony initially promised the update would arrive for the Z “shortly after launch” which never came true, and then last week when the ZL got it first many were quite upset. Don’t be too mad, because we’re now hearing the unlocked regular and 4G models internationally are seeing the update.

Version number 10.3.A.0.423 which is Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean is arriving as we speak, at least according to a few tips as well as the folks from XperiaBlog. As usual the update is rolling out in stages, so if you don’t see it right away just be patient. This is newer than the leak last week (which was 10.3.A.0.407) so it’s advised you take the latest and greatest from Sony.

We’re hearing this is rolling out for both the C6602 and C6603, and most reports are coming in from Taiwan, Spain, Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Hopefully we learn more details soon, and this is a good sign that the T-Mobile version will likely launch with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean out of the box. Get excited Sony fans!

CyanogenMod update could bring a Quick Settings Camera app

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 12:22 PM PDT

The folks at CyanogenMod are currently reviewing a new feature. This one brings the camera to the Quick Settings menu shade. Basically, using this feature you will be able to pull down the shade and snap a picture. This feature has been developed by Nebojsa Cvetkovic and from the way it looks, users will be able to capture an image with just two quick taps.

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Cvetkovic started with the premise that he was annoyed with how long it took to open the Camera app for a quick picture. Based on what he has said, this feature will start the preview with the first tap and then capture the picture with any subsequent taps.

This setup will attempt to maintain autofocus (assuming the device supports it) and otherwise, that first tap will bring the camera into focus. And while this sounds like a good method of grabbing those quick pictures, you do not have to worry about losing anything in terms of quality. It was said that the pictures taken using this method are at full resolution.

After the image has been taken the camera will then close when you close the shade. In other words, this is basically just another method of using the default camera. In that respect you are not losing anything and this seems like a solid option to have available. Well, that is assuming it passes all the tests and makes its way into a future CyanogenMod release.

With that in mind, this certainly will not replace the Camera app entirely. After all, the actual Camera app has access to those other settings that you may need to adjust from time to time. While we wait for further news from the CyanogenMod team, we do have the video sitting above to get a better idea of how this all works.

VIA: Google+ (CyanogenMod)

Gartner: Tablet shipments to pass 200 million units in 2013

Posted: 24 Jun 2013 12:04 PM PDT

At the expense of the PC market, tablets will continue to see an increase of sales and shipments this year and pass the 200 million mark. At least according to the well-known research firm Gartner. With 2012 being a strong year for the tablet, this year is looking even better with shipments looking to increase 68%. At the same time PC’s are on a decline and are expected to drop 10% or more.

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With PC and laptop shipments dropping 10% or more and reaching a number of around 305 million, tablet sales are nipping at their heels and will soon overtake the mainstream PC market. That’s if all these reports are to be believed. IDC recently stated that tablets would outpace the PC by 2014, and Gartner is sharing similar sentiments.

Gartner states 2013 we’ll see 305 million PC, and about 201 million tablet shipments. Then as we head into 2014 the PC market will continue to decline while tablet sales reach an all-time high and surpass 276 million. If the PC continues to dip and tablet growth continues, it’s very likely that mid-way through next year the tablet will officially overtake the PC. Crazy, right?

Consumers want anytime-anywhere computing that allows them to consume and create content with ease, but also share and access that content from a different portfolio of products” — Carolina Milanesi, Research VP at Gartner

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Oh, and while we’re talking about it, take a peek at the screenshot above. Gartner shows the Android OS at the top with a strong lead, and their numbers only getting bigger into 2014. Looking good Google, looking good.

Gartner mentions that this isn’t all good news for tablets. And that as more and more budget devices arrive and more people buy them this year, 2014 might not experience as large of a growth margin. Either way tablets are here to stay, and we welcome the slew of budget-friendly Android slates with arms wide open. Bring on that second-gen Nexus 7 Google. We want it!

VIA: CNET SOURCE: Gartner