Monday, August 6, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Hurricane app from American Red Cross now available in Google Play

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 01:15 PM PDT

The American Red Cross has decided to make the availability of apps on Android devices part of their mission to provide aid and assistance in times of emergency. They released a First Aid app a couple months ago to help walk people through a variety of medical emergencies. Now they are following up with their just released Hurricane app.

The Hurricane app is primarily composed of three parts. First, there are several functions designed to help you improve your general knowledge about hurricanes. Second, there are functions related to preparations for hurricanes, such as interactive checklists and instructions for assembling an emergency kit. The third part deals mainly with actual hurricane events. You can monitor the projected paths and other information about active hurricanes (think weather app type info) and get information about shelters in the area. The app includes the ability to post messages to a variety of social media outlets to let family members know your status. If a hurricane does strike and you are in the middle of it, the app even provides some tools like a flashlight and strobe light.

If you are interested in grabbing the new Hurricane app, hit the download link below.

QR Code generator

Google Play Download Link

Samsung offering buyback program for old phones if you buy a Galaxy device

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 12:52 PM PDT

If you are interested in getting your hands on a new Samsung Galaxy device, like the Samsung Galaxy S III or Samsung Galaxy Note, and could use some funds to help with the purchase, Samsung may have just what you need. Samsung recently announced a new buyback program via their Facebook page. You just provide information on the type of phone you are trading in, purchase a new Samsung device, send in your old phone, and Samsung promises you'll receive a check within 30 days. It does appear the offer will apply retroactively to at least some purchases as Samsung indicates you only need to have your receipt ready.

A quick check of what Samsung is offering looks like they may be offering about two-thirds what you can get by selling your device yourself on eBay. That may be enough for some people who don't want to deal with the hassle of selling their old phone. There are other buyback programs one can use to trade in their old phone, so it may be worth shopping around.

If you want to start the process, just hit the source link to visit the Samsung Facebook page for the offer.

source: Samsung Mobile USA Facebook

Apex Launcher Beta Brings Home Launcher Based on Jelly Bean

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 08:14 AM PDT

Android Does, the makers of Apex Launcher, have done it again, this time getting you closer to Jelly Bean then ever. Early this week they released a new version of Apex Launcher Beta and it comes complete with the Android 4.1 transitions and the features you have come to know and love. This is because Apex Beta is rebuilt on top of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based code. You will experience speed enhancements and many other features that JB brought, like auto-resizing when there is no space available, and widgets that auto move when placing them on home screens. Again, this is the Beta version of Apex and not the version that’s currently in the Play Store (ICS based). Hit the break for the full changelog and download link. 

V1.30beta (Aug 1, 2012)

Rebuilt based on Android 4.1.1 Launcher:

  • Fixed icon ordering bug within folders
  • When placing widgets on the screen, everything else automatically moves to make room
  • When they are too big, widgets resize on their own to fit on the homescreen
  • Quickly remove apps/widgets by flinging them to the edge of the homescreen
  • Added background for widgets in the drawer
  • New app enter/exit animations (JB only)
  • Switched to phone layout on 7″ tablets (e.g., Nexus 7)
  • Major performance boost for homescreen and drawer
Other Improvements and fixes include:
  • Unlimited drawer tabs and new drawer management UI (pro)
  • Improved drawer tab switching for vertical drawers (pro)
  • Fixed Play Store widgets on JellyBean
  • Updated translations
  • Fixed paid theme (icon pack) issue on JellyBean
  • Lots of other improvements and enhancements
source: XDA

 

AT&T HTC One X Android 4.0.4 Changelog Released

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 08:01 AM PDT

You are well aware of an update AT&T pushed out to HTC One X users recently, and today, we have a changelog detailing the new features and fixes you can expect. Have you received the OTA yet?

New Features:

  • More content choices in HTC Hub
  • Additional NFC capabilities
  • Car application update to provide access for third party music apps

Fixes/Updates

  • Wi-Fi connectivity improvements
  • Network time correction
  • Contacts synchronization enhancements.
  • Increased 3G/4G Connectivity
  • Improved Bluetooth automobile compatibility

source: Android Central

Motorola And Verizon Send Out Questionaires To Select Verizon FIOS Customers, Tries To Gauge Feedback Of New Toy On The Way

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 07:39 AM PDT

 

It’s no secret that Verizon has major intentions to bring its FIOS service to Android devices. We first had a glimpse of this notion when Verizon announced its FIOS app for smartphones and tablets. Then we saw the always Verizon-friendly brand Motorola try to sneak out an Android TV tablet for TV rooms. Now there is actual proof indicating a WiFi-only tablet is on the way for Verizon FIOS subscribers. Apparently FIOS subscribers were sent a survey recently which sought some opinions and feedback of a new device which “may be available in the future”.  This device will feature Android 2.3 (sighs)– while allowing users to run a full assortment of apps and of course the ability to stream certain channels. All in all, all signs point to the Corvair finally becoming a reality.

Of course Motorola and Verizon are still trying to see how people feel about the device and whether it’s necessary or not. My guess is that many (if not all) subscribers wouldn’t mind having a new toy to play with. Let’s hope we see this thing sooner than later.

source: Engadget

Judge Declines To Take Further Action Of Samsung’s Leaked Info Against Apple, Apple Still Cries Foul

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 07:18 AM PDT

 

As Apple and Samsung continue to go back and forth in their respectful disagreements with one another, Apple was dealt an irrelevant small setback. If you recall, Apple and Judge Lucy Koh weren’t too pleased that Sammy released confidential court information to the media and both wouldn’t allow Sammy to use clever movie clips either. As a result, Apple requested Judge Koh lay the smackdown on Sammy— which Judge Koh seriously considered. However, after some deliberations and interviewing jury members to see if they were affected by the leaked information, Judge Koh decided to abstain from any further action regarding this. Apparently four jurors saw the leaked info and claimed it wasn’t a problem at all with themselves. Still, Judge Koh expressed her desire for all the jurors to not read any further information about the leaks and she is quoted as saying this for her reasoning:

 

“Those remedies are not warranted by the current record. I will not let any theatrics or sideshow distract us from what we are here to do.”

 

Despite all that, Apple still claims that the leaked information as well as the subsequent Samsung devices has affected the company as a whole. Apple’s marketing lead Phil Schiller claims Samsung’s design thefts has hurt Apple’s overall profits:

 

“I was pretty shocked at the appearance of the Galaxy S phone and the extent to which it copied (Apple products,)… I absolutely believe it’s had an impact on our sales.”

 

Not sure of what to make of this latest development, but just when you all think it can’t get any messier— it gets a little messier folks.

source: The Register UK

HTC Sense 4.1 Leaked For International HTC One X, Based On Android 4.0.4

Posted: 04 Aug 2012 09:13 PM PDT

When HTC announced the One series of phones last February, Sense 4.0 was being hailed as a huge step toward a lighter, less laggy manufacturer skin that was closer to vanilla Android with some UI improvements. Though Sense 4.0 is significantly better than past versions, it still contains some bottlenecks (home screen, live wallpaper, and app drawer lag) and UI quirks (unsightly menu bar for legacy apps).

Looks like HTC is on the case, however, as the leaked Sense 4.1 RUU shows. Tech site Geeksaber has gone hands on with this new version and lists the following promising observations:

  • Live wallpaper lag has been fixed
  • There's a dedicated button in the Camera app to switch between Front/Backward facing cameras. (earlier you'd have to go into the menu for that.)
  • A dedicated button to switch tabs in the browser. (You'd have to go into the menu for that, too)
  • Complete removal of all 3D-Effects in the launcher leading to a completely lag-free experience.
  • Probably the most important- Rebased on Android 4.0.4
  • Added ability to remap the recent apps button/ Long-press recent apps/ Long-press Home as Menu. (yes, it removes the Virtual menu bar) under Settings->Display, Gestures and Buttons
  • New, blazing fast kernel. We mean it. It scored a pretty impressive 59oo+ in Quadrant benchmark (compared to 5100+ on Sense 4)
  • Wifi-dropping/ Icon showing weak signal Fixes.
  • Better Battery life- 5 Hour+ Screen-on time as compared to a measly 3 Hour+ on Sense 4.

Not sure whether this is the same version currently being pushed to the AT&T One X, but it seems likely.

XDA developer football already has a ROM based on this version of Sense called HTC One maXimus V2.2, which is available for the international Tegra 3-powered HTC One X. Hopefully, this new Sense will make it to all One series phones soon, including my Evo 4G LTE.

source: xda
via: geeksaber
Posted by at 5:49 AM 0 comments

Android Central

Android Central

Einstein Brain Trainer review - flex your frontal lobe

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 12:55 PM PDT

Android Central

Einstein Brain Trainer made the port to Google Play not too long ago in an attempt to get players to sharpen their wits with a series of brain teasers. The game keeps close tabs on your progress over time so you can see how much smarter (or stupider) you’re getting over time, and ranks you accordingly. 

read more

From the Editor's Desk: Gearing up for the fall silly season

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 10:17 AM PDT

Phil Nickinson

​It's been in with the "old" and out with the new for me this week. The Samsung Galaxy S3 review units are going back, and I've put my AT&T SIM back in the HTC One X. It's always a good thing when I pick up a phone after a couple months away and find myself in a familiar place -- and don't want to put the phone down. And that's been the case for me with the One X.

I've had other reason to pick up the One X again -- HTC changed the way it handles the on-screen menu function. Jerry's not crazy about it, but I think it's a decent compromise. I'm probably most in favor of on-screen buttons, like on the Galaxy Nexus or the new Motorola Atrix HD, with HTC's capacitive buttons coming in second. I'm definitely over the physical home button Samsung's still in love with. (And I don't see Sammy killing that off anytime soon.) Oh, and AnandTech got HTC to say that the change in menu options will be rolling out to other Sense-based phones. Makes, erm, sense.

Also making the rounds the past few days has been talk of an HTC One X+, with a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor. A few thoughts on that:

  1. Argh. We're as guilty of it as anyone, but we all really need to stop using the number of cores as a major descriptor for these platforms. 
  2. Same goes for megahertz. If you can tell the difference 200 MHz makes on a reworked architecture, well, more power to you. But most people can't. It's just more mindless repeating of specs.
  3. NVIDIA's Tegra 3 roadmap has been public for some time now. Coming up is Tegra 3+ (aka "Kai"). That'll be followed by "Wayne" and "Gray," and finally by Tegra 3 with the Icera LTE modem. This is all old (but welcome) news.

So, yeah. New stuff is coming. A lot of it, in fact.

And now, a few other thoughts. ...

read more

How to use Motion gestures on the Galaxy S3

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 08:41 AM PDT

How to use Motion gestures on Galaxy S3

The Galaxy S3 breaks new ground in lots of areas; one of the ways this phone separates itself from the pack is with the use of Motion.

When you first turn on your Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) you may not immediately be aware of all the Motion capabilities as most of them are turned off by default. Once you begin to explore the Settings and menus you will find yourself opened up to quite an array of new ways to use this phone. 

Accelerometers and gyroscopes are not new anymore to mobile phones.  Anyone who as use their phone like a steering wheel in a racing game or taken advantage of a gyroscope in navigation software knows how cool this technology is.  Essentially, when a phone can sense movement and gravity it can do all sorts of things.

Samsung has really raised the bar in this technology with the Galaxy S3. In order to use all these cool new features, we need to know how to turn them on.

read more

From the Editor's Desk: Gearing up for the fall silly season

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 06:59 AM PDT

​It's been in with the "old" and out with the new for me this week. The Samsung Galaxy S3 review units are going back, and I've put my AT&T SIM back in the HTC One X. It's always a good thing when I pick up a phone after a couple months away and find myself in a familiar place -- and don't want to put the phone down. And that's been the case for me with the One X.

I've had other reason to pick up the One X again -- HTC changed the way it handles the on-screen menu function. Jerry's not crazy about it, but I think it's a decent compromise. I'm probably most in favor of on-screen buttons, like on the Galaxy Nexus or the new Motorola Atrix HD, with HTC's capacitive buttons coming in second. I'm definitely over the physical home button Samsung's still in love with. (And I don't see Sammy killing that off anytime soon.) Oh, and AnandTech got HTC to say that the change in menu options will be rolling out to other Sense-based phones. Makes, erm, sense.

Also making the rounds the past few days has been talk of an HTC One X+, with a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor. A few thoughts on that:

  1. Argh. We're as guilty of it as anyone, but we all really need to stop using the number of cores as a major descriptor for these platforms. 
  2. Same goes for megahertz. If you can tell the difference 200 MHz makes on a reworked architecture, well, more power to you. But most people can't. It's just more mindless repeating of specs.
  3. NVIDIA's Tegra 3 roadmap has been public for some time now. Coming up is Tegra 3+ (aka "Kai"). That'll be followed by "Wayne" and "Gray," and finally by Tegra 3 with the Icera LTE modem. This is all old (but welcome) news.

So, yeah. New stuff is coming. A lot of it, in fact.

And now, a few other thoughts. ...

read more

Editorial: Could there soon be a new fork in the Android road?

Posted: 05 Aug 2012 05:50 AM PDT

Android

Android. The word itself makes each of us think of futuristic mechanical things that evolve quickly and know no bounds in their abilities. It's a good word, and perfect to describe the devices we hold with such high regard around these parts. And like the androids we think of from Hollywood movies or dusty old science fiction novels, our phones and tablets are slowly working their way into every nook and cranny of our life, taking over one step at a time. We embrace it, we benefit from it, and most of all we enjoy it.

But Android is changing. Very few phones are released with stock Android, and the custom versions (don't call them skins) are getting more and more intricate and polished. OEMs are putting a lot of work into the software running on the phones they sell, making them stand out as their own product. Join me after the break, and let's talk about what Android is, what it isn't, and what might happen in the future.

read more
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