Android Central

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• This week's sidebar poll: Who will be Android's top OEM in 2013?
• Changing Twitter apps? Remember to free the token
• MapMyRun: up the pace with this run tracking app
• Dell Streak 7 gets unofficial CM10.1 build
• Motorola RAZR i receiving Jelly Bean OTA in the UK
• Android 4.0 and higher nears 50-percent adoption, 2.3 still the largest share
• Chicken Dynamo: tilt and fly through this fun side-scroller
• PSA: Nexus 4 factory images back online
• Ice Cream Sandwich finally rolling out on the HTC Thunderbolt
• AT&T turns on LTE in 5 more markets, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach
• BlackBerry Android Runtime to be updated to Android 4.1, eventually
• Stock Talk: The downward slide at HTC continues
• Deal of the Day: Amzer Skin Case for HTC EVO 4G LTE
• Amazon Coins coming in May to fuel Kindle Fire purchases
• OUYA Android gaming console adds Amazon to list of retailers
• Nexus 10 launches in Japan
• Samsung announces Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame
• Ouya consoles headed to Gamestop, Target, Best Buy in June with $100 price tag
• AT&T U-Verse Live TV changes names, improves video quality over LTE
• The badassery of Borderlands 2 and Steam on Project Shield
• Could Google be working on a unified messaging platform?

This week's sidebar poll: Who will be Android's top OEM in 2013? Posted: 05 Feb 2013 04:23 PM PST In 2012, it was hard to compete with Samsung's $12 Billion electronics marketing budget. Even Apple has felt the pinch from Samsung's marketing department. They figured out that building the products that people like wasn't enough -- you had to make sure they knew about their existence. And they did a hell of an advertising job on "old" media like magazines and newspaper, TV, and the Internet. It paid off pretty well, as they are the undisputed top dog in Android, and sell the most smartphones world-wide. The only issue with their plan is that other OEMs can copy it. That brings us to 2013, where we've yet to see the real advertising push for the next round of Android devices. You can bet every manufacturer is studying what Samsung has done in 2012, and tweaking those plans to better suit the needs of their own massive ad assault. Some will be successful, some won't, but they all have to try. They have the devices down -- every company builds great Android phones, now they just need to figure out how to sell them. The one sure bet is that things will be interesting. One small flounder by Samsung is all it would take, and fickle users will switch loyalties to the next company in short order. Or maybe LG will decide to open their coffers and spend a few more Billion on marketing. Or maybe HTC can reorganize and wow us at the cash register. Stranger things have happened, and a turnover at the top is best for the consumer -- it keeps everyone making our phones and tablets fighting for our business.  Here's your chance to play smart phone analyst. Spend a few minutes thinking of the different scenarios that could happen, decide which is the most likely, and vote in the poll. You'll find it over to the right in the sidebar, and we've embedded it after the break to make it easy. I've marked my calendar, and we'll revisit this in December to see how we all did. read more

Changing Twitter apps? Remember to free the token Posted: 05 Feb 2013 03:06 PM PST It's no secret that Twitter is holding a tight rein over third party developers with their limited number of tokens rule. We've seen clients go under because of it on both Android and Windows Phone, and it certainly was a factor in the development and release issues we've seen with Carbon that has everyone up in arms. In case you haven't been keeping up with it all, Twitter has placed a limit on the number of users who can connect an application to their Twitter account. Folks writing new apps are allowed just 100,000 "tokens" by default, severely limiting how many users can actually use their application with Twitter. There's plenty more rules, and if you're in a position that needs to know them all be sure to visit the Twitter developers site.  There is something we can do to help, though. When you connect an application to your Twitter account, it's listed in the account settings online. From there, you can revoke it if you're not going to use the application, thus freeing the token for someone else to use. It's pretty simple to do once you know it's there, just look in the settings > apps section of your Twitter page on the web. It's a small, but important thing we can do to help the developers who make Android great. Hit the break, and see exactly how it's done. read more

MapMyRun: up the pace with this run tracking app Posted: 05 Feb 2013 02:02 PM PST It's Mobile Nations Fitness Month, and that means we're going to be highlighting a few apps that can help you meet your own fitness goals. We know that not everyone is a runner, but if you are you know that it can be hard to keep up with a pace and on a schedule from week to week. MapMyRun does just what you'd expect -- it gives GPS-based mapping of your runs, and offers a lot of insight into your workouts. Best of all, the app displays this great information in a clean and designed UI. Stick around after the break and see if MapMyRun is what you need to keep up the pace. read more

Dell Streak 7 gets unofficial CM10.1 build Posted: 05 Feb 2013 01:55 PM PST Most people have forgotten about the Dell Streak 7. Even Dell has given up on the devices. That doesn't mean that enthusiastic users aren't going to keep supporting it, and that's evidenced today by a user on XDA Forums that has ported CM10.1 to the device. That's right, we're seeing Android 4.2.1 running on the Dell Streak 7, and nearly everything is working. It will obviously be bottlenecked by some low-end specs at this point, but the only portions of the ROM not functional are the camera and external microphone. If you happen to have one of these laying around and want to give it a shot at some Jelly Bean goodness, head to the source link below and try it out. The folks working on this development could surely use some more testers to help out. Source: XDA; More: Dell Streak Forums

Motorola RAZR i receiving Jelly Bean OTA in the UK Posted: 05 Feb 2013 01:20 PM PST The RAZR i, Motorola's tweak of the RAZR M with an Intel chip inside, is receiving its Jelly Bean update in the U.K. starting today. Although its cousin the RAZR M started to receive its Jelly Bean update back in November, there are certainly some extra tweaks required to getting the update ready for devices with Intel processors still. The RAZR i Jelly Bean rollout started in France just a few short days ago, so the U.K. isn't far behind here. The update will bring all of the notable improvements of Jelly Bean, including Project Butter, Google Now and improved notifications. Motorola says the update will begin rolling today and will head out in phases (of course). If you've got your hands on a RAZR i, keep on the lookout for a system update notification. Source: Motorola; More: Motorola RAZR i Forums

Android 4.0 and higher nears 50-percent adoption, 2.3 still the largest share Posted: 05 Feb 2013 12:49 PM PST Right on schedule, the Android Developers Dashboard has reported the share of devices running each version of Android as of February 4, 2013. These numbers are measured based on the number of users accessing Google Play within a 14 day period, which is a great indication of devices being actively used. As you can see in the chart above, Android 4.0 and higher is nearing the 50-percent mark, at 42.6-percent currently. Gingerbread is still holding down the top spot at 45.6-percent, but we're nearing the point where device running Gingerbread will be overtaken by versions with the new design language. As you'll see in the graph after the break, the share of Gingerbread devices is slowly but surely decreasing, making way for a notably quick Jelly Bean advancement. Jelly Bean (both 4.1 and 4.2) total up to 13.6-percent of devices, surely helped by the success of the Nexus 7 and notable updates to popular devices like the Galaxy S3. Source: Android Developers Dashboard read more

Chicken Dynamo: tilt and fly through this fun side-scroller Posted: 05 Feb 2013 11:55 AM PST Apparently chickens can fly, and we're glad they can in the new game Chicken Dynamo. Another entry into the casual side-scrolling category, Chicken Dynamo takes a proven gametype and adds some fun flare while keeping things simple. Similar to popular flying titles like Jetpack Joyride, this game offers gameplay that can be as simple or as challenging as you want to make it.  Read along after the break to see more of what Chicken Dynamo has to offer. read more

PSA: Nexus 4 factory images back online Posted: 05 Feb 2013 10:40 AM PST Almost two months after they were mysteriously pulled from Google's online repository of Nexus factory images, the Nexus 4 stock images have reappeared on the site. These are full copies of the stock Nexus 4 Android 4.2.1 firmware which can be used to reset the device back to factory software if anything goes wrong. The file's MD5 hash is the same as the earlier image, so it looks like nothing's changed. And obviously, it's the same version of Android running on just about every Nexus 4 at the moment -- Android 4.2.1, build JOP40D. Interestingly, the Nexus 4 hardware binaries required to build AOSP for the device are still missing from the Google Developers site. In any case, if you want to grab the Nexus 4 factory image you can once again do so at the source link. Source: Nexus Factory Images

Ice Cream Sandwich finally rolling out on the HTC Thunderbolt Posted: 05 Feb 2013 09:33 AM PST A week after it was confirmed, and a good six months or so since the first leak, Ice Cream Sandwich is pushing out for Verizon's HTC Thunderbolt. The update brings the 'Bolt up to Android 4.0.4 and HTC Sense 3.6, and weighs in at a little under 400MB. According to reports from the Android Central forums and elsewhere it's available now for download, so go get it! Head to Settings > About phone > Software update to see if your update is ready. If you've stuck it out with the Thunderbolt, be sure to hit the comments let us know how you get on with this substantial software upgrade. Source: Android Central forums

AT&T turns on LTE in 5 more markets, including Norfolk and Virginia Beach Posted: 05 Feb 2013 08:04 AM PST AT&T announced this morning that it has flipped the switch for LTE in more cities. The high speed 4G network is now available in: Northwest, Georgia Albany, Georgia Cecil County, Maryland Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Norfolk, parts of Virginia Beach and Portsmouth, VA Great news for everybody in these locales who can now experience the faster speeds.

BlackBerry Android Runtime to be updated to Android 4.1, eventually Posted: 05 Feb 2013 07:18 AM PST The Android Runtime for BlackBerry has been around for a while now, but while the idea has always been good -- Android developers can easily repackage their apps to distribute in BlackBerry World -- there has always been something holding it back. The Runtime has always been based on Gingerbread, a now 2 generations old version of Android. While as of today that is still the case, it won't always be.  Announced this morning during the keynote presentation at BlackBerry Jam Europe in Amsterdam, the Runtime will be updated. Eventually. And, the great news for developers and users alike is that when the update happens, it's skipping Ice Cream Sandwich and going straight to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Ultimately, BlackBerry 10 users will benefit from a much better experience too.  Eventually is the key word, as while confirmation of the plans has been given, no time frame is available at this time. However, it opens the door to many more Android developers to make the jump and port their applications over to BlackBerry 10. Increasing numbers of apps are being developed for Android 4.x only, but at some point those developers will have the same opportunities to distribute their Android apps through BlackBerry World.  via CrackBerry

Stock Talk: The downward slide at HTC continues Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:51 AM PST HTC reported its Q4 results yesterday, and it seems pretty clear that things are going to get worse before they (hopefully) get better. Sales were down 41% compared to the year ago quarter, coming in at US $2 billion. Profitability is essentially gone, given the operating margin of 1%. HTC’s gross margins were 23% in the quarter. That’s down from 27.1% last year, telling us that pricing pressure is still working against HTC. Given how strong Samsung is in the Android space, it has to be hard to compete. Samsung makes so many of its own parts, from processors to screens to memory. And Samsung is really the only Android manufacturer with so much control over its supply chain. This makes it tough for anyone else to compete on hardware alone, which HTC has to do. read more

Deal of the Day: Amzer Skin Case for HTC EVO 4G LTE Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:27 AM PST The Feb. 5 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Amzer Skin Case for HTC EVO 4G LTE. The durable silicone of the Amzer case absorbs any shock your device may receive from accidental drops or bumps, keeping it just like new. The smooth silicone gives you a sure and lasting grip on your EVO 4G LTE and minimizes slides on flat surfaces. Color options include black, blue, red, purple, pink, grey, white, green, and orange. The Amzer Skin Case is available for just $5.00, 75% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

Amazon Coins coming in May to fuel Kindle Fire purchases Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:26 AM PST Amazon today announced it'll use its own "Amazon Coins" as a virtual currency for purchasing apps and in-app purchases on the Kindle Fire. The currency system will debut in May, and Amazon says it'll give customers "tens of millions of dollars' worth of free Amazon Coins" to jump-start the economy. (Insert stimulus package jokes/groans here.) One Amazon Coin is worth 1 cent. They'll only be available to U.S. customers at launch, and they can't be used for subscriptions. The usual rules apply, Amazon says, in that developers will still get 70 percent of the revenue when users make a purchase with Amazon Coins. There's a small catch, however -- developers need to have their apps submitted and approved in the Amazon Appstore by April 25 to be ready for Amazon Coins at launch. Sources: Amazon Coins; FAQ

OUYA Android gaming console adds Amazon to list of retailers Posted: 05 Feb 2013 05:01 AM PST OUYA today in an e-mail announced that its upcoming Android-based gaming console will be sold by several big-box retailers as well as by OUYA itself. A few we already knew -- Amazon's a new addition to the list. Its unclear whether you'll be able to get one in stories, or if it's online only. Preorders are available now -- Target and Best Buy current have live listings -- and prices are as previously listed: $99 for the system and a single controller, $49 for another controller. More: Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target

Nexus 10 launches in Japan Posted: 05 Feb 2013 03:56 AM PST Some two and a half months after the original launch, Google and Samsung's Nexus 10 is now available in Japan. The high-resolution, 10-inch Nexus tablet is on sale through the Japanese Google Play Store, where it's priced at ¥36,800 (around $400) for the 16GB model, and ¥44,800 (around $480) with 32GB. Play Store URLs are the same regardless of which country you're in, so Japanese buyers can pick up a Nexus 10 using the links below -- 16GB Nexus 10 on Google Play 32GB Nexus 10 on Google Play If you're still on the fence, check out our full review of the Nexus 10 from back in November. Source: Google Japan; via: Engadget

Samsung announces Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame Posted: 05 Feb 2013 01:39 AM PST Almost identical entry-level Galaxy S3-alikes Update: Samsung UK tells us that the Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame will be arriving on British shores starting in March. Samsung has started the morning off by announcing two new low-end devices in its home territory of South Korea. The Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame are both powered by a 1GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM. Both have a 1300mAh battery and 4GB of storage, expandable via microSD. And both look like someone took a Galaxy S3 and put it through a shrink ray. The main difference between the two handsets is screen size - the Galaxy Fame has a 3.5-inch screen, whereas the Young packs a 3.27-inch panel. Both are HVGA (320x480) resolution though, so you're not dealing with all that many pixels in either case. Other differences include camera set-ups - the Young has a 3-megapixel rear shooter, whereas the Fame has been upgraded slightly to 5MP. And the Fame comes with the option of NFC, something lacking in its smaller -- and likely cheaper -- sibling. Both phones will apparently come in single and dual-SIM versions, in a wide range of color options. On the software side, you're looking at TouchWiz'd Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on both devices. There's been no announcement on pricing or availability yet -- we can probably expect individual carriers and Samsung branches to provide more info as the day progresses. In the meantime, full spec sheets can be found over at the source link. Source: Samsung Tomorrow

Ouya consoles headed to Gamestop, Target, Best Buy in June with $100 price tag Posted: 04 Feb 2013 10:57 PM PST In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman mentioned a few of the retail sales plans for the much anticipated Android console. In addition to Amazon, the Ouya will be available nationwide at Target, Best Buy, and Gamestop stores for $100 this June. Additional controllers will sell for $50 and be available at the same locations. When asked about sales figures and speculation, Uhrman didn't give a hard number, but felt excited that major retailers were interested in the Ouya, and that this was a good omen for wide consumer appeal.  We 68,000 backers, and we’ve been selling units every day. The number of orders have grown each month. We haven’t disclosed any numbers. I think it’s fair to say to get established players in the retail space excited about pre-selling OUYA speaks to the excitement in the marketplace. We’ve had 68,000 backers, we have more than that in pre-orders today. Of course, all this depends on the application catalog. If developers have plenty of great games ready out of the gate like we've heard they will, things should go well for the folks at Ouya, and the retail presence could really drive the inexpensive console's sales. We're looking forward to it all, and think plenty of folks will be excited as June approaches. Source: Wall Street Journal

AT&T U-Verse Live TV changes names, improves video quality over LTE Posted: 04 Feb 2013 07:49 PM PST AT&T is rebranding its U-Verse Live TV service today to a much less confusing "Mobile TV" name, and including several improvements to the app at the same time. Branding aside, video quality on Mobile TV will now improve when you're watching on LTE, which seems like a natural progression. The package will also now be a flat $9.99 per month charge regardless of platform, and customers can bill the service straight to their monthly AT&T phone bill rather than a separate account. Mobile TV will also start offering three add-on packages -- Urban Zone, Playground TV and Paquete en español móvil -- for and additional $4.99 each. The rest of the improvements can be found immediately in its Android app, which can be found at the Play Store link above. Source: AT&T

The badassery of Borderlands 2 and Steam on Project Shield Posted: 04 Feb 2013 06:44 PM PST We've all seen the CES demos, and salivated while watching Phil put his hands all over one of the prototype Project Shield devices in his hands-on, but there is no way that's enough. We want to see as much as we can about this bad boy, and NVIDIA knows it. Starting today, they will be showing a new Project Shield video every Monday to build our anticipation for the next generation in gaming. This week, Will from NVIDIA walks us through logging into Steam and playing some Borderlands 2 over the network right on his Project Shield device. It looks simple, the frame rate is great, and even the latency looks low enough to satisfy even the most hardcore gamer. It looks like it really is as badass as NVIDIA is claiming. Hit the break and watch the video. Source: NVIDIA read more

Could Google be working on a unified messaging platform? Posted: 04 Feb 2013 05:50 PM PST The screenshot above, while not Android, is extremely interesting regardless because of what it may be showing off. Posted by developer François Beaufort, what's seen here is a Chrome OS desktop with both a new notifications system and more interestingly a new app icon that we've never seen out of Google before. The "rich notifications", which show messages, calls and Google+ activity all in-line and within one pane are displayed in a new Jelly Bean and Google Now design. The new icon, to the right of the Google Drive app in the dock, shows four cascading Google-themed chat boxes. This screenshot raises a whole lot more questions than it answers, and instantly gets us speculating as to whether or not this new notification system and app are a sign of something bigger than just Chrome OS notifications. Could this finally be a unified messaging service from Google? This could quite easily be just Google+ notifications -- missed hangout calls, Google+ Messenger messages and picture shares -- but we surely hope it's more than that. Now of course this isn't Android, but it could have a huge impact on Android users if this turns out to be a true unified messaging service from Google. A unified messaging system that brings together Google Voice, Talk, Google+ and others would be a huge step forward for the integration of Google's often-disjointed services. Source: François Beaufort (Google+); Via: Droid-Life

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AndroidGuys

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• Get this look for your Android smartphone: Google Now UI
• Full Instagram experience comes to the web
• T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy SIII 4G LTE release date leaked?
• Google Play adding new payment methods, changing developer payouts
• New rumors drop about HTC Myst, the fabled Facebook phone
• OUYA will be sold at Amazon, Target, Gamestop, and Best Buy
• Samsung unveils new Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame phones
• NVIDIA demos Project SHIELD streaming from PC
• Amazon announces ‘Amazon Coins’ virtual currency

Get this look for your Android smartphone: Google Now UI Posted: 05 Feb 2013 12:22 PM PST One of our absolute favorite things about Android is the fact that you can bend and tweak the platform to your needs.  Sure, there’s rooting and modding for deep level personalization, but that stuff does not always concern the everyday user. Some of just want to change the home screen around a bit and create a new user experience. To that end, we present our weekly series of Get This Look posts. In a nutshell we will show you a new look for your Android handset and tell you which apps you’ll need if you want to mimic the feel. Note that the following details are but the ingredients to which you can create your own delicious Android dish – results will vary.  But that’s awesome. In fact, many of the designs we highlight tend to use the same apps. Google Now UI by hugocamara WHY WE LOVE THIS LOOK: This is a very clean and crisp layout with great usage of space without feeling too cramped. Don’t get us wrong, there’s a lot of information and  accessibility happening on these screen. We just like that it doesn’t feel overwhelming.  For those that don’t like the heavy use of white, there is an alternate dark version that can be achieved using many of the same apps and settings. The color choices, font, and icons are some of the best blends we’ve seen in a while and look very Google-y. If you were to tell us this is a default Android 5.0 design we would be just fine with that. It’s access to everything we want and need and it looks very much like the Google Now experience. NOTE: This look will take a bit more work than some of the others we profile here but we think you’ll be pleased with the results. You’ll also need to grab nearly one dozen apps as well as some other odds-n-ends in order to achieve the design. WHAT YOU’LL NEED Eye in Sky Weather (FREE) Snack Pack ($1.49) Minimal Reader Pro ($.99) HD Widgets ($1.99) Minimalistic Text (FREE) Google Voice Search (FREE) Power Toggles (FREE) IMDb ( FREE) Circle Battery Widget (FREE) Simple Calendar Widget (FREE) Nova Launcher (FREE) Multipicture Live Wallpaper Anything Else?  Wallpapers (.rar) Don’t Miss: 50 Android apps to install before the world ends 10 marvelous photo apps for Android 10 Android apps worth checking out (Jan 31) 24 Twitter apps for Android handsets and tablets 8 awesome browser alternatives for Android   MyColorScreen is dedicated to the great ways you can modify your home screens. The post Get this look for your Android smartphone: Google Now UI appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Full Instagram experience comes to the web Posted: 05 Feb 2013 11:48 AM PST Kevin Systrom, Co-Founder of Instagram, today announced the launch of Instagram on the Web. Once limited to your smartphone app and browser app for viewing photos on your feed, you can now access your feed from any web enabled device. This means your home PC, notebook, or tablet get the same experience. My question, however, is whether the time spent creating this is truly worth it. At first glance, the web version is clean, and the ability to view your photo feed in a larger scale is nice. Details are more noticeable, and just like on the phone, you can heart (like) and comment on your friend’s photos. But, as much as I love the idea, of Instagram on my laptop or tablet, the website is so simple it is almost annoying. “Since our launch in October of 2010, we've focused on building a simple app that has inspired creativity while capturing everyday moments through the lens of your mobile phone. In fact, our focus on building out a mobile-only experience is a unique path that we've chosen for many reasons, the most important of which is that Instagram, at its core, is about seeing and taking photos on-the-go.” Kevin Systrom Wonderful, so why not keep it that way?  When you log onto instagram.com, you are only offered to see your feed. Sure, you have the ability to edit your profile, but beyond that there is nothing new or exciting. Instagram was created with the idea that one could manipulate and edit pictures from a mobile device on-the-go, and it works beautifully. My advice Mr.Systrom, is to spend more time adding features to your current mobile application. Instagram The post Full Instagram experience comes to the web appeared first on AndroidGuys.

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy SIII 4G LTE release date leaked? Posted: 05 Feb 2013 11:28 AM PST Back in December, we heard that Samsung is working on 4G LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy S III, codenamed as the SGH-T999L. After that, things got pretty quiet for the Samsung and T-Mobile collabroration. Today, though, TmoNews released a screenshot telling us that the SGH-T999L is alive and well in T-Mobile’s system. According to the photo, T-Mobile will release it on March 27th or April 3rd, though nothing is written in stone. Take it with a grain of salt, though we do figure to learn more soon. What are your thoughts on a Galaxy S III LTE arriving in the spring when there’s a Galaxy S4 right around the corner? Worth the time and effort or too late?  Tell us about it in the comment box below. Source: TmoNews The post T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy SIII 4G LTE release date leaked? appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Google Play adding new payment methods, changing developer payouts Posted: 05 Feb 2013 10:59 AM PST Google is looking at making some changes to the way they handle finances in the Play Store. According to emails sent to developers, payouts are shifting from two days after the end of each month to 15 days. According to the email, We are committed to providing you with a consistent and reliable payout experience while we introduce new forms of payment to better serve your users and create more revenue opportunities for you. These changes will allow us to ensure users can buy your apps and we can transmit payments to you in a reliable fashion. We can’t really be sure what new forms of payment will be available, but there’s talk of more Google Wallet and other contractless payment options in the works. via firecemobile The post Google Play adding new payment methods, changing developer payouts appeared first on AndroidGuys.

New rumors drop about HTC Myst, the fabled Facebook phone Posted: 05 Feb 2013 10:46 AM PST If you’ve been around the Android circuit practically at all, chances are you’ve heard about a Facebook phone at least once. Probably more than that – but, I digress. There are now new rumors rolling around the rumor mill concerning the HTC Myst, the white unicorn of Android phones. The latest round of specs comes from Twitter, with rumors saying that the HTC Myst will come with: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8930 S4 Plus dual-core processor at 1GHz per core Qualcomm Adreno 305 GPU 1GB of RAM 16GB of internal memory 4.3-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels 5-megapixel main camera 1.6-megapixel front camera WLAN 802.11 a / b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.0 Of course, there’s the ever-present nugget of the phone possibly having a dedicated Facebook button, but that – like everything else – I’ll have to see for myself. via htcinside (dutch) The post New rumors drop about HTC Myst, the fabled Facebook phone appeared first on AndroidGuys.

OUYA will be sold at Amazon, Target, Gamestop, and Best Buy Posted: 05 Feb 2013 08:44 AM PST The OUYA Android-based gaming console that took Kickstarter and the tech world by storm last year will be available in June. The $99 unit will be offered through a variety of retail partners, including Amazon, Gamestop, Target, and Best Buy. In other words, all the places you readers like to frequent. A Wall Street Journal interview with OUYA CEO Julie Uhrman tells us that there’s quite a bit going on as the device preps for its commercial debut. We definitely recommend checking the article out as it spells out some of the finer details and expectations. Speaking of expectations, those of you who pre-ordered from OUYA’s website will see your console shipping in April. Did you support the Kickstarter project? Even better – yours go out in March. Retail pricing will be $99.99 for the console with one controller, the same as elsewhere. If you need a second controller then expect to spend $49.99, a slight premium over the web purchase option. WSJ The post OUYA will be sold at Amazon, Target, Gamestop, and Best Buy appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Samsung unveils new Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame phones Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:48 AM PST Samsung has announced two new devices that are heading to the South Korea market, looking alarmingly like the Galaxy S3 – the Galaxy Young and the Galaxy Fame. Both devices come equipped with a 1GHz CPU and 512MB RAM, as well as a 1300mAh battery and 4GB internal storage. Aside from these low end specs, one could think they’re looking directly at a shrunk-down version of the Galaxy S3, complete with a TouchWiz Android 4.1 backend. The chief difference in these two devices is the screen size – The Fame sporting a 3.5 inch display, while the Young comes in at 3.27 inches. There’s also a difference in camera size, with the Young having a 3MP rear camera (ouch), and the Fame showing off a 5MP rear shooter (still ouch). The Fame also comes with NFC, while the Young does not. We don’t have any word on pricing or availability at this time. via Samsung The post Samsung unveils new Galaxy Young and Galaxy Fame phones appeared first on AndroidGuys.

NVIDIA demos Project SHIELD streaming from PC Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:43 AM PST NVIDIA looks to be kicking off a new weekly series of posts and videos dedicated to the Project SHIELD so we felt obligated to pass the news to you.  You’ll see in the video below how easy it is to stream games from a PC to the handheld gaming console/controller. Not only that, but you’ll see how awesome it is to take a console-like experience with you in a full-fledged Android device. Booting up your Tegra 4-powered Project SHIELD is as simple as turning on a smartphone or tablet. Streaming a PC game is just as easy: fire up the SHIELD Android app and tap a few buttons. Within a matter of seconds you'll be back in the action with all the graphical bells and whistles you're used to on your PC. Be sure to subscribe to the NVIDIA blog to keep up with the news as it pertains to Project SHIELD and other great gaming news. NVIDIA The post NVIDIA demos Project SHIELD streaming from PC appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Amazon announces ‘Amazon Coins’ virtual currency Posted: 05 Feb 2013 06:31 AM PST Amazon today announced a new virtual currency, Amazon Coins, to be used for purchasing apps, games or other in-app items on Kindle Fire.  Set to arrive in May, Amazon Coins are touted as an easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend revenue on apps in the Amazon Appstore.  Once enabled, the new currency is expected to lead to increased monetization, and additional downloads. “We’ve already found that the average revenue per user on Amazon is higher than other Android platforms,” said Keith Shepherd, CEO of Imangi Studios. ”We’re very excited about the monetization opportunity with Amazon’s new virtual currency.” Come launch time, Amazon will be offering up tens of millions of dollars’ worth of Amazon Coins to be used on apps and games. That ought to jump start the economy, no? Developers interested in getting in on the Amazon Coins love are encouraged to submit their apps before April 25 to ensure they make the cutoff date. Learn more about Amazon Coins today at http://www.amazon.com/amazon-coins. Introducing Amazon Coins Coming in May, Amazon Coins is a new virtual currency for purchasing apps, games, and in-app items on Kindle Fire Amazon Coins is an easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend money on developers' apps in the Amazon Appstore, offering app and game developers another substantial opportunity to drive traffic, downloads and increase monetization even further Amazon will give customers tens of millions of dollars' worth of Amazon Coins to use on developers' apps in the Amazon Appstore—apps and games must be submitted and approved by April 25 to be ready when Amazon Coins arrive in customers' accounts SEATTLE—February 5, 2013—(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced another new way for app and game developers to make money on Kindle Fire—introducing Amazon Coins—the new virtual currency for purchasing apps, games and in-app items on Kindle Fire.  Amazon Coins is an easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend money in the Amazon Appstore, offering app and game developers another substantial opportunity to drive traffic, downloads and increase monetization. When Amazon Coins launches in the U.S. this May, Amazon will give customers tens of millions of dollars' worth of free Amazon Coins to spend on developers' apps on Kindle Fire in the Amazon Appstore.  Amazon will also make it quick and easy for customers to buy additional Amazon Coins using their Amazon accounts. Amazon Appstore developers will earn their standard 70 percent revenue share when customers make purchases using Amazon Coins. Developers with apps and games currently in the Amazon Appstore for the U.S. don't need to do anything with their apps to capitalize on this new opportunity.  Developers not yet in the Amazon Appstore should submit their apps soon—only apps submitted and approved by April 25 will be ready when Kindle Fire customers have Amazon Coins to spend across the Amazon Appstore. Developers can learn more about Amazon Coins today at http://www.amazon.com/amazon-coins. "Developers continue to report higher conversion rates on Amazon compared to other platforms," said Paul Ryder, Vice President of Apps and Games for Amazon.  "Now we have another new way to help developers reach even more of our millions of customers.  Amazon Coins gives customers an easy way to spend money on developers' apps on Kindle Fire in the Amazon Appstore—and we're giving customers tens of millions of dollars in Amazon Coins to get started.  Developers who aren't yet in the Amazon Appstore will want to make sure their apps have been submitted and approved by April 25 so they're ready for customers to start spending their Amazon Coins." “We’ve already found that the average revenue per user on Amazon is higher than other Android platforms,” said Keith Shepherd, CEO of Imangi Studios. ”We’re very excited about the monetization opportunity with Amazon’s new virtual currency.” “Everyone recognizes Amazon’s success in the e-commerce world – now the Amazon Appstore has become a major player in the mobile app marketplace,” said Misha Lyalin, ZeptoLab’s CEO. “Amazon’s new virtual currency is designed to open new opportunities for developers and make things easier for customers. This is a great example of appstore innovation and we want to support it.” “We’ve been extremely pleased with how well our games monetize on Amazon,” said Michael Grobe, Chief Financial Officer of GameCircus. ”We’re very excited about the launch of Amazon’s new virtual currency.” Amazon Coins is the latest in a series of new features and services for developers that make Amazon the most complete end-to-end ecosystem for building, monetizing and marketing their apps and games.  Recent announcements include: In-App Purchasing for Mac, PC and web-based games, enabling developers to let customers use their Amazon accounts to purchase virtual goods and currencies from games on those platforms Game Circle, which includes capabilities like Achievements, Leaderboards, Friends, and Whispersync for syncing games across devices, and leads to better engagement with games Game Connect, which lets developers marry the ease and security of shopping on Amazon with the convenience of having virtual goods delivered directly to customers’ game accounts A/B Testing, a service that helps developers improve app functionality, retain customers and increase monetization Adobe AIR Native Extensions, which makes it simple for Adobe Flash developers to add In-App Purchasing and Game Circle features to their apps and games Amazon Mobile App SDK Eclipse Plugin (beta) allows developers to rapidly and reliably integrate Amazon APIs into their Android projects, speeding up development and cutting down on project setup time Developers can get started at the Amazon Mobile App Distribution Portal (https://developer.amazon.com/welcome.html). About Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most-advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design.  The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns.  Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine—and it is available in two display sizes—7" and 8.9". The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless, and comes with a groundbreaking $49.99 introductory 4G LTE data package.  The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life. Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es andwww.amazon.com.br. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise. Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management’s expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com’s financial results is included in Amazon.com’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings. The post Amazon announces ‘Amazon Coins’ virtual currency appeared first on AndroidGuys.

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