Sunday, May 5, 2013

Android and Me

Android and Me

Is this the LG Optimus G2 aka the “Nexus 5?”

Posted: 04 May 2013 03:55 PM PDT

Our favorite tipster @evleaks just posted a picture of a new unannounced LG device, and we belive this is the upcoming LG Optimus G2. Hardcore Android fans should take note, because we believe the “Nexus 5“, which Korea Times reports is being made by LG, will be based on the Optimus G2. Inside sources at LG claim the Optimus G2 will arrive around October, so we still have a couple months of waiting to do.

The rumored specs of the LG Optimus G2 include Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 800 chip, which records 4k Ultra HD video, and possibly a flexible OLED display. The folks at LG seem pretty confident that the Optimus G2 will “knock our socks off”, so we can’t wait to see what they have in store.

What do you make of this LG device?

    

One Phone, One Weekend, One Premium Upgrade

Posted: 04 May 2013 12:58 PM PDT

Starting today, for One weekend only, customers who purchase a new HTC One and trade in a qualified smartphone can get at least $100 and as much as $375 for their old device. Thanks to HTC’s transfer tools, it’s easy to switch from another Android device or pretty much any other smartphone including iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows Phone.

The HTC One is currently available for AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, as well as an unlocked version. The HTC One is my current daily driver (and one of my favorite Android phones of all time), so this is a sweet opportunity to dump your aging device and save a cool Benjamin.

    

HTC leaks new features of Android 4.3

Posted: 04 May 2013 09:41 AM PDT

Google is expected to debut Android 4.3 this month at their Google IO developers conference, but we don’t know exactly what will be included in the new update. Thanks to a meetup posting by HTC, we now have an idea of two new features that should be included in Android 4.3. At an event on Thursday, May 16th, in San Francisco, HTC will provide an overview of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Open GL ES 3.0, new features they describe as having “arrived” on Android (in the future tense).

Bluetooth Low Energy (or Bluetooth Smart) is aimed at always-on devices like heart rate monitors, key finders, and multi-sensor kits (temperature, pressure, humidity, accelerometer). A couple Android devices have supported it through their own Bluetooth stack, but it has not been an official part of Android til now.

OpenGL ES 3.0 is the latest mobile graphics specification and it’s currently supported by new chips from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 600, found in the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4, is the latest chip to support OpenGL ES 3.0, and we can’t wait to see what new games will be created to take full advantage of the new APIs.

We expect Google to unveil a ton of other mobile-related news (Ron Amadeo of Android Police has a nice list), so be sure to tune into Google IO from May 15-17th.

    
Posted by at 7:39 AM 0 comments

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Samsung releases another “Next Big Thing Is Here” commercial, showing what the Galaxy S 4 can do and the iPhone 5 can’t at a graduation pool party

Posted: 04 May 2013 06:32 AM PDT

 Samsung_Galaxy_S_4_Main_TA

 

 

OK, so the Samsung Galaxy S 4 smartphone is finally available in stores now and as part of its massive marketing blitz, the Korean giant has started the next phase of its “Next Big Thing Is Here” advertising campaign— naturally showing off just a little of what the impressive smartphone can do and the iPhone 5 well… can’t do.  Taking place at a graduation pool party, a few of the party goers take the opportunity to impress others by showcasing things like the various photography modes, Air View and Air Gestures when your hands are full or messy from eating savory ribs, NFC S Beam to share photos with friends in an instant, and using the smartphone as a TV remote. Of course showing off that the phone is indestructible is not part of the ad, but hey— one step at a time, right?

Click here to view the embedded video.


Come comment on this article: Samsung releases another “Next Big Thing Is Here” commercial, showing what the Galaxy S 4 can do and the iPhone 5 can’t at a graduation pool party

Latest numbers show Android maintaining smartphone OS dominance in U.S. market for first quarter

Posted: 03 May 2013 06:18 PM PDT

2013_q1_operating_platform_pie_chart

comScore released smartphone manufacturer and operating system data today for the first quarter of 2013 in the U.S. market. The numbers show Android continuing to dominate with 52 percent market share for operating systems. This was down slightly from December 2012 when Android held 53.4 percent of the market. Blackberry also slid down to only 5.2 percent of the market and Symbian took a small dip. Apple’s iOS was the big gainer for the quarter jumping 2.7 percent to grab 39 percent of the market and Microsoft also gained slightly.

While Android enjoyed  the top spot in terms of operating platforms, Apple continued to hold a grip in terms of manufacturer market share with their 39 percent share of the market. The 2.7 percent jump outpaced Samsung’s gain of 0.7 percent of the market. HTC, Motorola, and LG all saw their market share slide during the quarter.

2013′s first quarter did not see any major smartphone releases from the major Android manufacturers. That situation will change during the second quarter with devices like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4 hitting the market. While Apple fans and investors will rejoice over this latest shot of positive news, the happiness may only last until second quarter numbers are released.

comscore_2013_q1_operating_systems

comscore_2013_q1_manufacturer_share

source: comScore


Come comment on this article: Latest numbers show Android maintaining smartphone OS dominance in U.S. market for first quarter

Google Photo Spheres widget now available for any web site

Posted: 03 May 2013 05:42 PM PDT

google_photo_sphere_widget

Slowly but surely Google’s Photo Spheres continue the march toward general availability and usability throughout the web with Google’s release of a widget enabling them to be embedded on any web site. Up to now, Photo Spheres could only load on Google+ and Google Maps along with a couple third-party services that had figured out how to make them viewable. The new widget is not the easiest thing to deploy as web site owners will have to add a call to the Google+ API and then add some extensive code on their site where the Photo Sphere should appear. The Photo Spheres themselves have to be hosted on either Google+ or PicasaWeb. No doubt it will not be long before other developers streamline this process to make it easier for site owners to both deploy the widget and quickly grab the proper URL and parameters for a Photo Sphere.

In the meantime, Android users continue to wait for progress on making Photo Sphere capable camera apps as widely available so they can start to contribute to the library of Photo Spheres.

source: +Google+


Come comment on this article: Google Photo Spheres widget now available for any web site

AT&T releasing ‘All In One’ prepaid plan in June

Posted: 03 May 2013 01:14 PM PDT

ATT-Mobile-Phone-Wireless-Logo-Store-Window

Consumers seeking a commitment-free mobile service will now have another option next month when AT&T launches their ‘All In One’ prepaid brand.  Plans are still tentative, but it’s probable that AT&T will offer a tiered-plan system dependent on the type of phone.

Pricing for feature phones will likely start at $35 a month, and smartphones will start at $50 a month.  This type of plan will provide customers with unlimited talk, text, and a 2GB data cap.  There are rumors of another plan being added on that will offer 5GB of mobile data for $70 a month.

If the above estimates hold true, this new ‘All In One’ brand will provide significant savings when compared to their current GoPhone prepaid service.  It is also expected to undercut the price of T-Mobile’s prepaid plan.  There is no information on hotspot capabilities right now, but AT&T would have to include some kind of package in order to compete with T-Mobile’s hotspot offering of 2.5GB of data for $60 a month. There is also the question on if these will work with LTE phones.

If these rumors become a reality, AT&T will be reeling in customers left and right who are no longer willing to deal with long-term contracts.

source: FierceWireless


Come comment on this article: AT&T releasing ‘All In One’ prepaid plan in June

Posted by at 5:50 AM 0 comments

Android Central

Android Central

T-Mobile Galaxy S4 has CyanogenMod 10.1 nightlies on the way

Posted: 04 May 2013 02:21 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S4

First nightlies to roll out tonight, but remember the edges are still a little rough on this one

The T-Mobile variant of the Galaxy S4 may have only been available for just a few short days now, but that didn't keep the folks over at CyanogenMod from whipping up their first build of CM10.1 for the device. Steve Kondik has posted on Google+ that the first builds should be rolling starting tonight, and that the software still has its rough edges but should be stable for many as a daily driver. Kondik also notes he is looking forward to seeing what other developers can come up with for the "hover" capabilities of the Galaxy S4's screen.

As with any other first public release (and nightly builds in general), you can't expect 100-percent functionality from software this new. If you're okay with a little bit of instability to be one of the first to have CM on your Galaxy S4, be on the lookout for those first nightly builds tonight.

Source: +Steve Kondik; More: Samsung Galaxy S4 Forums

    

Weekly picks from Google Play: Metal from $5.99, The Guardian, Google Keep and more!

Posted: 04 May 2013 11:28 AM PDT

Apps of the Week

There are more than just apps in Google Play, and we want to let you know what we've found

For weeks upon weeks, we've been bringing you a weekly digest of the best apps each of the Android Central writers have been using. But starting this week, we're going to be mixing things up a bit. Google Play has expanded far beyond just apps -- there's a great selection of books, magazines, music and movies out there that deserve more attention.

So today we're going to kick off a new set of picks, ones that expand beyond just apps to include the best content each person at Android Central has found in the last week. Hang with us after the break and see what we've found in the Play Store for you today.

read more

    

Buying Punch Quest from Google Play is the best way to spend 99 cents ever

Posted: 03 May 2013 05:45 PM PDT

Punch Quest

8-bit glory at it's finest, Punch Quest is fast, furious and fun

Cheesy 8-bit graphics and sound, insane fast game play and super easy controls make Punch Quest my instant new favorite game on Android. It's an old-school side-scrolling arcade fighter, where you throw overhand punches and uppercuts to work your way through the dungeon filled with some pretty evil characters. There are power-ups, mini-bosses and plenty of pottery to break, and you even get to ride a dinosaur that shoots laser beams from its mouth.

Dinosaurs and freaking lasers!

There are in-app purchases if you want to play that way, but I'm zooming through the levels without using any. If you like a little gaming on your Android device, especially if you're a fan of pixel art and old-school titles, grab this one for a buck from Google Play. The game trailer is after the break so you can see just how much fun this one is.

read more

    
Posted by at 5:44 AM 0 comments
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