Android Phone Fans |
- LG Splendor Official For US Cellular – Available Online Today, In Stores On Wednesday
- 2-Tone HTC One X “Cushnie Et Ochs Edition” Up For Auction On eBay – Bidding Starts At $350
- Lookout Mobile Security Takes To Reddit To Answer Users’ Questions
- Motorola Flip Stand will hold any tablet or smartphone, and look stylish doing so.
- LiquidSmooth ICS milestone comes to the HTC Thunderbolt
- Google Wallet Prepaid Card being discontinued, October 17th is cut-off date to use remainder of funds
- Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G headed to T-Mobile September 19th
- AT&T announces the new LG Escape, coming September 16th for $50 [VIDEO]
- Google Drive gets significant upgrade in the Google Play Store
- Google Glass sashays down New York Fashion Week runway
- Amazon extends in-app purchases to physical goods
- Sprint announces over 100 new 4G LTE markets to launch “in the coming months”
- HTC giving away Cushnie Et Ochs edition HTC One X
- 7-inch Tabeo toddler tablet coming from Toys ‘R’ Us
- Vizio Co-Star once again available for pre-order, now shipping 9/17 [Update: Already sold out]
| LG Splendor Official For US Cellular – Available Online Today, In Stores On Wednesday Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:14 PM PDT
Leaked last Monday, the LG Splendor has just been made official for US Cellular. A variant of the LG Optimus 7 — the LG Splendor features a hodgepodge of mid-range specs that are easy on the wallet. With a 4.3-inch display, 5MP rear/.3MP front facing cameras, 1GHz single-core processor, 2GB of internal storage for applications, 4GB microSD the Spledor wont be dropping any jaws, but at $80 with a 2-year agreement (and $100 mail-in rebate), it’s not going to break the bank either. The LG Splendor can be found running Ice Cream Sandwich with LG’s all new, more minimally designed custom UI as a topping, and LG’s specialty apps like QuickMemo come pre-loaded. The device is available right now via US Cellular’s official website, and in-store on Wednesday.
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| 2-Tone HTC One X “Cushnie Et Ochs Edition” Up For Auction On eBay – Bidding Starts At $350 Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:46 PM PDT
If you fancied HTC’s special 2-tone “Oreo” color scheme on the Cushnie Et Ochs edition of their One X, the device is now being auctioned off on eBay. Bids started at $350 (but are currently up to $510 at the time of writing), and with 6 days to go, we’d expect to see that number grow much higher. It looks like the device is being shipped from Alabama here in the states but be cautious — the seller has absolutely no history of any kind. How high do you think bids will reach? [eBay]
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| Lookout Mobile Security Takes To Reddit To Answer Users’ Questions Posted: 10 Sep 2012 04:35 PM PDT
Mobile malware is a growing concern for smartphone users — especially when it comes to Android. I’ve seen a fair share of FUD pieces circulating the ‘nets attempting to shed light on the issue, but if you were looking for a more expert opinion, the boys at Lookout Mobile Security have taken to Reddit to answer any and all questions you may have. Lookout is a smartphone security company that provides applications for smartphone users to keep their device more secure. As the largest mobile OS around the world, like Windows, Android users have become a target. Can’t say how long they’ll be available, but if you hurry, you might be able to squeeze in a question of your own, or just hang out for the conversation and get better understanding of what these guys do. [Reddit]
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| Motorola Flip Stand will hold any tablet or smartphone, and look stylish doing so. Posted: 10 Sep 2012 03:30 PM PDT I have to be honest: there haven’t been a whole lot of universal smartphone and tablet stands that have excited me. For the price, maybe; but none have really made me want to jump up and say “I want that.” But Motorola seems to have come up with quite the simple option of their own. They’re calling it the Flip Stand, and it’s available for $30 at particular retailers.
It gets its name from a flipping mechanism that will allow you to extend a pair of “arms” to hold a smartphone horizontally, or to collapse those arms and use the base of it as a stand for a tablet or to hold a smartphone vertically. It does come with a “smart” charging cable, but unless you have a compatible Motorola device it really is just a USB charger. If you do happen to have a compatible Motorola device — like the DROID M or likely any other future smartphone or tablet they may come out with — the cable will allow you to automatically launch a dock application. For $30 it’s not a bad deal whether you have a Motorola smartphone or not. Head to Amazon if you’re interested. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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| LiquidSmooth ICS milestone comes to the HTC Thunderbolt Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:03 PM PDT While the HTC Thunberbolt may be getting the unfortunate shaft when it comes to an official Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, the development community always has your back. LiquidSmooth ICS, an AOSP-based ROM with a lot of great tweaks, customization and features, has finally been made available for Verizon’s first 4G LTE device.
This is being called a milestone release, which means this thing has taken tremendous strides from the earlier work we’ve seen.Take a look at the latest changes, and just a couple of things which are still broken:
Hopefully those two issues get ironed out before too long, but this is, without a shadow of doubt, one of the best daily drivers you’re going to find in Ice Cream Sandwich form for the HTC Thunderbolt right now. If you’re rooted with a custom recovery be sure to head to XDA for the instructions and downloads. [via Droid-Life[
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| Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:30 PM PDT A whole horde of users received emails today being informed that Google would be ending its prepaid card program soon. Since Google Wallet is now compatible with all major credit card vendors they feel it’s no longer beneficial to keep it going. Unfortunately, some of you do still have a balance on that prepaid card. Google’s giving you ample time to use that balance up as they’ve set the cut-off date to use it by October 17th. Even if you can’t find yourself using it up by that time, Google will give you the ability to request a refund for any unused funds. Beyond that, you will no longer be able to add funds to your prepaid card after September 17th.
It should come as no surprise to anyone as the Wallet program is now virtually accessible to anyone with a compatible Android phone and a credit or debit card from a major vendor. The only reason to use the prepaid card was to get around the fact that Google couldn’t support anyone other than Mastercard, so since that is no longer an issue the prepaid card is no longer a necessity. Google’s also changed their terms on fees. You will now be asked to pay $2.00 after 30 days of inactivity instead of the usual 180 days. In order to avoid the fee for this last time, Google will ask you to make at least one purchase before October 17th. Go ahead and take care of all that well ahead of time, and be sure to set your Google Wallet account up with your cards if you haven’t done so already. Farewell, prepaid. Head to the source link for more details. [Google]
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| Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G headed to T-Mobile September 19th Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:57 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G has been in the news for a while, but we now finally have an official launch date to look forward to. T-Mobile has announced it’d be launching September 19th. The QWERTY-enabled slider will cost $150 after a $50 mail-in rebate. The mid-range device will launch with Ice Cream Sandwich, but beyond the operating system it’ll sport a whole host of other great specs. It has a 4 inch Super AMOLED display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and more. I’d say this will be one of the more desirable devices to launch on Magenta this year. Anyone springing for it?
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| AT&T announces the new LG Escape, coming September 16th for $50 [VIDEO] Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:53 AM PDT AT&T has announced a new edition to its 4G LTE smartphone family. It’s the LG Escape, and it’s a $50 budget phone that will give you a lot of value for your money. It houses a 4.3 inch display which acts as a clear window into the beautiful, delicious world of Ice Cream Sandwich. Other specs will include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 5 megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording, Bluetooth 4.0, a 1.3 megapixel camera,4G LTE radios, and more. It looks like this is the new mid-range; it has been for a while, but when devices like these are being announced left and right for a starting price of $50 we’d say the mobile space is right where it needs to be. AT&T will be offering the Escape starting September 16th. Watch the video above to get a better idea about what this device has to offer, and read on for full press details.
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| Google Drive gets significant upgrade in the Google Play Store Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT Google Drive debuted in the Google Play Store with an impressive set of features, but if you thought Google would stagnate on its progress then you simply don’t know Google. A new upgrade for the application has hit the Google Play Store, and it’s added a lot of desirable features.
You can now sort the contents of a folder by a file type, a better viewing experience for Presentations, basic table support in the editor, the ability to create, reply to, and resolve comments in a document, the ability to change fonts in a document, the ability to print files using Google Cloud Print, and a lot more. While Google can’t surely make everyone happy in one fell swoop we’d say this is enough of a jump to make you forget about most other cloud storage services available to you. Find the free download in the Google Play Store.
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| Google Glass sashays down New York Fashion Week runway Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:11 AM PDT
A major hurdle for Google Glass to overcome is convincing people they won’t look silly donning the upcoming headgear throughout their daily lives. It certainly helps Google’s cause to see prototype units make an appearance at New York Fashion Week. But that wasn’t the only reason Glass could be spotted as the accessory of choice for those modeling Diane von Furstenberg’s latest designs. The futuristic set of eyewear was also being used to record video for use in an upcoming short film documenting von Furstenberg’s creative process through the behind-the-scenes goings on at a high-profile fashion show. The film will be called “DVF through Glass” and will debut on Google+ on September 13th. The whole charade smells more like a marketing ploy on Google’s behalf rather than any true movement by a big-time designer to incorporate Google’s experimental gadget into her line. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad marketing ploy. The stunt should bring some attention to Google Glass from a completely different cultural segment, and exposing the concept to fashion-oriented minds is a move that will certainly help to establish the project. [via Electronista]
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| Amazon extends in-app purchases to physical goods Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:39 AM PDT
In-app purchases have been paying off for developers. They provide a middle ground between offering software at a premium price and free but ad-filled apps and games. Amazon is looking to expand the ability to monetize apps by taking in-app purchases to the next level. Using their unique position as both a retailer of digital and physical goods, the company announced alongside its new Kindle Fire lineup the ability for devs to sell physical goods using their apps as a storefront. To start, Activision will be peddling a line of toys within their game Skylanders, a console title with a mobile companion app. The game’s unique augmented reality experience that brings physical figures into the digital realm (toys are recognized by a “portal” connected the console and transmitted into the game) means players will be seeking to expand their collection of characters to incorporate into the experience. An ideal testing ground for the feature, which incorporates Amazon’s one-click purchasing. The ability to sell physical goods not only provides a chance to monetize apps further, but also differentiates what Amazon is offering compare to both Google and Apple. It does so in a way that should be appealing to both developers and mobile users. [via AllThingsD]
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| Sprint announces over 100 new 4G LTE markets to launch “in the coming months” Posted: 10 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT
In the continuing 4G wars, coverage has become a real talking point. Verizon, being first to market, had a bit of a head start and still boasts the largest number of LTE markets by a wide margin, but Sprint hopes to close the gap with the announcement that they are currently installing 4G coverage in over 100 new cities. The list is far too long to reduplicate here, but includes markets across the US as well as territories such as Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, with a large concentration of new sites in the south, including locations in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. The northeast and midwest also get their fair share of new LTE coverage. Sprint hasn’t given any deadlines on when we can expect LTE to go live in these new markets other than the loose timetable of “the coming months.” This doesn’t necessarily mean by year’s end, but we should see plenty more coverage from Sprint as 2013 approaches. [via Sprint]
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| HTC giving away Cushnie Et Ochs edition HTC One X Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:25 AM PDT
The fashion-savvy have probably been wondering when they could get their hands on the Cushnie Et Ochs edition HTC One X since it first popped up last week. The phone debuted in a two-tone color scheme that is as unique as it is striking, and while it was meant mostly to dazzle the Fashion Week crowd, HTC is now offering a chance for those of us a bit more grounded in our aesthetics to take the leap into high design. The contest is rather simple, and, as most online giveaways functions these days, involves social media. All you have to do is follow HTCMobile on Pinterest and re-pin an image from a selection of photos of the black-and-white One X. That’s about as easy as it gets, and worthwhile even if you aren’t that interested in holding one of the most fashionable phones on the block. The One X itself is still a great device regardless of its outward appearance. [via HTCBlog]
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| 7-inch Tabeo toddler tablet coming from Toys ‘R’ Us Posted: 10 Sep 2012 06:13 AM PDT
Toys”R”Us has been known to stock a tablet or two designed specifically for kids in the past, but today the company announces their first slate to receive the brand’s stamp of approval. Called the Tabeo, the new toddler tab doesn’t differ much from previous devices in the same category. The slate features a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 chipset, 7-inch display with 800×480 resolution, 1GB RAM, and WiFi connectivity. Otherwise not too many bells and whistles are to be found. The Tabeo’s most notable spec is the inclusion of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, though it will come with a parsed-down user interface designed with younger folk in mind. It will ship with a selection of games, apps, and books pre-installed. Parental controls will allow adults to easily monitor internet usage as well as establish a list of viewable sites. The Tabeo is available for pre-order now priced at $150 and will hit Toys”R”Us stores exclusively on October 21st. A selection of accessories will be available, including bumpers and cases.
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| Vizio Co-Star once again available for pre-order, now shipping 9/17 [Update: Already sold out] Posted: 10 Sep 2012 05:56 AM PDT
While we’re not quite sure why they are still calling it a pre-order after an initial batch of Co-Star units hit doorsteps last month, but Vizio is once again listing their Google TV box for sale on their site. The $99 Co-Star is about as cheap a pathway to Google TV as you will find, so it’s no surprise that the company has had trouble keeping up with demand. While we have no way of knowing exactly how many units Vizio has pushed, since the GTV device has seen its status go from pre-order to unavailable and back several times in the past month. New units are shipping on the 17th of this month, so orders should arrive in a little over a week. Just remember: the Co-Star is only available from Vizio’s site, so if you want one you will want to head over and put down a reservation now. Update: If you didn’t act quick, you missed your chance to pick up the Co-Star for now. The GTV box is once again listed as out of stock shortly after Vizio’s site began accepting pre-orders once again. We’ll keep an eye on the buy page and let you know when more units are back in stock. [via Vizio | Thanks, Jeremy!]
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