Friday, October 5, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

32GB Nexus 7 listed on reseller’s website for $259

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 05:20 PM PDT

Just yesterday, Carephone Warehouse’s internal systems revealed the possibility of a 32GB Nexus 7. Today, however, the same variant has been spotted once again, this time within an internal purchasing system for a reseller’s website. It’s listed at $260, though pricing doesn’t seem too accurate, considering the 8GB model is listed at $245, whereas the same device is available from the Play Store for just $199. The reseller indicated that shipments are expected to arrive on or around October 24th, though this doesn’t necessarily mean that a global launch (or even regional availability) will happen on the same day. We suggest you take this with a grain of salt as we wait for some more official news.

Source: Droid-Life

Developer starts ‘Update My Moto!’ campaign in effort to obtain Tegra 2 ICS drivers for Atrix 4G and Photon 4G

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 04:32 PM PDT

Just last week Motorola announced that it would not be upgrading its Atrix 4G and Photon 4G handsets to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, despite earlier promises to do so. A frustrated developer by the name of Julian Fernandes has taken it upon himself to bring fully functioning builds of ICS or Jelly Bean to owners who have been left out in the cold. The Update My Moto campaign has been initiated in hopes that Motorola will release a leak of what has already been completed, or at least a supported Tegra 2 kernel for Android 4.0, so that devs can put together feature filled custom ROMs for the disheartened community.

“In 2012 Motorola announced an upgrade to our devices, Atrix and Photon, to Ice Cream Sandwich. Now they have changed their stance, leaving us with an outdated version of Android.

With this campaign, we are asking for a leak of what was been done already or a compatible Tegra 2 kernel for Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean. With these files, we can develop a working version ourselves.

You can help us to achieve that. Share this campaign in your blog, social network, show it to your friends or file a BBB complaint. Let's grab Motorola's attention!”

No, you don’t have to donate any money and you don’t have to picket outside Motorola’s corporate offices (though that would probably garner some attention). All Julian asks is that you share the campaign on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest. And, if you’re as frustrated with this mess as I am, then be sure to hit the source link below.

Source: UpdateMyMoto

PhoneSuit announces the Lightplay, an Android-powered handheld media projector

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 01:50 PM PDT

PhoneSuit just announced the Lightplay, which is an Android-powered handheld media projector. They are marketing it as cross between an Android tablet and a pico video projector. It will project a screen of up to 80 inches diagonally and will support up to 1080p video.

It will sport Android 2.3, which I know is probably a disappointment to most of you, but hey this isn’t a phone so does it really matter? Most importantly it will have the Play Store so you can play your favorite games, movies, and other apps on the 80-inch projected screen. Yes that means Bad Piggies, Netflix, and Facebook, among others. If you’re wondering how you will play those games or control those apps, it comes with a wireless keyboard and motion controller featuring a 3 axis gyroscope.

It’s pretty compact as it comes in at 4.92 x 2.87 x 1.38 inches, and it weighs 230 grams. The Lightplay will start shipping November 1 and they are taking pre-orders now on their website for $499. Just hit the source link to get your order in.

Full specs:

  • Projector Technology: LCoS, RGB LED
  • Light Source: RGB LED (up to 30,000 hours lifetime)
  • Brightness: 50 Lumens
  • Screen Size: Up to 80 inches diagonal
  • Native Video Resolution:  1024×600 (supports HD 1080p, 720p content)
  • Integrated WiFi: 802.11 b/g/n
  • Processor:  1 Ghz ARM Cortex with NEON co-processor
  • Memory: 8 GB Internal flash (Expandable)
  • Controller: Wireless keyboard & motion controller with 3 axis gyroscope.
  • Operating System: Android 2.3 Gingerbread (Future upgrades available)
  • Input ports: HDMI input, AV input, 2 USB ports
  • Built-in Speaker
  • Weight: 230 grams
  • Dimensions: 125 x 73 x 35mm

 

 

source: PhoneSuit

AT&T to offer the Samsung Galaxy Camera in the ‘coming weeks’

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:42 PM PDT

We recently saw the Galaxy Camera pass through the FCC with AT&T radios in it, so it’s no surprise that AT&T just announced that it will offer it in the coming weeks. This is the same camera that was introduced at last month’s Unpacked Event. It’s 16-megapixels and features a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear LCD, a quad-core Exynos processor, 21x optical zoom, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. With AT&T 4G connectivity you will be able to share your photos via various social networks on the go. The Galaxy Camera also features the same features you would find on a Galaxy S III like Share Shot, AllShare Play, and Buddy Photo Share. Plus you have the Google Play Store for whatever apps you need to enhance your experience.

Pricing wasn’t specified, but they did say they would reveal it when it’s released in the “coming weeks.”

Full press release after the break

AT&T FIRST TO LAUNCH GALAXY CAMERA; SAMSUNG DEFINES NEW CATEGORY WITH 4G CONNECTED CAMERA

Samsung Galaxy CameraTM combines high performance photography and AT&T 4G wireless connectivity to enable seamless sharing across devices and with social media

DALLAS, OCT. 4, 2012 — AT&T* and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC (Samsung Mobile)1 today announced the Samsung Galaxy Camera™ coming to AT&T.  The Galaxy Camera combines high performance photography with Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean and AT&T 4G mobile internet connectivity, resulting in a powerful point and shoot camera with a familiar, intuitive user interface and access to all of your favorite Android applications from the Google Play™ market.

The Galaxy Camera is a perfect fit for those who wish to shoot, edit and share brilliant photographs and video easily and quickly without connecting to a laptop or PC. The Galaxy Camera features a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear LCD screen, boasts a 21x optical zoom lens and a super-bright 16MP BSI CMOS sensor for shooting high-quality images close up and in low light conditions. This device is powered by a quad-core 1 GHz processor for quick and responsive performance ensuring you can capture the shots you want. It also includes powerful features like Smart Pro Mode technology, which allows you to toggle through a series of pre-set options that simplify the processes for taking professional-level images.

"Wirelessly enabling Samsung's Galaxy Camera will create a significant shift in how consumers share and communicate with photos and videos," said Chris Penrose, senior vice president, AT&T Emerging Devices. "By posting instantly to social networking sites or sending directly to another device, the person behind the lens is essentially offering family and friends the opportunity to share in the moments as they are actually experiencing them. We're excited that the AT&T wireless network will help enable these opportunities."

"Once again, Samsung has defined a new category of mobile devices and AT&T is leading the way to bring this device to consumers. The Galaxy Camera brings together Samsung's latest innovations in mobile and optical imaging technologies to provide the first connected camera running on the latest Android platform," said Dale Sohn, President of Samsung Telecommunications America.

In addition to being able to share to social networks and cloud services on the go, consumers can harness the speed and connectivity of AT&T's wireless network to share images and videos between Galaxy Camera and a range of Galaxy™ devices including the Galaxy S® III and Galaxy Note® II.

The Galaxy Camera is designed with several of the key content sharing features first introduced with the Galaxy S III including:

 

AllShare® Play

  • ·   Locate Samsung HDTVs, laptops and other devices on the same Wi-Fi® network that are ready to receive photo and video files. Users can remotely access files from Galaxy Camera with other devices on their home network like a PC or Samsung Smart TV™.

 

Share Shot

  • ·   Automatically send still images taken with the Galaxy Camera to other Galaxy S III, and Galaxy Note devices up to 200 feet away

 

Buddy Photo Share

  • ·   Instantly and automatically tags faces of existing device contacts in photos making it easy to share with them.

 

Pricing for the Galaxy Camera will be announced when it goes on sale in the coming weeks. For more information on AT&T, please visit www.att.com.

 

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

 

 

1Samsung Mobile is the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the United States based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, North America Handset Vendor Marketshare, Q2 2012.

 

4G when used in relation to Samsung devices refers to the fact that the devices can operate on AT&T's 4G network.

Featured Play Store Review: 100 Rooms [Brain & Puzzle]

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:21 PM PDT

I just stumbled upon 100 Rooms by Gipnetix, and it has me enthralled. I can’t be the only one since it has been downloaded over 1 million times and has a rating of 4.3 stars. If you’re into puzzle games, you’re going to love this one. In this game you are presented with a room for each level of which you must find your way out. From the title, you’re probably guessing there are 100 rooms (or levels), and in a sense you are correct, but for now there are 50 rooms. Gipnetix is releasing new rooms regularly until they reach 100, but trust me, 50 rooms will keep you busy

The gameplay and graphics are quite simple. You simply tap arrows to move around the room followed by taps to zoom in on certain areas. You can pick up items with a simple tap or even combine items like a door knob and a lock. To use an item you’ve picked up, it’s again a simple tap.

When you first enter a room you are presented with the door that you need to unlock. In order to unlock it, you need to move around the room and find items or clues. By picking up various items, it will lead you to something else. For example, an ax might break open a wooden pallet to reveal a safe. Then you would need to look further in the room for a code.

If you need a hint, and you will, you can get one for each level, but it will cost you some coins. How do you earn coins? You head out into the main lobby and play some mini games. They offer easy, medium, or hard with the latter giving you an opportunity to earn more coins per game. Where it gets interesting is that the higher the level, the more coins it will cost. Let’s put it this way: I had a hard time avoiding the various walkthroughs that are easily available with a quick search on Google.

If you go to the main page for 100 Rooms in the Google Play Store, the first line in the overview tab is “ATTENTION : ★ Absolute Brain Teaser ★” which is actually an understatement. This game will keep you on your toes and make you think in ways you never thought before. It’s even fun to play with a friend or with the family if you have a tablet, such as a Nexus 7.

100 Rooms is Free so there’s no reason not to give this one a shot. Check out the download links below to get started, and as always, let me know what you think.

 

100_Rooms_01 100_Rooms_02 100_Rooms_03 100_Rooms_04 100_Rooms_Splash_Banner

 

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link

Amazon Cloud Drive now available in Italy and Spain, new features added for all customers

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:13 PM PDT

Amazon announced an expansion of their Cloud Drive product to Italy and Spain today. This comes on the heels of recent launches of the Cloud Drive in the UK, Germany and France. Users will be able to access their drive using PC and Mac applications, a web browser, or their Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire HD devices. Along with this geographic expansion, Amazon announced all customers will now get 5GB of free storage with options to pay for additional space.

The updates to the Cloud Drive service are not limited to European customers. U.S.-based customers can now share their files with friends and family by visiting www.amazon.com/clouddrive and selecting the files to be shared. Amazon has also implemented some new integration with iPhoto on Apple Mac computers. With only a couple clicks, users can now upload iPhoto albums to their cloud drive so photos can be viewed almost instantly on Kindle Fire devices or through a web browser.

Check out the source link for the full press release from Amazon for all of the details.

source: Amazon

Sony Xperia T release day commercial shows Bond-like action

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 10:14 AM PDT

Today the Sony Xperia T was released in the UK and to commemorate the occasion, Sony released a commercial that resembles a 007 movie. The most exciting part might be at the end when you discover that the phone comes “packed with exclusive Bond content”. This is the second Xperia T commercial Sony has released recently, but this one undoubtedly had a larger budget. Directed by Joe Carnahan, it features a car chase and some explosions that will certainly add to this phone’s high expectations. The phone is only available in the UK right now with a roll out for the rest of Europe not far behind. It will hit the states as the Xperia TL on AT&T soon. Hit the break to watch the commercial.

Click here to view the embedded video.

First hands-on impressions of the LG Optimus G Nexus leak

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT

Last night we reported that the LG Optimus G Nexus will launch in November, and now we have some more details. Apparently devices were handed out last week for testing and one source, who is not a Google employee, divulged some information to Android and Me. Hit the break to read the juicy details.

"I can confirm the next nexus is LG Optimus based. The phone looks surprisingly like the Galaxy Nexus and does not have sharp corners like the LG Optimus we already know. It has a silver'ring like the iPhone 3G around the outer edge of the screen which seemed to be similar to the Galaxy Nexus in size but was much better in brightness.

I couldn't have said if it was larger in the few minutes that I had the phone. Also, it has Nexus written on the back like the Nexus 7 except there is a color element to it. The 'X' is in four colors. There was also the LG logo on the back.

Android 4.2 in its current state looked exactly like the 4.1.1 we love. There were no tabs on that build version for home-screens as you suggested from your other tipster. What I was amazed by is how fluid everything seemed to be from exiting apps, switching, etc. It seems like they've increased the number of transitions and their types. It still had the hodge-podge mess of multiple communication tools: Messenger, GTalk, Voice and SMS."

The tipster also sent a picture taken from the phone, but couldn’t show it. In analyzing the EXIF data, it appears to be an 8MP shooter, not the 13MP shooter that’s found in most versions of the Optimus G.

So far that’s it, but I have a feeling there will be more info soon so stay tuned.

source: androidandme

 

Amazon Appstore for Japan now accepting developer submissions

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:34 AM PDT

Amazon announced today that they are now accepting submissions from developers who would like to have their apps distributed via a forthcoming Japanese version of the Amazon Appstore. Distribution is expected to commence later this year. The Japanese Appstore will join versions for the U.S., UK, Italy, France, Germany and Spain. Expansion of the Appstore to other countries is part of Amazon’s strategy to “serve consumers and developers globally,” according to Jim Adkins, Vice President of the Amazon Appstore. Amazon’s press release includes testimonials from several developers who are already planning to head to the Japanese market, including TinyCo, Square Enix, Yahoo Japan, ZeptoLab and Halfbrick. Hit the source link for the full press release from Amazon.

source: Amazon

Google Confirms Motorola Mobility Will Acquire Viewdle

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:53 AM PDT

 

We knew Google was quietly on its way to making facial recognition just a little bit better, but now it has finally confirmed what the world already knew. A Motorola Mobility spokesman states:

 

“Motorola Mobility today announced that it has acquired Viewdle, a leading imaging & gesture recognition company. Motorola and Viewdle have an existing commercial agreement and have been collaborating for some time. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.”

 

Now that the cat is out of the bag, the formal acquisition will mean a few things. The first thing is Viewdle’s technology will allow it to allow Google users to easily tag photos of friends and family across Google+, Picasa and of course, Android. And hey, we can’t have too many means to tag and identify our favorite contacts on the web, right?

 

source: CNet

 

 
Posted by at 5:53 AM 0 comments

AndroidGuys

AndroidGuys

AT&T to carry Samsung Galaxy Camera in “coming weeks”

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:45 PM PDT

AT&T today announced that they will be the carrier of choice for the recently-introduced Samsung Galaxy Camera.  A press release just crossing the wire advises that it is set to touch down in the “coming weeks” but stopped short of anything specific.  Also absent at this time, price.

As a primer, the Galaxy Camera features a 4.8-inch HD Super Clear LCD screen, a 21x optical zoom lens and a 16MP BSI CMOS sensor.  Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the camera also boasts a quad-core 1 GHz processor and a slew of software touches for photo editing and uploading.  Speaking of which, AT&T’s version of the Galaxy Camera is equipped for the carrier’s 4G (likely HSPA+) network.

The Galaxy Camera is designed with several of the key content sharing features first introduced with the Galaxy S III including:

  • AllShare Play - Locate Samsung HDTVs, laptops and other devices on the same Wi-Fi® network that are ready to receive photo and video files. Users can remotely access files from Galaxy Camera with other devices on their home network like a PC or Samsung Smart TV™.
  • Share Shot - Automatically send still images taken with the Galaxy Camera to other Galaxy S III, and Galaxy Note devices up to 200 feet away
  • Buddy Photo Share - Instantly and automatically tags faces of existing device contacts in photos making it easy to share with them.

Would you consider picking one of these up for you or a loved one this holiday shopping season?

Press release

 

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Quarkie headphones review

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 12:37 PM PDT

Don’t laugh when we tell you this but some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve played with these last few weeks have giant viper snakes that stick out of your ear.  No, seriously.  Their called Quarkie, they look quirky, but they sound terrific.  We tested two models: Viper Head and Gemstone.

Continue reading: Quarkie headphones review

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

DigitTimes ties Samsung, LG, Sony and HTC to Nexus rumors

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 09:56 AM PDT

Adding fuel to the growing fire that is the Nexus program, DigiTimes is today reporting that Samsung, LG, Sony, and HTC are “likely to be potential partners”. The entire post might read a little ‘lost in translation’ as it calls the initiative the “Nexus 7″ platform but we get what they are saying.  Nevertheless, they advise that the four partners are planning to launch smartphones around the program.

Google reportedly will allow branded vendors to set hardware specifications as well as looks of the forthcoming Nexus smartphones as long as the models are based on its latest native Android system, said the sources, adding that this approach seems to be acceptable to brand players, since Google apparently is keeping its promise of not offering preferential treatment to Motorola.

While this is not exactly new or groundbreaking stuff, it does match up with a recent string of reports.

DigiTimes

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Motorola acquires facial recognition company Viewdle

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT

A Google representative today confirmed that Motorola Mobility has acquired image and gesture recognition firm Viewdle.  Apparently talks between the two companies were ongoing, having started back before Google scooped up Motorola.

Motorola Mobility today announced that it has acquired Viewdle, a leading imaging & gesture recognition company. Motorola and Viewdle have an existing commercial agreement and have been collaborating for some time. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed."

Considering that this is the sort of technology that would enhance apps and services such as Google+ and Picasa, we can appreciate why Google wants Viewdle. �

Continue reading: Motorola acquires facial recognition company Viewdle

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

LG Optimus G Nexus reported to arrive in November with Android 4.2

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:51 AM PDT

How about a fresh crop of Nexus rumors to get your day going, eh?  What would you say if we told you that the Optimus G is, in fact, going to be one of the next Nexus releases and it’s slated to arrive in November?  Nothing new, right?  What if we added that it was going to debut with Android 4.2 and usher in a new Nexus program?

According to our colleagues over at AndroidAndMe, LG is poised to deliver one of the next Nexus handsets in November under the name of LG Optimus G Nexus.  Reportedly, this is still but one of multiple models to come, but from the new Nexus initiative

Continue reading: LG Optimus G Nexus reported to arrive in November with Android 4.2

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

Samsung says Android 4.1 update for U.S. Galaxy S III models “coming soon”

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 07:14 AM PDT

Samsung has put together a quick and simple list of U.S. smartphones which are either getting or are expected to receive their Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update.  As of right now it basically acts as a placeholder or jumping off point for a number of Galaxy S III models and a trio of Nexus devices spread over Sprint and Verizon.  Still, this will be a good place for you to bookmark and return to once in a while. Hopefully we see the Galaxy S II and a few other products land on the list down the road.�

Continue reading: Samsung says Android 4.1 update for U.S. Galaxy S III models “coming soon”

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

T-Mobile gearing up for LG Optimus L9

Posted: 04 Oct 2012 06:52 AM PDT

T-Mobile USA appears set to offer the LG Optimus L9, according to a fresh set of leaked photos of said device.  The renders, which look to be press-ready images of the handset, come courtesy of @evleaks, a source of many Android recent tips. �

Continue reading: T-Mobile gearing up for LG Optimus L9

Be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!
Posted by at 5:52 AM 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)