Thursday, June 6, 2013

Android Central

Android Central


T-Mobile Galaxy S3 LTE shows up online right on schedule, yours for $69 down

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:22 PM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S3

The latest GS3 brings a boost in speed without any increase in price

It turns out that rumors of the LTE-enabled Galaxy S3 for T-Mobile were indeed true, as the device has just gone up for sale on the carrier's website today. With seemingly no change from the original HSPA+ device that has been available for the past year other than the additional radio support, the new model understandably retails for the same $69.99 down and 24 months of $20 payments, or a full retail price of $549.99. For the moment only the "Marble White" version of the device is up for sale with 16GB of internal storage, and it isn't clear if other colors and capacities will become available.

At least for the time being the original Galaxy S3 is still available for sale at the same price, but we wouldn't expect it to be around for long. As T-Mobile works to expand its LTE network it's good to have yet another LTE-capable device up for sale, but we're not so sure how many of these will move considering that the HTC One and Galaxy S4 are just $30 and $80 more, respectively. We of course recommend you spring the extra few bucks for the latest models.

Source: T-Mobile

    


Google Keyboard now available directly from Google Play

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:10 PM PDT

Google Keyboard

The stock 'Nexus' keyboard app, complete with gesture typing, is now available to all Android users through the Google Play Store

Google continues the movement of its core Android apps onto the Google Play app marketplace with today's standalone launch of Google Keyboard. That's the new name for the vanilla Android keyboard app included on Google experience (stock Android) devices such as Nexus phones and tablets. The Google Keyboard app includes the full range of typing features found on current Android 4.2 Nexus phones, only now you can install it on any Android device through Google Play -- assuming you're running OS version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or higher.

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This week's sidebar poll: Which screen do you play your Android games on?

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:07 PM PDT

Games

Android's flexibility gives us plenty of device form factor choice, which do you choose for gaming?

We're talking mobile gaming this week around these parts, and if Talk Mobile is telling us anything, it's that we all love to play games on our mobile devices. Android is in a special place here, because of the sheer number of different sizes and shapes it comes in. They all mean you have a pretty big choice of just how you want to play any of the great games from Google Play, and we want to find out just how you do it.

I have to tell you, playing a game on the big screen in my living room with an HDMI cable or the HTC Media Link HD is pretty fun, but it's something I rarely do. When I want to get my game on, I reach for my Nexus 7. Other tablets may have a little more power, but the 7-inch form factor and Tegra 3 chip in my Nexus 7 make it my "go to" device. Tell us yours in the poll, which you'll find in the sidebar to the right or after the break.

As always, a look at last week's poll:

Are you waiting for Motorola before you buy a new phone this year?

Poll results

Looks like I'm not the only one waiting, wallet in hand, to see what Motorola has to show us in 2013. Hurry, Moto!

read more

    


AMD to support Android and Chrome OS says senior VP

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 02:10 PM PDT

AMD

Another traditional PC hardware icon finds the lure of mobile and market share irresistible, as AMD says they want to support Android and Chrome OS

Lisa Su, senior vice president and general manager of global business units at AMD, in an interview at the Computex trade show in Taiwan has said that AMD will be looking support Android tablets and Chrome OS devices. This comes as a bit of a surprise, as just last January she told the world that AMD was committed to Windows 8, and had no interest in Android devices. 900,000,000 devices can change minds, we guess.

The Intel / AMD rivalry on the desktop pushed innovation, pricing, and adoption in very good ways for consumers. We can only hope the same spirit of competition will exist with X86 for Android, and can't wait to see AMD and Intel try to one-up each other with short release cycles and efficient, inexpensive hardware. AMD won't be marketing any devices directly, but will look to hardware partners to build Android and Chrome OS devices around their chips.

There's no time frame mentioned, but I wouldn't expect to see any devices using AMD until this holiday season at the earliest. We'll be waiting right along with you.

Source: PC World

    


Foursquare updates mapping interface, adds filters to 'Explore' search

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:32 PM PDT

Foursquare

Improved landscape map browsing on large devices and pre-filtered searches highlighted in this release

Foursquare has just pushed out an update to its app in the Play Store with a set of improvements primarily focused on mapping and searching. First up is an improved map experience, which builds on previous updates to the mapping UI, that offers a neat two-paned view while viewing in landscape on large phones and tablets. You can now properly browse and select places on a map on one side of the screen while browsing your friends' recent check-ins on the other. On the search side, Foursquare has added filters that you can apply before entering any search terms in the "Explore" box. Tapping the "Filter" button to the right of the search box gives options to sort by best match or distance, choose whether to show places you've checked into before, sort by price and many more. You can then continue on with a keyword or category search within those filters.

They're subtle tweaks, but we're never going to turn down improvements to a popular app. You can grab a download or update to the latest Foursquare app at the Play Store link above.

    


Google opens access to CalDAV API once again, adds CardDAV to the list

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 12:22 PM PDT

Google Sync

Developers of all sizes now have open access to both calendar and contact data syncing across the web

Google announced today that it will be reopening access to its CalDAV API, and going one step further by adding open access to CardDAV as well. This is a bit of a technical subject, but CalDAV and CardDAV are open standards managed by Google that let developers keep both calendar (CalDAV) and contacts (CardDAV) synced across the web. For example, CalDAV and CardDAV are used by Apple for syncing data on iOS; Microsoft has also pledged to support the APIs since Google's announcement that it is shutting down EAS.

Back in March, Google decided to make CalDAV a partner-only API because it felt that there were only a few select large companies taking advantage of it. Following lots of feedback and information about how smaller developers were looking to make user of the APIs, Google decided that it was better left as an open option for anyone to use. It was only fitting then that CardDAV was opened up as well, and here we are.

This doesn't immediately mean a whole lot for end users, although it does prevent future headaches for developers and companies having to switch and use a different system at some point. Google generally understands the usefulness (and even necessity) of keeping open standards... well, open. Developers will now have unfettered access to both APIs for syncing data between products, and we hope it will stay this way going forward.

Source: Google Developers Blog

    


GM now offering OnStar remote start and door unlock free for 5 years

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:34 AM PDT

OnStar

36 different 2014 GM models compatible with the new RemoteLink services

GM announced today that it will offer two of its previously paid OnStar RemoteLink services -- door unlock and remote start -- free for 5 years on three dozen of its 2014 car models. GM says that remote start and unlock are by far the most popular services currently available as part of the paid OnStar service, so it's great to see it offering these free for so long. The 5 year free period begins when you first link up the OnStar RemoteLink app to your 2014 vehicle, and if you continue to use it past that period you can simply pay and retain the functionality.

Beyond the new free level of services, the RemoteLink app also offers a whole host of services and functions if you choose to pay for the entire suite. With the paid OnStar service users can view engine system statuses such as oil and fuel level, check recent miles per gallon, check tire pressure and have one-touch access to OnStar operators for emergency assistance. If you have a current GM vehicle with remote services available, you can give the app a try from the link above.

Source: GM

    


How can mobile get its multiplayer game on?

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:50 AM PDT

The first mobile games in their time were great. Just like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong at the arcades, or Pitfall or Super Mario on the early consoles, BrickBreaker on BlackBerry, Bejeweled on Palm OS, or Tap Tap Revenge on iOS. But, like any early game, we played the first mobile games alone, or perhaps with a few friends.

Over time, however, the PC went online, and so did consoles. From Ultima to EverQuest to World of Warcraft, from Halo to Call of Duty to Battlefield 4, PC and console games have become increasingly social and increasingly multiplayer. Massively so.

Now, with ubiquitous Wi-Fi and persistent cellular connections, so has mobile and so has mobile gaming. And since mobile isn't constrained to an arcade or living room, mobile players can join in the action anytime, and anywhere, and bring with them additional technology and features like GPS and social networks beyond the games.

That's led to new innovations like push notifications for challenges, video and audio streaming to TV sets, and asynchronous play. And it's only just the beginning. Real Racing 3 and Ingress are only the beginning when it comes to multiplayer and MMO gaming on mobile.

How far have we come, how well does it work now, and how much farther can multiplayer scale on mobile?

read more

    


HTC One heading to T-Mobile stores nationwide today

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:05 AM PDT

T-Mobile HTC One

It should be a little easier to pick up the T-Mobile HTC One from today

A quick heads-up for T-Mobile U.S. customers -- the HTC One is due to launch in T-Mo stores nationwide today, following a limited roll-out in some 300 stores last month. The wider roll-out coincides with reports that HTC has overcome the early component supply issues that dogged the HTC One launch.

T-Mobile's HTC One can be yours with a $99.99 down payment on a 24-month installment plan, or alternatively it'll cost you $579.99 if you're buying outright. For more on the HTC One, check out our comprehensive review.

More: HTC One review

    


Deal of the Day: Qmadix S Series Cover for Samsung Galaxy S4

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 06:55 AM PDT

Deal of the Day The June 5 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Qmadix S Series Cover for Samsung Galaxy S4. The S Series cover integrates shock-absorbent inner material with a hard outer shell to provide sophisticated protection for your Galaxy S4. This case combines colors in a slim and attractive design, featuring access to the screen, camera, ports and buttons of the device. Comes in black, blue, red, pink and white.

The Qmadix S Series Cover is available for just $16.00, 36% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping!

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

    


Slide, tap, and tab: A look at Gmail's new interface

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 05:57 AM PDT

New Gmail 4.5 interface

New mail categories make their way over from the web; updated design sheds an action bar for a cleaner look

Google is currently in the process of rolling out a newly redesigned Gmail app -- version 4.5 if you're counting -- that is the first major redesign in some time, bringing with it a few new features to improve your mobile email experience. It's a necessary update in many ways, bringing the design up to speed with the latest UI elements introduced at Google I/O as well as falling in-line with the latest features being added to the Gmail web interface. And let's face it, the previous Gmail app has had the same basic design for far too long.

While it was extremely functional, there wasn't a whole lot to be excited about with Gmail until this week. Things are changing though, so let's take a look at some of these new features and try to make sense of it all. Stick around with us after the break and see what's new.

read more

    


Relive the ASUS Computex 'We Transform' presentation in full

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 05:12 AM PDT

Under an hour long, see the unveiling of a bunch of new Android devices over in Taiwan with Johnny Shih

ASUS has been plenty busy of late, announcing a whole raft of new devices at the Computex 2013 show in their native Taiwan. Of particular interest to us are the 6-inch Fonepad Note, the new Transformer Pad Infinity and the Transformer Book Trio, a hybrid device also containing Windows 8, and of course the new MeMo Pad's. ASUS press conferences are often as interesting to view as the actual devices themselves, and now those of us not in Taiwan can enjoy the entire thing in full. 

ASUS continues to make Android devices that interest us, but any event presented by Johnny Shih always interests us. The event itself starts at 5:22 in, so you'll need to spin on to there. Enjoy. 

Source: ASUS (Youtube)

    


HTC 'M4' allegedly captured, looks to be an HTC One mini

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:19 AM PDT

HTC M4

Smaller chassis and screen shown on a phone with a familiar design

It's been a while since we've heard anything about the M4, the rumored mid-range variant of the the flagship HTC One handset. Today the device seems to have cropped up on Estonian site Delfi.ee, in a number of images of varying quality.  The shots seem to confirm what's been rumored about the M4, specifically that it's a smaller version of the HTC One without the aluminum unibody. (Close-ups of the phone seem to show a much more plasticky-looking exterior.)

The site also claims to have a partial spec list for the M4, and lists a dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch 720p display, 16GB of storage and a 4MP HTC Ultrapixel camera. Software-wise, Android 4.2.2 is reported, and shots of the screen unsurprisingly show HTC's Sense 5 software in action. What's more, images of the phone's front face seem to confirm the presence of a pair of "BoomSound" front-facing speakers. An August launch at a €400 price point is also speculated.

If this is all legit, it looks like HTC will be pitting the M4 against the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini in the mid-to-high-end space. And assuming the specs are accurate, a 720p display would give the HTC device a clear edge over the qHD SuperAMOLED used in Samsung's Mini.

Source: Delfi.ee; via: Engadget

    


Huawei and Carphone Warehouse announce Ascend Y300

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 03:55 AM PDT

Y300Entry-lev​el handset can be had for as little as £59.95

Phone-maker Huawei and British retailer Carphone Warehouse have announced the UK launch of an entry-level Android handset, the Ascend Y300. Powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor with a 4-inch WVGA (480x800) display, a 5-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the Ascend Y300 doesn't offer outstanding specs -- although you are getting a relatively up-to-date version of Android.

But it's the price that's intended to turn heads, as Carphone Warehouse will sell the Y300 for as little as £59.95 on pre-pay. To qualify for this price, you'll need to be upgrading on a pre-paid plan; alternatively it's £69.95 for new PAYG customers, or free on contracts starting at £7.50 per month.

The Huawei Ascend Y300 will launch at Carphone Warehouse from tomorrow, Thursday June 6. Any takers?

read more

    


Samsung announces water-resistant Galaxy S4 Active

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 01:27 AM PDT

Galaxy S4 Active

Ruggedized GS4 launching this summer, coming to the U.S. and Sweden first

After weeks of leaks, Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S4 Active -- a ruggedized, water and dust-resistant version of its flagship smartphone. The Galaxy S4 Active shares much of its internal hardware with the vanilla Galaxy S4, including a quad-core Snapdragon 600 CPU at 1.9GHz, 2GB of RAM, a 1080p (TFT, not AMOLED) display, 2600mAh battery and 16GB of internal storage, expandable via microSD. The camera's taken a minor hit, going from 13MP on the regular GS4 to 8MP on the Active.

The main difference is the "fully sealed design" that the manufacturer's boasting is certified IP67 water and dust resistant . That means the external chassis looks a lot more durable, and the capacitive keys have been replaced with three physical, clicky buttons.

On the software side, we're still looking at Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean and the latest Samsung TouchWiz UI, including headline Galaxy S4 features like WatchON, the Peel-based TV controller app, which uses a front-mounted IR blaster. S Health is on-board too, along with the full suite of Samsung apps and camera capabilities like 'drama shot' and 'sound and shot.' There's also a new 'aqua shot' mode for taking underwater pics.

You get the idea -- it's essentially a Galaxy S4 in a re-worked, sturdier chassis. Samsung says the Galaxy S4 Active will have a global release this summer, with the U.S. and Sweden seeing release first. In the UK, retailer Phones4U has confirmed that it'll offer the Active "when it becomes available." There's no word of which U.S. carriers will launch the device just yet, we've seen leaked images of the Active with AT&T branding in recent days. Samsung adds that the device will be at its "Premiere 2013" show in London on June 20, and we'll be live from that event to bring you hands-on coverage.

We've got more photos after the break.

Source: Samsung

read more

    


AT&T announces 15 new LTE markets, expands 4 others

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 11:04 PM PDT

LTE

AT&T expands their LTE network in markets from New Jersey to Washington, with plenty in between

AT&T has filled our inbox tonight with news about new and expanded LTE markets across the US, so we're going to pass along the good news. AT&T bills their network as the country's fastest 4G, and while we agree for the most part there's still quite a few places where Verizon has the coverage that AT&T just doesn't. Nights like tonight, when they light up multiple cities, will go a long way to change that. Now hang on tight, the long list is after the break.

read more

    


Verizon and NFL extend deal to offer streaming games to customers

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 07:04 PM PDT

Verizon Logo

Live Sunday regional games, playoff games and Super Bowl added to the deal starting in 2014

Verizon and the NFL announced today that the companies are making a multi-year extension to their current agreement, which will continue to make Verizon the official mobile network streaming partner for NFL in the U.S. Starting this season, the NFL Mobile app from Verizon will receive a facelift, with new ways for fans to interact with stats, news, game previews, on-demand video, fantasy teams and alerts. As is the case currently, Verizon customers will have access to all Thursday, Sunday and Monday games streaming on their devices for $5 per month. Beginning with the 2014 season that coverage will expand to include local Sunday afternoon games from CBS and Fox, along with all playoff games and the Super Bowl.

This is great for Verizon customers that want to keep up with the NFL while out of the house, but unfortunate for the other couple hundred million subscribers on other carriers. The specific length and terms of the deal between the NFL and Verizon aren't known, but we have to assume that it will continue for some time, leaving everyone else that wants access to live video of NFL games on mobile in the cold. Verizon customers can be on the lookout for the updated NFL Mobile app in the near future.

Source: NFL

    


Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums


Google makes stock keyboard available in Play Store

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 04:59 PM PDT

stock_google_keyboardWhile Google is allowing more devices to come equipped with stock Android, they are also making their stock apps available on more devices. Google Keyboard, which packs in all of the features that were introduced on the stock Jelly Bean keyboard, is now available in the Play Store for all 4.0+ devices. Features that third party clients like Swype and Swiftkey already had, like gesture typing, voice dictation, word prediction and autocompletion are included in this keyboard, which could make it a popular replacement.

My first impressions of using Google Keyboard are that it’s snappy, easy to use, and seems to predict what I’m trying to say almost as well as Swiftkey. However, I’m only going to be able to get a full grasp of it after trying it out for a few days. You can download the keyboard for your phone or tablet from the link after the break. 

AndroidGuys

AndroidGuys


10 kick ass icon packs for Android

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 11:24 AM PDT

10_kick_ass_icons

So you’ve gotten into customizing your phone or tablet a bit and now you want to tweak a bit more. Have you checked out our 25 fantastic icon packs post from early February? What about the other 10 icon packs we highlighted in March? Pretty sweet stuff, no? How about another 10 icon packs?

One of the easiest ways to change your existing look is to install a new launcher.  Once you do that, it’s even easier to swap icons in and out. Want to shake off the winter blues and put something a bit more spring-like or colorful? Presto. Prefer a minimal look with single colors across the board? Done.  Wanna get in on the whole flat and square look that seems to be all the rage? Here ya go!

We’ve gathered up 10 kick ass icon packs to go along with our previous collections. We’ll continue curating these types of lists and will return with more once we’ve scooped up enough!

Check out the  gallery for a sample of the great icon packs available for Android. Mouse over anything that appeals to you, find out the name then head below for links!

Note that there are a number of launchers for Android and that not all of these may play nice. Our advice is to read the details and check out the user comments if you aren’t quite sure. Further, some of these will require manual selection and adjustment. 

Click to view slideshow.

  • Flatro – More than 160 icons and  four wallpapers, this one is equal parts minimal, round, and throwback. $1.49
  • PlayCon – Over 200 icons spread across multiple color options, this pack looks right at home with the recent Google Play designs.  FREE
  • Motif – Gorgeous in every sense of the word, we appreciate that it looks both retro and futuristic at the same time. $1.49
  • Card Stock – With tons of icons to choose from, this bundle works well with minimal layouts and designs. $1.79
  • HexaPulse – Designed to replace icons on an individual basis; transparent, hexagon shapes are stunning with any background. FREE

Click to view slideshow.

  • Modern –  Vibrant, rounded corners make these icons jump off the home screen no matter what wallpaper you use. $1.27
  • Mianogen – This icon packs looks much like the designs that Google uses today (JFK) and adds a clean, minimal touch to your experience. FREE
  • Versicolor (Slate) – What better way to tone things down than with a grey-scale icon pack? Not your cup o’ tea? The developers have other color bundles to choose from. FREE
  • Tersus – Stunning, this bundle packs nearly 1,000 icons designed with XHDPI in mind; a value if we’ve ever seen one. $1.79
  • Dark Grunge – Created for specific launchers, you’ll want to make sure you get the right one! These look absolutely gorgeous set against dark or solid color backgrounds. $1.50

10_more_icon_packs 25_icon_packs_720

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Lookout releases report on mobile threats around the world

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 09:18 AM PDT

This morning Lookout, one of the top antivirus and device tracking solutions for Android, released the first visual report that compares mobile threat types (and likelihoods) in countries around the world. This breakdown of mobile threats is a first, and it gives insight into what's really going on with mobile malware. Note: The company limited this report to a specific set of countries across a range of global geographies including the US, UK, Germany, Japan and India.

When it comes to the possibility of a user encountering at least one threat in a 7 day period, the outcome isn’t too surprising. According to Lookout:

  • There is a 1.6% likelihood that a user will encounter adware.
  • There is a .22% chance that a user will encounter chargeware.
  • There is a .10% chance that a user will encounter spyware.
  • There is a .16% chance that a user will encounter some sort of surveillance.
  • There is a .53% chance that a user will encounter a trojan program.

Lookout also included information in their reports that compared types of mobile threats to the likelihood of them occurring in different countries. It should be no surprise that adware dominates in all countries, thanks to the lack of regulation and guidelines that pertain to what is seen as acceptable advertising methods.

When it comes to trojans Germany takes the gold, and also has somewhat high threat levels with a surprising 2.37% likelihood of catching any type of virus or program. The U.K. took the award for chargeware and a 2.16% probability of any type of threat, and India had the highest likelihood of adware and also the highest threat probability at 5.49%. Japan is pretty clean compared to the other countries due to the absence of SMS and comes in at just a 0.78% probability of threats. Surveillanceware is pretty popular in the U.S. with its somewhat legal position in the market. The states probability of threat is in the middle at 1.66%.

The company states that their goal of this report is to “educate, making people more aware of these threats so that they can be mindful while browsing and downloading information, links, and apps on their mobile devices.” Make sure to take a look at the charts( below) provided by Lookout and tell us, are you at all surprised by what you read?

 

Click to view slideshow.

 

 

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Jay-Z to sign exclusive mega-deal with Samsung

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 08:55 AM PDT

Samsung and Jay-Z are very close to finishing inking out a deal, although the specifics are pretty vague at this point. The contract will be worth as much as $20 million, and is said to be completed “in the next few weeks”. This contract is going to be the biggest of its kind.

While we don’t know exactly what the contract will entail, there are some speculations:

  • A new music streaming service, focused on artists that Jay-Z hopes to promote, as well as centering around his own music (obviously)
  • New hardware – think Beats headphones and Beats-specific devices. We would probably be looking at a slew of audio equipment that would be compatible with Jay-Z’s branded phones, tablets, etc.
  • Promotions of concerts and media events
  • Jay-Z as an official spokesperson for Samsung

These all sound pretty likely at this point, and you can bet that Jay-Z will be pretty much plastered all over anything Samsung for a number of months, due to the 8-figure agreement being signed.

via nypost

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Samsung officially announces the Galaxy S4 Active, designed for those who love the outdoors

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:46 AM PDT

Samsung officially announced the Galaxy S4 Active today. This "rugged" dust and water-resistant version of the flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone includes many of the same features as the original, but is its own phone all at the same time.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

A company press release claims the new device is "purposefully designed for active users who love the outdoors." The newest smartphone to Samsung’s line-up has a fully-sealed design, which is supposed to keep dust particles out and also protect it against water damage for up to 30 minutes of submergence at a depth of one meter. The Galaxy S4 Active also features a water-resistant earphone jack that allows users to use earphones in more adventurous conditions. Each of these features were designed to comply with the standard IP67 certification.

As far as specs go, the Galaxy S4 Active’s main features include a 5-inch Full HD TFT LCD screen (with pixel density set at 443 ppi), an 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi ac, NFC, Wi-Fi Direct, irDA, and USB connectivity. Inside you’ll find a 1.9GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB RAM, a number of different mobile sensors, and approximately 11.25GB of user-available memory (at least for the model that is advertised at 16GB.) Comparing it to the original S4, it is just a little over 1mm thicker and about 20g heavier.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active views

When it comes to features, it is quite similar to the first S4. The S4 Active will also run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean right out of the box and will be equipped with several exclusive Samsung software features, such as S Travel, S Translator, Smart Pause, Airview, Air Gesture, and S Health. A new software feature that may come in handy for the active crowd is a very unique camera ability: Aqua Mode. This is a new camera setting is said to "increase visual quality and clarity for enhanced underwater images and video."

It has been said that Samsung plans to start selling the Galaxy S4 Active in the U.S. and Sweden beginning this summer. It will be available in three different color options: Dive Blue, Orange Flare, and Urban Gray. Let us know, now that the Galaxy S4 Active has officially been announced, is it all your were hoping for? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

Photos courtesy of Samsung Tomorrow

 

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ZTE Mustang outed for AT&T

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:32 AM PDT

zte_mustang_720_wmk

Sprint doesn’t look to be the only carrier set to soon offer an Android smartphone from ZTE. A ZTE Mustang has been tipped for AT&T courtest of @evleaks. Details are scarce for the handset at the moment however we can glean a few tidbits from the photo. It appears to run a nearly stock version of Android and offer a front-facing camera. As for the rest of it, we’re guessing mid-range stuff is in order for the ZTE Mustang. Look for more details or an official announcement in the near term.

@evleaks

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Rumor: Sprint may be preparing to release their own Android flagship phone

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:06 AM PDT

Rumors have been floating around lately that Sprint is looking to release a 5-inch Android flagship device of their own, and thanks to undisclosed sources it looks like they may be true.

The Vital, as it has been named, will be Sprint’s very own high-end large-screened Android 4.1 smartphone. Experts familiar with the device gave our friends at Engadget a host of photos and a few specs on the alleged ZTE-made device. In addition to running on Android Jelly Bean, the phone is said to have a 5-inch HD display (resolution unknown) , a 13-megapixel rear camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8GB of internal storage, and a 2,500mAh battery. The device will also run on Sprint’s 4G LTE network.

Click to view slideshow.

No news as to when the Vital will be available or even a price point, but we hear Sprint is looking to compete with other high-end rivals like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. Make sure to check back often for future updates.

 

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HTC One Mini ‘M4′ shows off for the camera

Posted: 05 Jun 2013 07:06 AM PDT

htc_one_mini_leaked

The rumors of a smaller HTC One experience have been around for some time now as we’ve been hearing of an “M4” for much of 2013. New images surfacing from Estonian site Forte show us just how much the forthcoming device resembles — and doesn’t — the flagship smartphone.

Details for the HTC One Mini are rumored to include a 4.3-inch 720p display , a dual-core processor, 2GB RAM, and 16GB of storage.  The source of the new photos claims the HTC One mini includes a 4-megapixel “UltraPixel” camera, very similar to the HTC One.

Sadly there still no word on price or availability however we’re hearing the end of June is the most likely scenario.

Be sure to click through to the source for additional photos; there are 13 images in total.

Forte

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