Monday, July 1, 2013

Android Community

Android Community


Galaxy S4 Google Play ROM gets ported to Verizon model

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:55 AM PDT

Last week HTC and Samsung finally released their new Google Play edition smartphones running stock Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy S4 and HTC One with plain Android are available for all, but if you already own one from a carrier we’ve also got you covered. There’s already an HTC ROM to make your One stock, and now Verizon Galaxy S4 owners can do the same.

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Thanks to those hard working developers at XDA, you can now unlock the full stock experience on your own Verizon Galaxy S4 by flashing their custom ROM. Brought to us right from the GPe version itself. They’ve ported the stock Android 4.2.2 build right from the Google Play Edition, and of course adding Verizon CDMA was quite the challenge.

So far the developer states almost everything is working perfect. Skimming through the details it appears the IR blaster still isn’t working, and a few comments have suggested issues with GPS as well. Surely the developer will continue to work out these issues, so stay tuned for more details and updates.

Those aside, if you’re looking for that stock experience and are locked into Verizon, this is one (of many coming soon) available. The same thread has options for blacked out Google Apps (thanks to Team BlackOut) as well as an option without root for those wanting that stock experience through and through. Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments below.

SOURCE: XDA VIA: Droid-Life

#Square app squares Instagram images without the crop

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:43 AM PDT

A new app has recently made its way into the Google Play Store and this is one that may be of use for heavy Instagram users. Or maybe more accurately, #Square may be of use to those Instagram users who prefer not to crop the sides of their images to achieve the square format. The app is touted as being a simple photo editor for Instagram and based on the time we have spent playing, that seems to be just about as accurate description as possible.

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The #Square app launches to a screen that allows you to either capture a new image or pick one from the gallery. Once you pick the appropriate option based on your needs, you will begin editing the image. You will likely notice the black border sitting on the top and bottom of your image — this is how your image will be squared without being cropped.

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Also worth noting, that black border can be changed to just about any color your prefer using the dropper icon in the lower left. The #Square app also allows you to rotate the image and set the border size. And that about sums up the editing ability but remember that description — simple photo editor. The app does what it does and not much else. Anyway, once you have your image squared the way you want you can then send it off to Instagram by tapping the icon in the upper right corner.

Tapping that launches the Instagram app and from there things will be familiar. In addition, the #Square app also allows you to share the image on just about any other service (using the regular Android share menu) or save the image to your gallery. One of the other key points for this app is that you are able to save these images without any reduction in quality.

The save as option offers the option for JPG and PNG and allows you to manually adjust the quality, but the default is to keep the quality the same as the original. In fact, the other claim the #Square app makes is that it “doesn’t mess your photos quality” like some of the competing apps do. Bottom line, if you want to avoid cropping your images for Instagram — the #Square app may be one to check out.

SOURCE: xda-developers, Google Play Store

Samsung Galaxy S4 wireless charger hands-on

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 10:19 AM PDT

This past week we’ve been enjoying a few more mobile options from the folks at Samsung. We reviewed their new Galaxy S 4 Active, and now we have the wireless charging dock available for some quick hands-on time. Samsung’s charging kit you're seeing here works with the Qi standard, just like many wireless chargers from Nokia, LG, and even the model for the Nexus 4. Samsung delivers a new battery cover to complete the task, so take a peek below.

2013-07-01

Samsung finally unleashed the wireless charging kit on their online store recently, and for those interested we have a few thoughts on the package. The charging dock itself is quite large, much bigger in fact than both the Nexus 4 and LG’s wireless chargers. It has a durable and hefty feel, and a nice rubbery coating to keep the phone safe from any scratching while you toss it on and off for a quick charge.

While Samsung’s Galaxy S4 (now) comes in a wide array of colors, sadly the charging dock only has one option available: grey. Of course anyone should know the dock will be plugged into a nearby outlet using the same micro-USB cord as usual, then you just toss your phone on that charging dock platform for juice. Samsung makes it very apparent on the device with a sticker, that you’ll need to be perfectly aligned. This held true too, slight turns and the phone wouldn’t charge. So long as the middle is centered, you’ll be good though.

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Unlike the Nexus 4, DROID DNA and a few others, the Galaxy S4 requires a replacement battery cover to enjoy the wireless charging capability. One which won’t be provided in the box, but a quick $39 will get you the color of your choice. Verizon and most carriers have them in store and online in both white or black. Sadly, you’ll also need to spend $49 for the charging pad, but the convenience may be worth it to some.

Speaking of the replacement battery back. It’s quite thick, and as you can see in the image below there’s a noticeable increase in thickness, but overall nothing to be concerned about. Compared to the Active below, you can see the difference. As a comparison the stock GS4 back is flush or thinner than the camera. Here you can see the lip added with the new back. The GS4 is thin already, so this almost gives it a more premium feel as it adds to the overall feel in your hand. That’s my opinion at least.

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Sadly we wish this could have came standard, just like it did with the Nexus 4, HTC DROID DNA, Optimus G, and a few others. However, if you have the LG wireless charging kit, the Nexus 4 charger, or even some 3rd party Energizer models or even one from Nokia, they’ll all work with ease. All you’ll need is that replacement battery cover.

Take a peek at a few more pictures below, then decide if the near $90 price is worth it to you. We love the convenience personally, just wish it would have came standard. Not as an aftermarket purchase.

DSC_0223 DSC_0250 DSC_0300 DSC_0313 DSC_0320 2013-07-01 DSC_0222

Verizon Droid DNA price slashed in ‘limited time’ offering

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 09:55 AM PDT

Verizon had dropped the price of the Droid DNA back in May and that brought speculation about the possibility of an HTC One announcement. The offer back in May had the handset available for free (on a two-year agreement) and well, it came and went without the news many had been hoping to see.

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With that in mind, it looks like Verizon Wireless has once again begun offering the Droid DNA on what they are referring to as a limited time offer. Basically, Big Red has dropped the price of the Droid DNA to $49.99. This of course still requires a two-year agreement. The main difference (aside from the price) between this Droid DNA offer and the last — this time around we have official confirmation the HTC One is coming to Verizon.

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We hope this price drop means Verizon is trying to clear some inventory ahead of a release date and price announcement for the One, but given what happened last time we remain a bit skeptical. That HTC One confirmation came by way of Twitter in early-June. At the time it was said the HTC One was coming to Verizon sometime “later this summer.”

Anyway, it does seem to make sense that the carrier would want to sell off some of what would be an older model HTC. Otherwise, despite the Droid DNA not being the newest handset on the market, it is still more than capable and may actually be one to consider. After all, not everyone needs the latest and greatest smartphone. Plus, not everyone wants (or is able) to spend a few hundred dollars on a smartphone.

SOURCE: Verizon Wireless

Amazon GameCircle support expands to all Android devices

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 08:46 AM PDT

Amazon launched GameCircle back in November of 2012 and as of today it looks like a rather large update has arrived. Basically, Amazon has expanded GameCircle support to include all Android devices. And for those who may have missed that original announcement, GameCircle was an answer to Apple’s Game Center.

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The big difference from the original announcement to today — Amazon originally launched GameCircle with support only for the Kindle Fire. GameCircle is a free service available for developers that allows for goodies to include achievements, leader boards and WhisperSync for Games.

This sounds like it could be good news for those playing games on an Android device. Of course, it is up to the developers to provide access to the GameCircle. For that, in addition to expanded the device support, Amazon has also said Whispersync for Games is “even easier to use than before.” This new setup will also automatically resolve conflicts and provide a queue that will save any new information that comes when the device is offline.

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Another key perk with the Amazon GameCircle setup is how it runs — in the background. Amazon has said GameCircle has been designed with players and developers in mind and that it will sit in the background until a customer needs it. In other words, there are no splash screens at start up to annoy (or delay) the user. Furthermore, the developer can control which GameCircle events the user will see.

Bottom line here, it looks like Amazon has stepped things up to better compete with the Google Play Game Services SDK that was introduced earlier in the year during I/O. Of course, while it is nice to see Amazon expand support beyond the Kindle Fire, Google still seems to have an edge given they also support iOS devices.

SOURCE: Amazon

Skype for Android tops the 100m install mark, gets 4.0 redesign

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 08:10 AM PDT

Skype for Android has recently crossed the 100 million user milestone and coming along with that is word of an update. Skype for Android has graduated to version 4.0 along with the new version number comes what is being called a “modern” design that puts conversations first. With that in mind, as you can see from the image sitting below, the design brings a look that may be familiar to Windows Phone users.

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In fact, the details coming from the Skype announcement talk about how they “started to reimagine” what Skype would look like when the Windows Phone 8 app launched late last year. More important though, the goal of the app was said to offer something that put the conversation first, which was done in part by making it easier to interact with the app.

The interesting part here, Skype for Android 4.0 is a completely new app. This update wasn’t a makeover, but instead it was rolled-out as an app that was rebuild from scratch. Some of the focus with the redesign was stability and performance as well as load times, but that is not where things stopped.

Skype 4.0 for Android brought a new look for the recent conversations and users will be able to access those conversations with a single tap. Additionally, Contacts and Favorites are accessible from a tap or a swipe and from that point, a tap on a person will launch the messaging window which means a conversation in the form of video, voice or text.

Aside from the big changes that have come along with Skype 4.0, there is still more to come. There was talk of more updates in the “coming months and year ahead” that will make Skype “more reliable, reachable and mobile friendly.”

SOURCE: Skype Blog

Sony ‘Honami’ images leak in render form

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 07:32 AM PDT

It looks like another round of leaks have surfaced for a yet-to-be-announced Sony handset. The model is sporting the codename of ‘Honami’ and last we heard was that Sony would be making an official announcement on July 4th. We still have a few days to see if that plays out as expected and in the meantime, a few rendered images have surfaced.

Xperiai1Honami

There are three in total and sadly, all are offering a look at the front of the device. These images are said to have come by way of a system dump and while it is hard to judge the accuracy, we can say that they seem to match the in-the-wild style images that surfaced late last week.

This latest leak didn’t offer anything additional on the specs, but assuming we can believe the earlier leaks, the Honami looks like it could be one to watch closely. Well, that is assuming you are looking for a smartphone with a 5-inch display. The Sony Honami is expected to arrive with a 5-inch 1080p display with Bravia technology.

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Other still unconfirmed specs for the Honami include a quad-core 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor along with 2GB of RAM. The handset is expected to measure in at 10mm thick and be water and dust resistant by way of an IP57 certification. The handset is also said to be packing a battery that is somewhere between 2700 and 3000 mAh and a 20 megapixel rear-facing camera. Further details on the camera show it to have a 1/1.6″ sensor and a Xenon flash.

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Of course, we are also expecting the handset to drop with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. All said and done, the rumored July 4th announcement date is coming up quickly and it looks like we are going to be seeing more on the Honami sooner rather than later. Now lets just hope that next bit of news arrives as something official from Sony.

VIA: Xperia Blog

LifeProof nüüd case will give you a waterproof Galaxy S III

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 07:04 AM PDT

LifeProof is a name that Android users may not know all that well. The company makes cases that are well, lifeproof. The cases are touted as being waterproof, dirt proof, snow proof and shock proof. The problem for Android users is that up until this point they had been available for iOS devices including the iPhone and iPad. Well, that is going to soon be changing.

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LifeProof has announced a case for an Android device. Specifically, for the Samsung Galaxy S III. At this point we would have hoped to see something introduced for a slightly more current device, say the Galaxy S 4, but given there are still quite a few Galaxy S III users around — we certainly aren’t going to complain. Anyway, the case is called the LifeProof nüüd and it will keep your handset protected against water, accidental drops, sweat, dirt and the “other hazards of daily living.”

Basically, the LifeProof nüüd will keep your handset fully protected. The interesting part here comes in with the design, which goes back to the name. This LifeProof case will be able to provide full protection against the elements without having the display actually covered. LifeProof touts this as being the ultimate touch-screen experience. If nothing else, it should make it a bit easier to use without having the display covered.

This will work by sealing the inside of the case around the display. LifeProof called it a patent-pending Screenless Technology that uses a compression lock system that forms a waterproof seal between the case and the device touchscreen. More to the point, this is a first of its kind and is still able to provide an IP68 rating for submerging.

That rating means your handset is capable of going up to 6.6 feet (2m) deep for up to one hour. This nüüd case will also allow for drops from as high as 6.6 feet (2m) and is said to exceed the military specifications against shock, drops and vibration protection. With that, LifeProof has said the case will sell for $89.99, however they have yet to offer a specific release date. Instead what they have said is the LifeProof nüüd case will be available for the iPhone 5 on July 7th and the Galaxy S III model will follow soon after.

SOURCE: LifeProof

Vine makes entry into the Amazon Appstore

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 06:29 AM PDT

Vine pumped out a few app updates since we saw video come to Instagram and it looks like the app is now going after another group of users. This latest Vine related news hasn’t brought any mention of new features but instead the app is now available for those sporting a Kindle Fire. Simply put, the Vine app has made entry into the Amazon Appstore.

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Similar to the version in the Play Store, Vine is available for free in the Amazon Appstore. The app is sitting at version 1.2.0 and it will be taking advantage of the front-facing camera on the Kindle Fire. That being said, we suspect this move into the Amazon Appstore had to wait until now given this front-facing camera support only recently arrived.

While the Vine app may be entirely new for some Kindle Fire users, the v1.2.0 update also brought some other changes and improvements as compared to earlier versions of the app. That update also added a new upload manager for unsubmitted posts as well as some overall speed improvements.

Otherwise, there were also some improvements to the settings and to the camera loading time as well as some smaller UI improvements and unspecified bug fixes. Bottom line, Vine v1.2.0 arrived as a rather welcomed update and if nothing else, it made it possible to take 6-second looping selfie videos a bit easier.

Based on the comments in the Amazon Appstore it looks like there are some mixed feelings about the app. Some of the commenters seem super happy the app finally arrived and others are complaining about frequent crashing. That said, if you happen to be using (or trying to use) Vine on a Kindle Fire — we would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

SOURCE: Amazon

Android Authority

Android Authority


First battery benchmarks show Snapdragon 800 is a frugal beast

Posted: 01 Jul 2013 01:52 AM PDT

galaxy s4 lte-a snapdragon 800 3d battery test feature

The new LTE-A version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 was compared to its competitors in a series of benchmarks. The results show that the Snapdragon 800 version consumes the same or less power than the Exynos 5 Octa version and other competitors.

A Korean website tested the battery life of the new LTE-A version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, the first device powered by a Snapdragon 800 processor. Playwares put the Galaxy S4 LTE-A SHV-E330S, which launched last week and is a South Korea exclusive, through a web browsing test, a video playback test, and a 3D benchmark, in order to see how the Snapdragon 800 processor fares against competitors.

To standardize the test conditions, Playwares used a Konica Minolta Display Color Analyzer and set the displays of the devices to the same brightness. The phones were tested at both 100% brightness and at roughly 230 cd/m2 luminance.

In the WiFi test, the Snapdragon 800 Galaxy S4 variant scored about the same results as the Exynos 5 Octa variant – the Exynos lasted just 2 minutes longer at full brightness, while the S800 outlasted the Exynos by 1 minute at 230 cd/m2. Both versions scored poorly compared to other devices. Web browsing is generally the most demanding activity for devices equipped with AMOLED displays, due to the prevalence of power-sapping white backgrounds.

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The two devices registered similar scores in the video playback test as well. In this test, both the Exynos and the Snapdragon version of the Galaxy S4 lasted longer than their competitors, except the Note 2, which took the first place with over an hour more.

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Finally, Playwares ran the Battery Test program of the GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt HD benchmark suite. In this test, the Snapdragon 800 clearly outlasted the Exynos 5 Octa version – 3h:35m:24s over 2h:46m:37s, which translates to 25% more battery life. The Snapdragon 800-equipped Galaxy S4 LTE also did well when compared to devices powered by the Snapdragon 600 chip, like the Optimus G Pro or the Pantech Vega Iron.

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We look forward to more comprehensive tests, as well as a test that compares the Galaxy S4 LTE-A with the Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S4, predominant in most markets, including the US and Europe.

Still, it looks like Qualcomm kept its promise to deliver massively improved performance without increasing power consumption.

In addition to the Galaxy S4 LTE-A, the Snapdragon 800 SoC will also power the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the LG G2, and the rumored HTC One Max, just to name a few upcoming devices.

    


Google receives FCC approval for public TV whitespace database

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 08:40 PM PDT

Google Broadband Spectrum
As part of its drive to offer Internet access to more and more people in the U.S., Google has been working closely with the FCC to make a public TV whitespace database available to all. The search giant started a test program a couple of months back, and now the FCC has finally approved of its use. This means that Google can finally begin operating this database which will be accessible to the public.

This whitespace database is primarily a system that will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused spectrum channels in the wireless bands normally used by broadcast TV. It is required that all unlicensed TV radio devices connect with the database system first, in order to get a list of available channels for operation. Only those channels that are not currently used by authorized radio services will be listed, and availability will depend on individual geographical locations.

Google has been actively trying to promote the use of unused TV whitespace for years in order to bring Internet access to rural areas in a cost-effective manner. It may still be a ways until Google fully realizes its plan, but it certainly is getting closer and closer to it each day.

Additional details of the FCC approval announcement is available in the press release posted below.

Office of Engineering and Technology Announces the Approval of Google, Inc.’s TV Bands Database System for Operation

ET Docket No. 04-186

The Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) announces that it has granted approval for Google, Inc. to operate its “TV bands database system” to provide service to the public.[1] This database system will support unlicensed radio devices that transmit on unused channels in the spectrum bands used by broadcast television (TV white spaces, or TVWS).

The Commission’s Part 15 rules (47 C.F.R. § 15.701 et seq.) require that unlicensed TV radio devices operating on TV white spaces (TVBDs) contact an authorized database system to obtain a list of channels that are available for their operation (i.e. channels not occupied by authorized radio services) at their individual locations and operate only on those channels. These devices are required to provide their geographic locations by means of a secure Internet connection to a TV bands database system authorized by the Commission. When a device provides its location to a database, the database will then return a list of channels available for operation by the device at that location.

The FCC rules require that TV bands database systems protect the following radio services: 1) broadcast television stations (including full power, TV translator, low power TV, and Class A stations); 2) fixed broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) links (regular licensed and temporary); 3) receive sites (and received channels) of TV translator, low power TV, and Class A TV stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs); 4) private land mobile and commercial mobile radio service operations; 5) offshore radio telephone service operations; 6) radio astronomy operations at specific sites; and 7) low power auxiliary service operations (principally licensed and certain approved unlicensed wireless microphone venue sites). Except for MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, approved unlicensed wireless microphone venues and temporary broadcast auxiliary facilities, the necessary protection data will either be extracted by Google from the Commission’s databases or are specified in the rules. Operators of facilities for which information is contained in the Commission’s records or provided in the rules do not need to take any action to obtain protection from TV bands devices.

Operators of MVPD receive sites, wireless microphones users, and operators of temporary BAS links must specifically register their sites to receive protection from TV bands devices. As required under the rules, Google is providing facilities for registering for these operations through its TVWS database system website at: http://www.google.org/spectrum/whitespace/index.html. The rules also provide that responsible parties may request that the Commission approve protection at venues where unlicensed wireless microphones are used. Such approvals will allow parties to register for protection of unlicensed wireless microphone operations from TVBDs at the venues. Requests for approval of protection of wireless microphones at venues will be made available for public comment, and the Commission will subsequently review them for approval. All registrations entered with a given TV bands database will be communicated to the other TV bands database(s) so that registrations will not need to be entered in multiple databases. Currently, the Commission has also approved the Spectrum Bridge, Inc. and Telcordia Technologies, Inc. TV bands database systems for operation (see Public Notice released December 22, 2011, DA 11-2044).

Questions regarding this Public Notice may be directed to Alan Stillwell at (202) 418-2470 or Hugh L. Van Tuyl at (202) 418-7506.

By the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology.

    


DuckDuckGo search comes to Android, brings stories with it

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 07:43 PM PDT

DuckDuckGo for Android

In the midst of the PRISM-related spying scandals, DuckDuckGo launched its mobile apps, with an Android client already available free of charge for users.

The app, called DuckDuckGo Search & Stories, offers both search support but also a way to stay on top of the news by offering relevant stories. In addition to the Google Play Store, the app can be found in Amazon’s Appstore as well.

In case you're not familiar with it, DuckDuckGo is an online search engine that was available initially on desktops, and which allows users to anonymously search for information. The search engine says it doesn't offer tailored search results as others, nor does it collect personal information about its users.

The search engine got even more popular during the PRISM scandal, even though it's still a little fish in a world dominated by Google Search in first place followed by Microsoft's Bing and other similar services.

Once installed – the app requires Android 2.2 or later – DuckDuckGo Search & Stories will let you "get answers from hundreds of sources," "auto-complete to answers instead of just searches," and "search directly on thousands of other sites with !bang commands."

As for the stories feature, the DuckDuckGo app currently uses the following sources:

  • Current events: BBC, CNN, Digg, Drudge Report, NPR, reddit Politics, Reuters, The Guardian, reddit TrueReddit, reddit Worldnews, Yahoo!;
  • Entertainment: reddit Aww, Dear Abby, reddit Funny, reddit Movies, reddit Music, People, reddit Pics;
  • Magazine: Browser, Feature, Longform, The New Yorker, Time;
  • Newspaper: New York Times, Wall Street Journal;
  • Sports: ESPN, Grantland;
  • Technology: reddit Gaming, Hacker News, Lifehacker, reddit Programming, reddit Science, Slashdot, reddit Technology;
  • Trivia: reddit AMA (Ask me Anything), Quora, reddit TIL (Today I Learned)

Play Store stats tell us that the app has been installed by less than 500,000 users and has received a score of 4.6 stars out of five from over 1,700 reviews (at the time this article was written).

Have you already tried DuckDuckGo Search & Stories on your Android device?

    


Worried about PRISM? How much would you pay for better privacy?

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 07:40 PM PDT

Image credit:

Image credit: Shutterstock

Privacy has been a big issue in the news lately, with the disclosures of whistleblower Edward Snowden that the US government, through the NSA, is actively running a program that eavesdrops on communications within the country and abroad. And while it's debatable whether this is a patriotic act, or if it's a criminal offence, the fact is that companies like Google, Yahoo! And other service providers are giving government what is usually direct access to our information.

But even without the NSA eavesdropping in the picture, it's a known business fact that if you're using a free service that millions of other users enjoy, then you are most likely the product. Google, Facebook, et al, are earning big money from big data, analytics and advertisements, among others.

For consumers, it's a choice between convenience and lack of privacy. Do we just stop using online services for fear of being tracked or eavesdropped upon? The problem with complaining about Google’s practice of tracking users is that the company has a clearly written privacy policy and terms of service that implicitly ask users to waive their reservations of being tracked.

There are services and applications that we can use to minimize the risk of being tracked – or at least minimize the information being gathered about us. Would you be willing to pay not to be tracked? How much should be the fair amount? Or, would you be willing to stop using Google services altogether? What will be the opportunity cost?

What Google knows about you

Google collects various information about its users. These include search queries, telephone log information, IP addresses, device event information, location information, and unique application numbers. The company uses cookies and anonymous identifiers to know more about its users. There maybe nothing concerning about having all these information collected, especially if it is aggregated (as opposed to personally identifiable). The issue is in what the company does with these data. Google offers a statement on how they use the information they collect. Unfortunately, the statement can be interpreted to mean myriad possibilities many may not find acceptable.

Consider this excerpt from Google’s Privacy Policy:

We use the information we collect from all of our services to provide, maintain, protect and improve them, to develop new ones, and to protect Google and our users.
Google
www.google.com/policies/privacy/‎

The last line is akin to NSA’s justification for PRISM. They want to protect the users – in PRISM's case, the citizenry or national security. How do you argue against such a noble intention? As Google’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt, once said: “If you have something you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” Makes sense? Or does it make you wonder?

However, it’s quite difficult agreeing with these justifications when you hear disappointing news about the government’s discriminating ways, like the recent revelation that the IRS specifically targeted the incumbent administration's political opponents. Similarly, US government officials claim that they have quelled dozens of terror attempts because of their systematic spying, but there’s just no way to verify such claims as these are classified.

Some would argue that we users of free services like Gmail, Google Talk, and various free Android apps are not really entitled to complaining about Google’s tracking schemes. After all, we take advantage of reliable services that only require us to become part of an extensive ad network through which Google makes money. Still, offering free products is not an excuse for the intrusion of privacy, a basic right. This is definitely not an excuse because if we were to use this logic, customers who pay for premium online services should not be included in the government’s spying. Regrettably, this is not the case.

And with the advent of wearable and connected computing technologies like Google Glass and the myriad of smart glasses and smart watches that manufacturers have in the pipeline, we might soon find ourselves in a world where companies and the authorities can easily spy on us through the “eyes” and “ears” of our devices. If you watch Person of Interest, you would know what I mean.

Is there anything you can do to avoid tracking?

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid many of Google’s tracking mechanisms. For example, you can use a script-deactivating add-on on your web browser like NoScript and NotScripts. There are many browser add-ons that can prevent Google from doing its regular web activity tracking practices like Disconnect and Ghostery (both available for Firefox and Chrome users). You can also mask your IP address by using anonymizing tools, which can be installed on a device or used as web-based applications. For Android devices, these tools come in various forms. They can be anonymous web browser apps themselves, browser filters, or virtual private network (VPN) apps. Their main purpose is to conceal your IP address, to prevent Google from identifying your device and tracking your every action on the Internet.

It is also possible to use encryption tools like the WebPG or GNU Privacy Guard. These tools protect transmitted content or data from being read by parties that are not the intended recipients. Encryption tools are useful in protecting emails or documents from being read by unauthorized parties.

Some would suggest using disposable email addresses and phone numbers to ensure complete protection from tracking. Since the addresses and numbers used cannot be traced to a particular user, tracking will be unlikely. These include apps like Hushed or Burner or services like Airmail. However, using these would be rather impractical and inconvenient because they are only temporary.

If you spend a lot of time using an Android device, you can use apps like Silent Phone from Silent Circle, which lets you send messages and make calls that are encrypted and supposedly secure from spying. For a monthly fee, you can share files, texts, and locations securely and avoid prying eyes through encrypted video and voice. The app is free to install from the Google Play store, but you need to pay for a monthly (at $24) or annual (at $120) Silent Circle subscription to be able to use it. Silent Phone uses the ZARTP encryption protocol that employs ECDH-384 and AES 256 encryption algorithms.

Silent Circle claims that the application is already being used by human rights organizations that fear for the lives of the persons under their protection. Even the federal government uses Silent Circle for their secure communications.

Should you pay for your privacy?

The different privacy solutions offered online are not cheap. You can find free tools, but not all free apps and services are that easy to use. If you get enterprise or professional solutions, expect to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to keep your computers and communication lines from being tracked and surveilled. But are you really willing to pay for all of these to ensure protection against a problem that should not exist in the first place?

The Android community is active in working on protecting users’ privacy. This includes efforts by CyanogenMod’s creator to incorporate an Incognito mode, as well as encrypted messaging.

If it were up to me, I’d say my answer to the question is “zero.” I am not willing to pay any amount for something I am entitled to get as a right. Ideally, no entity has the right let alone the responsibility to spy on private citizens without a court order. I shouldn't be spending any dime just to claim my rights.

This is just me being idealistic, though. In reality, Internet and telecommunications companies have unlimited access to all sorts of information that pass through them. What they do with these massive amounts of information is anybody’s guess. It’s virtually impossible not to be tracked especially when you are using free services that have now become essential communication tools, like emails and SMS. Companies inevitably have to deal with information about their customers or users as a part of the service delivery process.

Sadly, authorities cannot do anything about these. Worse, these authorities themselves are even collaborating with companies to make use of the collected privacy-intruding information. And how do we weigh the argument that this very intrusion of privacy is itself protecting us from potential harm from terrorist or criminal threats?

Should companies be held liable? What about government?

The solution here is probably not to barricade yourself with paid privacy solutions. If you look at the development of the Snowden scandal, the issue started when it was revealed that the government has been getting customer or user information from major service providers with these companies’ consent or cooperation. Haven’t we realized that companies have already been obtaining information from us eons ago? If the concern is government access to supposedly private data, the solution is to make the government accountable for accessing such data and to prevent government officials from doing the same again in the future. If you are worried about companies that intrude on your privacy, perhaps the solution is to prevent them from doing so through a class action.

Maybe if you’re using an Android phone or even an iPhone, it’s not so much of a burden spending a few dollars on apps that promise privacy protection. If they don’t turn out to be effective, you’re not going to lose so much. However, are you really addressing a real problem by doing this? If you don’t like Google’s ambiguous policies, why not leave them? If you think they’re violating your privacy, then sue them!

If you happen to have read about the news of China’s alleged hacking into the US intelligence databases or Uncle Sam’s alleged hacking into China’s confidential files, you should realize that almost every paid privacy and security solution available can be futile once you become the target of aggressive tracking and spying attempts. Don’t you think you’re better off spending your money on more useful productivity apps? Or games? Perhaps Eric Schmidt’s advice makes sense: don’t do something you’d rather not have anyone else know. Taking it in a more positive light, if you’re not doing anything wrong, then what is there to fear?

    


Sony ‘Honami’ 20MP camera with 4K video recording, updated UI, and more outed through System Dump

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 07:23 PM PDT

Honami SS
We’ve heard plenty about the upcoming Sony Honami in the past few weeks. In fact, right before last month ended, we got a glimpse of what it actually looks like, when its first purported press images went online — and subsequently spread across the Internet. But surely there is more to it than what has already been revealed, right?

Indeed, there is. A recently leaked system dump has now made it possible for the handset’s first screenshots to appear. It also gives added confirmation to some of the rumored features, like the beastly camera and the updated UI.

The Sony Honami will apparently come with a brand new user interface, including an updated launcher, a new app drawer, and even a few new apps (such as a new Walkman app). There’s also a new version of Small Apps, which allows users to run multiple apps on the screen at the same time.

Honami SS1
The changes to the software are of course not just superficial. There’s a new virtual keyboard, that might also have a few new features itself. And as mentioned earlier, there’s a new Walkman app which helps fulfill a long-time dream of many Sony users: Music Unlimited integration.

Honami SS3
Here is the new Walkman app in action, showing “Unlimited Music Streaming” at the very top as one of the options.

Honami SS2
The Sony Honami is one of the most hotly-anticipated Android phones from Sony this year. And part of the reason why is because it has been rumored to wield a 20-megapixel camera that is capable of recording 4K video (4000×2000 pixel resolution). This is confirmed with a read-through of the phone’s build.prop, which also identifies a few other highlight features.

Above, you can see something else that the camera will offer: Augmented Reality. That dinosaur clipart up there shows just one of several Augmented Reality modes, which can be activated with the use of the camera. We still aren’t certain when exactly the Sony Honami is going to drop, but it’s looking more and more like something that’s worthy of waiting out for, that’s for sure.

    


Rumor: New Nexus 7 specs, features and launch details mentioned in chat with Asus rep

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 06:35 PM PDT

Nexus 7

Current Nexus family with Nexus 7 in the middle

Screenshots of an alleged chat between a customer and an Asus representative seem to reveal the specs and features of the announced device but also launch details.

According to the images in the gallery below, initially posted on Google+ by a lawyer, an unnamed customer has recently chatted with an unnamed Asus rep about the Asus K009, with the latter mentioning details about the launch of the tablet, but also some specs and features.

We have no way of confirming the details offered in the dialogue (a transcription of it is available below), and we have no idea whether the screenshot shows an actual conversation that has taken place or whether it has manufactured.

However, it's very strange for an employee to reveal such details about an unannounced product, and it's even stranger to see him/her present to the customers specs and features that may or may not be final. Not to mention that this particular Asus employee does not know when the second quarter of the year actually ends. That said, here's the full alleged chat:

Asus Employee: Hello [redacted name], How may I help you?

Customer: Hi I'm interested in buying the Asus k009? Do you know when it would be released to the public?

AE: I will be more than happy to assist you with this.

C: Thank you

AE: The Tablet should be released before the ending of Q2

C: when exactly is before Q2?

AE: That will be before the ending of July

C: Oh OK can't please tell the specifications please. I believe it had a 1080p 7 inch screen.

*can you

AE: There has not been confirmed specification as yet, but here is some basics specification , that you can look at:

7 inch LED with 1980*1200 resolution
Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Quad Core CPU / Snapdragon APQ8064 CPU
2GB of RAM
32GB internal storage
5Mpx rear camera and 1.2Mpx front camera
Android 4.3
4000mAh battery
Wifi a/b/g/n,Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC enabled
LTE / WCDMA / GSM support

This is not confirmed specifications but you can review it

C: Where are these specifications from?

AE: This is Internal Specs [name redacted, but it is not available to the Public as yet because I know you are eager so I just forwarded it to you.

There you have it, the full conversation. Is it a genuine leak? Is it a controlled leak? Is it a fake? You be the judge of that! We're certainly advising you to take it with a grain of salt for now.

New Nexus 7 New Nexus 7 New Nexus 7 New Nexus 7

For what it's worth, we'll remind you that the Asus K009 is a code name for a real upcoming product, which has already been seen at the FCC as a "Nexus" device. Most reports say the device is going to be unveiled in July, so we're probably going to find out official details about it in the coming days.

    


Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 with swings by FCC with rare form of 4G LTE

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 06:08 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0
Every now and then, the FCC will go over devices that don’t really seem to be destined for the U.S. market. For example, take a look at the most recent Samsung tablet given a once over as evidenced by documents published on the agency’s web site.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 managed to pass through the FCC with nary a hitch. It has built-in cell networking access, and is being referred to as the SM-T315 variant. The strange thing is that even though it comes with 4G LTE, it’s in a form that’ll only work in a few countries which do not include the U.S. So this particular version of the tablet, if it is to be used with mobile data with the likes of AT&T, won’t ever achieve anything past 3.5G speeds.

Of course, the rest of the tablet will probably be as it should — with highlight features that include an 8-inch screen, a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1.5GB of RAM, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

It might still be a while until this tablet becomes for sale anyway, so if you’re hunting for a sub-10-inch tablet, then you would be better off setting your sights on something else.

    


Dual SIM HTC One Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update reportedly released, what about regular version?

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 05:50 PM PDT

HTC One

Some HTC One owners will be happy to hear the official Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update has been apparently pushed out, but we're only talking about Chinese buyers that purchased the dual SIM HTC One version (HTC 802w).

According to information provided by HTC ROM developer @LlabTooFer, known for his past HTC-related revelations, the dual SIM HTC One version has received its Android 4.2.2 update, which should hit regular models soon.

An image apparently showing the update changelog for the handset has also been posted (we're looking at software update 2.17.1402.2), but the language of the handset is set to Russian not Chinese:

Dual SIM HTC One

Rumors about the regular HTC One Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update have been floating around for quite a while now, with a leaked ROM revealing some of the new features the phone is supposed to get. However, HTC is yet to update its flagship device.

On the other hand, the HTC One Google Edition version is already running Android 4.2.2, and the firmware can be flashed to some regular versions of the handset (especially GSM models).

So, dual SIM HTC One users, have you received your Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update yet?

    


White 8GB Nexus 4 with bumper deal no longer available from Google Play

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 05:22 PM PDT

Nexus 4

Android users looking to take advantage of the Google Play store promotion that offered a free bumper with the white 8GB Nexus 4 will have to know the deal is not available any more.

Google has quietly discontinued the bundle for the time being, so interested buyers will not be able to get their free bumper with this particular white Nexus 4 model.

Of course, at the end of the day, we shouldn't forget that the white Nexus 4 is described as a "limited edition" device inside the Play Store, so we shouldn't really be surprised to hear the company may have ran out of stock, especially since that's the cheaper version.

The 16GB white Nexus 4 model is still available, but don't be surprised to see its sale suspended as well in the future.

White Nexus 4

The white Nexus 4 has appeared in a variety of rumors before and after Google I/O, with the device having been expected to bring some new features (LTE support and 32GB of storage) and a new Android OS version (“>Android 4.3 Jelly Bean). But that hasn't happened. Instead, LG has quietly announced the device, and then Google started selling the limited edition handset in its online store.

Then again, Google may have run out of bumpers for the time being.

    


Android 4.3 Jelly Bean apparently brings Roboto font improvements as well

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 04:52 PM PDT

Roboto

A deeper look at the Roboto files in the allegedly leaked Android 4.3 Jelly Bean version has revealed that Google may have further refined the now-famous Android font.

After we looked at the new Android 4.3 features in an earlier post – or at least at the improvements the OS is expected to bring – we're not really surprised to hear that Roboto is also getting better. So far, it looks like the mission of this new Jelly Bean version is to bring various subtle enhancements, font optimizations included.

Roboto - Android 4.3

Roboto font improvements in Android 4.3

The Roboto changes were first posted by Android Police, with the publication noticing that the Roboto files were up to 30% bigger than their respective counter parts in Android 4.2.2.

Apparently Roboto Regular and Roboto Thin both got a facelift, which may not be obvious to the naked eye. But the changes are definitely there to further improve the overall appearance of Roboto.

According to Android Police, there are at least 15 extra glyphs that contribute to that file size increase, but also other minor changes that may be not noticed by most users. There are changes in curvature for lowercase letters, width adjustments for some capital letters ("A", "E" and "F"), as well as "bowels" trimming for lowercase and some uppercase letters ("B"). "Boot heels" on top of "p" and "q" and on the bottom of "b" and "d" have apparently been straightened.

Roboto - Android 4.3

Roboto Comma: Android 4.2.2 (left) vs Android 4.3 (right)

Moreover, punctuation signs have also been retouched, with the comma showing some very clear differences. The new comma has a curved shape, that hides the former "'geometric' skeleton."

While the changes mentioned so far apply to Roboto Regular, Roboto Thin has undergone a few changes too.

Various issues that existed especially with lowercase letters including "u", "n", "p", "d" and "m" – "curves overlapping stems resulting in extra anchors and weird little bumps" – have been fixed, although we'll point out that not all users may have spotted those "issues" in the first place. A symmetry issue with the top left and right peaks of the uppercase "M" has been also corrected, but only to create a new one.

Roboto - Android 4.3

“m” and “p” shown in Roboto Thin: Android 4.2.2 (in black) vs Android 4.3 (in red)

Despite being already available to install on certain devices, the leaked Android 4.3 Jelly Bean version is yet to be made official, and it's not even clear if the leaked version is the final version of the new OS update. However, so far it looks like Google decided to polish Android even more in Android 4.3 and keep major new features for the next, more important release.

    


AA Weekly: top Android news of the week, June 30, 2013

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 11:41 AM PDT

AA weekly android news june 30

This week, we got a bunch of contradicting rumors about the Note 3, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra and SmartWatch 2 landed, the Google Play Edition phones stirred some controversy, WSJ spilled the beans on Google's plans for the rest of the year, and Android 4.3 leaked in all its glory.

Galaxy Note 3 rumors – color us confused

Samsung's next big thing is the Note 3, due to launch at the end of the summer. That's what we know.

What we don't know is how the successor to the Note 2 will look, and the series of rumors that surfaced this week hasn't helped at all. On Monday, we heard that the Note 3 will have a 5.7-inch display, in order to keep the dimensions of the device in check. Next, we heard that, due to supply issues, Samsung would use LCD and AMOLED displays and ship two versions of the device. Just when we thought we finally knew something, a new report came in saying that Samsung is going to use a flexible display of 5.99-inch on the Note 3.

Yes, we're still in the dark about the Note 3.

Samsung Galaxy Note Note 2 aa 1600

Sony outs the Xperia Z Ultra and SmartWatch 2. Honami? Maybe next week

Just when leakers were out of info to leak about it, Sony made the magnificent Xperia Z Ultra official. It's a 6.4-inch smartphone that looks like a small Xperia Tablet Z, features a mighty Snapdragon 800 processor, and can be used with makeshift styluses such as pencils. It's just 6.5 millimeters thin, but it lacks a camera flash and the battery is just 2000 mAh. What will make or break this device are the price and availability, and sadly, Sony was vague about it.

Sony Xperia Z Ultra press (4)

Then there's the second generation Sony SmartWatch 2, which brings NFC and a new design. Sony apparently has big plans for it. What about the Sony i1, a.k.a. the Honami? Rumor has it will see it in Paris on July 4!

Galaxy S4 and HTC One "Google Play Edition" land, create controversy

We are hard to satisfy, we Android fanatics. The much anticipated Google Play Editions of the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 went on sale this week, and they immediately ignited controversy. Who will update them? What's the point in buying one? Why is there a new camera app that hasn't even been made available on the Nexus 4? These are questions that we tried to answer here.

HTC One Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition

WSJ: K release Android coming in fall, with Google Android console, smartwatch, and new Nexus Q

When the Wall Street Journal reports on a rumor, you can almost be sure it's accurate. You can imagine our excitement over WSJ's report that the next version of Android, known internally as "K release" will come in autumn, and that Google is working on an Android powered gaming console, a smartwatch (something we've heard from our own sources), and even on a successor to the ill-fated Nexus Q.

Key Lime Pie

But there's more – HP is apparently working on the first Android laptops, and Google is said to be developing ultra-low-cost phones for emergent markets, independently from Motorola.

Android 4.3 leaks online, new camera can be downloaded

The week brought as a premiere – the first time a version of Android leaked ahead of the official announcement. Android 4.3 Jelly Bean brings minor changes over Android 4.2.2 and most are under the hood. Still, the fact that you can download and install Android 4.3 before it even reached the Nexus is amazing.

android 4.3 galaxy s4 firmware

In related news, the new camera app on Android 4.3 leaked online in a matter of hours, so everyone can install it and get to use the awesome Photo Sphere on any modern Android device.

Video roundup

What's your take?

In your opinion, what were the most important news this week, and why?

    


Android 4.3 Jelly Bean leaked, so what’s new?

Posted: 30 Jun 2013 03:40 AM PDT

android 4.3 galaxy s4 firmware

In case you didn't know, an Android 4.3 Jelly Bean ROM leaked this week and the most intriguing part of it was that it wasn't for a Nexus device. The ROM was for the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition, and was subsequently ported over to the standard GT-I9505 Galaxy S4 (after all they do share the exact same hardware).

While some of us questioned the legitimacy of this leak due to the lack of user-facing changes, a few games of "Spot the difference" brought us to the conclusion that this was indeed an Android 4.3 build, at the very least an early one.

First thing's first, this is still Jelly Bean so for those of you hoping to get your Key Lime Pie on, you'll have to wait. Secondly, there are very little user-facing changes in this build, however, since we don’t know how close this is to a final build, we could very well see some changes in the official Android 4.3 build when it comes out.

The Camera

Technically this camera came with the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4 and HTC One, but since it hasn't flown over to the Nexus devices yet (unless you've downloaded the APK of course), we'll include it here.

google-play-edition-camera-app

Sadly, there aren't many changes in the UI, with the big change being the settings bar, which has gone from a full circle design to a semi circle. Unfortunately the camera app still lacks some of the functionality found in overlays like Sense and TouchWiz. However, you can now use the volume button as a shutter, meaning Nexus devices now (sort of) have a hardware camera button.

Always on Wi-Fi

Buried in the Advanced Wi-Fi settings list is a peculiar setting which states "Scanning always available". What this basically means is that your Wi-Fi will always be on, allowing apps to get a coarse position. This feature was talked about at this year’s Google I/O.

Always on Wi-Fi could end up saving you battery rather than killing it, as it beats turning on the GPS chip.

While many would consider this a battery eater, it's much better than the other method of getting positioning which is to turn on the GPS chip, which is a much bigger battery eater and could therefore actually save you battery. If you're still not convinced, you can easily switch it off — if you so please.

Bluetooth Low Energy

This feature has been rumored for awhile now, and it looks as if it's official as the feature is listed in the System Info app under the title “android.hardware.bluetooth_le" as found by Android Central.

Bluetooth Low Energy is exactly what it sounds like, a form of Bluetooth which uses considerably less power and could help users maintain their battery life when using accessories like heart rate monitors.

Other Changes

There are some new developer settings, some of which already talked about at Google I/O this year, as well as some rebrandings of settings like the "cell broadcast" setting has changed to "mobile broadcasts".

The new Sun Beam live wallpaper which was first seen on the Google Play Edition HTC One and Galaxy S4 has been renamed and is called Phase Beam like the purple version of the same live wallpaper. If we are really nitpicking, you'll notice that the time in the notification bar is gone when you're at the lock screen.

Wrap up

Overall, this build of Android 4.3 doesn't have many user-facing changes, but without anyway of knowing how close this is to a final build, there could be some other changes we've yet to see. But for now it seems as if Android 4.3 Jelly Bean will be a refinement rather than a redesign, not like it's a bad thing, because more butter is always warranted and accepted with open arms.

When will we see it? Well that’s anyone’s guess, although by the looks of this build, we shouldn’t be in for too long of a wait. Check out a gallery of some of the changes, courtesy of Sam Mobile.

Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (2) Android 4.3 ROM advanced Wi-Fi Android 4.3 galaxy s4 test firmware (9) Android 4.3 ROM Wireless setting Android 4.3 ROM live wallpapers

Are you disappointed at the changes in Android 4.3? What else did you hope for?