Android Phone Fans

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• T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Leaked For $300 At Walmart
• Official Google Play Twitter Page Confirms Verizon Wireless Carrier Billing Coming To Play Store
• Unofficial Galaxy Nexus Google+ Page Mentions Multiple Nexus Devices – Android Fans Go Nuts
• Google’s influence on Motorola’s hardware won’t be evident until late next year
• Google misses Q3 earnings expectations, suffers major blow in stock
• Acer Iconia Tab A110 coming to North America October 30th for $230
• Starbucks update brings Holo UI and My Starbucks Rewards
• Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD now available from Verizon
• New Casio G’zOne phone on the way, shows up at FCC
• Apple loses UK appeal, must place ads saying Samsung is no copycat
• Just In Time For Christmas, Wishlists Arrive In The Google Play Store
• Android 4.1.2 Over-The-Air Update Now Rolling Out To Google Play Galaxy Nexus (Takju)

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Leaked For $300 At Walmart Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:46 PM PDT With little more than a vague “in the coming months” launch window for the T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2, we’ve all been left wondering, not only exactly when we can pick up the phoneblet, but how many pennies that darn thing is going to cost us. Well, if you’re looking for the on-contract pricing for the G-Note 2, the boys over at TMoNews were able to secure some leaked pricing information for not only the upcoming tablet, but the LG Optimus L9 (the real device you’ve been waiting for). According to the leak, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for T-Mobile could launch at a whopping $300, with the L9 coming in at just under a buck. With Walmart being the “low price leader,” we can only pray the price tag wont go up when sold directly at T-Mobile retail stores. I also have a feeling we’ll be looking at some kind of mail-in rebates so expect the out-of-pocket price to be even higher. Of course, none of this is confirmed, and we’ll let you know when we learn of something a little more official. In the meantime, have you guys been saving up for big bubba? Or will you opt for the smaller, more petite figure of the Nexus 4?

Official Google Play Twitter Page Confirms Verizon Wireless Carrier Billing Coming To Play Store Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:05 PM PDT Good news for those that don’t like all the hassle that comes with purchasing apps from the Google Play Store using one of those boring old credit cards. The official Google Play Twitter confirmed today that carrier billing will be finally be making its way to Verizon Wireless. That means Verizon customers will soon find themselves joining illustrious group of Sprint and T-Mobile’s elite customers who’ve been enjoying the many benefits of throwing apps directly on top of their already high monthly cellphone bill. I understand that this is a great option for those without poor or no credit, but honestly — how many people actually take advantage of it? Either way, options are good and with Android, we have plenty of them.

Unofficial Galaxy Nexus Google+ Page Mentions Multiple Nexus Devices – Android Fans Go Nuts Posted: 18 Oct 2012 05:51 PM PDT Careful out there, folks. I know we’re all a bit excited, scouring the nets for any bit of info regarding the next Nexus device(s) but just like the world of Twitter, Google+ is full of unofficial accounts spreading hope (sometimes falsely). Take the “Galaxy Nexus” Google+ account which posted the following: “Happy birthday +Galaxy Nexus, you were born one year ago, on October 19th. Soon you are going to meet your younger brother(s) ;)” This lead our Phantips inbox filling with, “ERMAHGERD!!! NERCKSERZ!!!!!” emails from excited Android-fanboys across the globe. Only one problem — the Galaxy Nexus Google+ page in question ISN’T OFFICIAL. Whoever runs it was merely commenting on current rumors and speculation that multiple Nexus devices could be announced on October 29th. We’ll still keep our fingers crossed but in the meantime, watch yourself out there. The net is a big strange place (especially those weird kids on Google+). [Google+]

Google’s influence on Motorola’s hardware won’t be evident until late next year Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:00 PM PDT In the financial conference call Google held today, Google CEO Patrick Pichette talked about the Google-Motorola marriage and what it meant for the future of Motorola’s product line. He first reminded folks that in the 150 days since the acquisition, Google has “harmonized” and scaled back Motorola’s product line (which we believe means less crap and better quality), pulled out of several different markets, undertook the streamlining of software, and more. That last bit would seem true already as the new versions of MotoBlur are as close to vanilla Android as they’ve ever been. And while Google originally shied away from questions of its plans for Motorola by saying they’d continue to operate as they always have, Pichette kind-of sort-of confirmed that Google would be doing more to influence Motorola’s product line in the future. He was quick to remind everyone that product cycles take time. From the beginning of R&D to a retail launch takes 12-18 months on average, which means if Google has a hand in the development of new Motorola devices its impact wouldn’t be made evident until sometime in Q4 of next year at the earliest. He also wanted to cool down the panic mode that seems to have swept the news wire as the company suffered a major stock hit after missing expectations for the quarter. Pichette says the Google-Motorola story has only just begun, and while we’re not promised a fairy tale ending just yet we can surely expect an exciting plot as it thickens. Before we get out of hand we need to remember one thing — this does not automatically entitle us to a Motorola-made Nexus device (at least not right away). While droves of us would love for that to happen Google’s making it clear that other OEMs will still get fair shots at making Nexus devices. How long that stance might last remains to be seen, but I can tell you one thing: many of us wouldn’t mind having Motorola make Nexus devices for years to come.

Google misses Q3 earnings expectations, suffers major blow in stock Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:12 PM PDT Google’s Q3 financial call isn’t until later today, but preliminary earnings details were made public earlier today. Google expected to post $10.65 earnings per share and rake in $11.86 billion, but instead finished just shy of that. Instead, the company posted $9.03 per share and only brought in $11.33 billion. The margins don’t look significant but when your company is selling upwards of $700 and maintains a $230 billion market cap it doesn’t make for good times around the Mountain View offices. Google’s performance knocked its share price down about 9% at one point, though that number is now sitting at 8.01% as of the closing of the market today. That number is good to knock off $60.49 per share as of the time of closing, and that brings them to right around $695. After-hours trading doesn’t seem to indicate Google will recover much of that by the time the market opens tomorrow morning, though it’s always tough to say where they’ll be 24 hours from now. A number of things contributed to this unfortunate fall, the most interesting of which being Motorola Mobility’s operating loss of $151 million out of revenues of $2.58 billion on the quarter. The full numbers can be found in the press summary below. It wasn’t long ago that things were looking up for Google. The company had surpassed Microsoft in market cap for the first time and many expected Google to dominate that #2 position after a brief period of ebb and flow. Google ended up dropping back down to about $227 billion while Microsoft is still sitting around the $248 billion they had when Google first reached the milestone. While Android isn’t everything (well, for us it is… but not in the grand scheme of it all), it’ll be interesting to see how this upcoming New York City event on October 29th or any other happenings will affect Google’s stock. Google is rumored to be revealing Android 4.2 and the next Nexus phone that day, and while it may not impact Google’s fortunes much the announcements should hopefully be a little bit of an espresso shot for its stock. Even if Motorola didn’t post any losses it wouldn’t have helped Google much in terms of reaching expectations so you have to wonder whether or not Google will attribute losses to the growing pains of this new relationship. We won’t get those thoughts until the conference call takes place later today, but don’t expect any buses waiting on the pavement (at least not in any obvious way). It’ll be an interesting call to sit in on, that’s for sure. How much do you think this loss hurts Google in the long run? Google Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2012 Results MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – October 18, 2012 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2012. PENDING LARRY QUOTE Q3 Financial Summary Google Inc. reported consolidated revenues of $14.10 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, an increase of 45% compared to the third quarter of 2011. Google Inc. reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the third quarter of 2012, TAC totaled $2.77 billion, or 26% of advertising revenues. Operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) are reported on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures at the end of this release. •GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.74 billion, or 19% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.80 billion, or 27% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. •GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.18 billion, compared to $2.73 billion in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.01 billion, compared to $3.18 billion in the third quarter of 2011. •GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $6.53 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $8.33 in the third quarter of 2011 on 327 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $9.03, compared to $9.72 in the third quarter of 2011. •Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude stock-based compensation (SBC) expense, as well as restructuring and related charges recorded in our Motorola business. Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses noted above, net of the related tax benefits. In the third quarter of 2012, the expense related to SBC and the related tax benefits were $715 million and $155 million compared to $571 million and $116 million in the third quarter of 2011. In the third quarter of 2012, restructuring and related charges recorded in our Motorola business were $349 million, and the related tax benefits were $76 million. Q3 Financial Highlights Revenues and other information – On a consolidated basis, Google Inc. revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was $14.10 billion, an increase of 45% compared to the third quarter of 2011. •Google Revenues (advertising and other) – Google revenues were $11.53 billion, or 82% of consolidated revenues, in the third quarter of 2012, representing a 19% increase over third quarter 2011 revenues of $9.72 billion. •Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated revenues of $7.73 billion, or 67% of total Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This represents a 15% increase over third quarter 2011 Google sites revenues of $6.74 billion. •Google Network Revenues – Google's partner sites generated revenues of $3.13 billion, or 27% of total Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This represents a 21% increase from third quarter 2011 Google network revenues of $2.60 billion. Google International Revenues – Google revenues from outside of the United States totaled $6.11 billion, representing 53% of total Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 54% in the second quarter of 2012 and 55% in the third quarter of 2011. Foreign Exchange Impact on Google Revenues – Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the second quarter of 2012 through the third quarter of 2012, our Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012 would have been $136 million higher. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the third quarter of 2011 through the third quarter of 2012, our Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012 would have been $557 million higher. •Google revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $1.22 billion, representing 11% of Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 11% in the third quarter of 2011. •In the third quarter of 2012, we recognized a benefit of $62 million to Google revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program, compared to $1 million in the third quarter of 2011. Reconciliations of our non-GAAP international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging to GAAP international revenues are included at the end of this release. Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, increased approximately 33% over the third quarter of 2011 and increased approximately 6% over the second quarter of 2012. Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, decreased approximately 15% over the third quarter of 2011 and decreased approximately 3% over the second quarter of 2012. TAC – Traffic acquisition costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google's partners, increased to $2.77 billion in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $2.21 billion in the third quarter of 2011. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 26% in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 24% in the third quarter of 2011. The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our Network members, which totaled $2.21 billion in the third quarter of 2012. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $556 million in the third quarter of 2012. •Motorola Revenues (hardware and other) – Motorola revenues were $2.58 billion ($1.78 billion from the mobile segment and $797 million from the home segment), or 18% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2012. Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, content acquisition costs, credit card processing charges, and manufacturing and inventory-related costs, increased to $3.78 billion, or 27% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $1.17 billion, or 12% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $4.81 billion in the third quarter of 2012, or 34% of revenues, compared to $3.28 billion in the third quarter of 2011, or 34% of revenues. Amortization Expenses – Amortization expenses of acquisition related intangible assets were $317 million for the third quarter of 2012, compared to $126 million in the third quarter of 2011. Of the $317 million, $182 million was as a result of the acquisition of Motorola, of which $109 million was allocated to Google and $73 million was allocated to Motorola. Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the third quarter of 2012, the total charge related to SBC was $762 million, of which $47 million was restructuring-related, compared to $571 million in the third quarter of 2011. We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to September 30, 2012 to be approximately $2.7 billion for 2012. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after September 30, 2012 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted. Operating Income – On a consolidated basis, GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.74 billion, or 19% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.80 billion, or 27% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. •Google Operating Income – GAAP operating income for Google was $3.26 billion, or 28% of Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.95 billion, or 34% of Google revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion in the third quarter of 2011, or 37% of Google revenues. •Motorola Operating Loss – GAAP operating loss for Motorola was $527 million ($505 million for the mobile segment and $22 million for the home segment), or -20% of Motorola revenues in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP operating loss for Motorola in the third quarter of 2012 was $151 million, or -6% of Motorola revenues. Interest and Other Income, Net – Interest and other income, net, was $63 million in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $302 million in the third quarter of 2011. Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 22% for the third quarter of 2012. Net Income – GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.18 billion, compared to $2.73 billion in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP net income was $3.01 billion in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $3.18 billion in the third quarter of 2011. GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $6.53 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $8.33 in the third quarter of 2011 on 327 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $9.03, compared to $9.72 in the third quarter of 2011. Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities in the third quarter of 2012 totaled $4.0 billion, compared to $3.95 billion in the third quarter of 2011. In the third quarter of 2012, capital expenditures were $872 million, the majority of which was for production equipment and facilities-related purchases. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the third quarter of 2012, free cash flow was $3.13 billion. We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures. A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release. Cash – As of September 30, 2012, cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities were $45.7 billion. Headcount – On a worldwide basis, we employed 53,546 full-time employees (36,118 in our Google business and 17,428 in our Motorola business) as of September 30, 2012, compared to 54,604 full-time employees as of June 30, 2012. WEBCAST AND CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION A live audio webcast of Google's third quarter 2012 earnings release call will be available at http://investor.google.com/webcast.html. The call begins today at 1:30 PM (PT) / 4:30 PM (ET). This press release, the financial tables, as well as other supplemental information including the reconciliations of certain non-GAAP measures to their nearest comparable GAAP measures, are also available on that site. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include statements regarding our continued investments in our core areas of strategic focus, our expected SBC charges, and our plans to make significant capital expenditures. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, unforeseen changes in our hiring patterns and our need to expend capital to accommodate the growth of the business, as well as those risks and uncertainties included under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, which are on file with the SEC and are available on our investor relations website at investor.google.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Additional information will also be set forth in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2012. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of October 18, 2012, and we undertake no duty to update this information unless required by law. ABOUT NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which statements are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP EPS, free cash flow, and non-GAAP international revenues. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of selected non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP financial measures," "Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures," "Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow," and "Reconciliation from GAAP international revenues to non-GAAP international revenues" included at the end of this release. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses and expenditures that may not be indicative of our "recurring core business operating results," meaning our operating performance excluding not only non-cash charges, such as SBC, but also discrete cash charges that are infrequent in nature. We believe that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to our historical performance and liquidity as well as comparisons to our competitors' operating results. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors both because (1) they allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision-making and (2) they are used by our institutional investors and the analyst community to help them analyze the health of our business. Non-GAAP operating income and operating margin. We define non-GAAP operating income as operating income plus expenses related to SBC, and, as applicable, other special items. Non-GAAP operating margin is defined as non-GAAP operating income divided by revenues. Google considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for management and investors because they exclude the effect of SBC, and as applicable, other special items so that Google's management and investors can compare Google's recurring core business operating results over multiple periods. Because of varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types that companies can use under FASB ASC Topic 718, Google's management believes that providing a non-GAAP financial measure that excludes SBC allows investors to make meaningful comparisons between Google's recurring core business operating results and those of other companies, as well as providing Google's management with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating Google's own recurring core business operating results over different periods of time. There are a number of limitations related to the use of non-GAAP operating income versus operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. First, non-GAAP operating income excludes some costs, namely, SBC, that are recurring. SBC has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in Google's business. Second, SBC is an important part of our employees' compensation and impacts their performance. Third, the components of the costs that we exclude in our calculation of non-GAAP operating income may differ from the components that our peer companies exclude when they report their results of operations. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP operating income and evaluating non-GAAP operating income together with operating income calculated in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP net income and EPS. We define non-GAAP net income as net income plus expenses related to SBC and, as applicable, other special items less the related tax effects. The tax effects of SBC and, as applicable, other special items are calculated using the tax-deductible portion of SBC, and, as applicable, other special items, and applying the entity-specific, U.S. federal and blended state tax rates. We define non-GAAP EPS as non-GAAP net income divided by the weighted average outstanding shares, on a fully-diluted basis. We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be a useful metric for management and investors for the same reasons that Google uses non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin. However, in order to provide a complete picture of our recurring core business operating results, we exclude from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS the tax effects associated with SBC and, as applicable, other special items. Without excluding these tax effects, investors would only see the gross effect that excluding these expenses had on our operating results. The same limitations described above regarding Google's use of non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin apply to our use of non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS and evaluating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS together with net income and EPS calculated in accordance with GAAP. Free cash flow. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. We consider free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business that, after the acquisition of property and equipment, including information technology infrastructure and land and buildings, can be used for strategic opportunities, including investing in our business, making strategic acquisitions, and strengthening the balance sheet. Analysis of free cash flow also facilitates management's comparisons of our operating results to competitors' operating results. A limitation of using free cash flow versus the GAAP measure of net cash provided by operating activities as a means for evaluating Google is that free cash flow does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance from operations for the period because it excludes cash used for capital expenditures during the period. Our management compensates for this limitation by providing information about our capital expenditures on the face of the statement of cash flows and under the caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. Google has computed free cash flow using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter and year to year. Non-GAAP international revenues. We define non-GAAP international revenues as international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging. Non-GAAP international revenues are calculated by translating current quarter revenues using prior quarter and prior year exchange rates, as well as excluding any hedging gains realized in the current quarter. We consider non-GAAP international revenues as a useful metric as it facilitates management's internal comparison to our historical performance. The accompanying tables have more details on the non-GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures.

Acer Iconia Tab A110 coming to North America October 30th for $230 Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:44 AM PDT As much as we talk about the Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire it can be easy to forget that Acer is also trying to break into the affordable tablet games. Acer has actually been doing it for quite some time, but it seems these new devices have pressured the OEM to introduce its tablets at more attractive price points. Acer’s pricing has never been too bad relatively speaking, but having even more affordable products only makes us more excited. Acer’s latest 7-inch wonder — the Acer Iconia Tab A110 — looks to make some waves when it comes to North America October 30th. The tablet, which will cost $230, runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box and gives you ample power with 1GB of RAM and NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor. You’ll get 8GB of internal storage, but unlike some of these other affordable tablets you’ll also get the option of expanding your storage by up to 32GB via a microSD card slot — kudos, Acer! Unfortunately it seems Acer wasn’t in position to take a loss on the tablet like Google and Amazon, and had to cut corners in a couple of different places. For starters, the display is not full HD. Instead you’ll be getting a 1024×600 configuration. It’s a tad disconcerting knowing that my smartphone has a higher screen resolution than my tablet, but my smartphone also costs $600 off contract so perhaps I should be too surprised. We still have some pretty nice features to sweeten the deal, though, including a micro HDMI port. It will all come down to whether or not you can get jiggy with that display — if you can’t, and if none of the added connectivity options are a concern for you, then there are other mouth-watering options that will cost you even less. Look for these to be available at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon when it ships at the end of this month.

Starbucks update brings Holo UI and My Starbucks Rewards Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:19 AM PDT When apps get updated to conform to Android’s new design guidelines I always get a little giddy inside. After all, consistency is key and everyone knows that’s one of the main problems with the collection of apps currently available in the Google Play Store. While I’m no java nut I was happy to see that Starbucks updated its application to bring the Holo UI into the mix. You’ll get swiping action, the action bar, crisp controls and a more smooth experience to feed your unhealthy addiction, but that’s not all we’re getting in this update. Starbucks has also brought the ability to view your My Starbucks Rewards information to see how close you are to getting that next quad half caf venti 3 pump vanilla 3 pump hazelnut soy extra hot no foam with whip and cinnamon sprinkles latte. Aside from all of that, general performance improvements and bug fixes have made their way into this delicious package. And you still retain the ability to locate your nearest shop on a map and reload your Starbucks card. The app is visually rich so all the resources inside make up for a seemingly steep 6.1MB download, but you coffee fiends are likely to justify the download even if you had absolutely no space or bandwidth  to accommodate it. Get your download in the Google Play Store.

Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD now available from Verizon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:28 AM PDT While the Motorola DROID RAZR M is a fine device for many different people it’s no secret that our readership has instead been looking forward to the RAZR HD devices to make their way to Verizon Wireless. Fortunately the devices are indeed available, and you can get them for $200 (RAZR HD) and $300 (RAZR MAXX HD) by opening your wallets and heading to VerizonWireless.com or your local Verizon store. These devices are follow-ups to the successful RAZR reboot of yesteryear, and while an upgrade for those of you who got those phones might not seem ideal there’s plenty reason for you to consider them just as strongly as anyone. The devices have a 4.7 inch HD display, an 8 megapixel camera, a 1.5GHz dual-core S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, Android 4.0, NFC, and more. The two variants have a slight difference, of course, as the MAXX HD comes outfitted with a 3,300mAh battery rated for 32 hours. Verizon and Motorola aren’t saying that’s talk time, mind you, so we imagine they went with average smartphone usage tests to determine that number. It’s still very impressive whichever way you look at it, and we’re sure many people will spring for that version because of it. The RAZR HD’s battery isn’t all that bad, though, as it houses a battery with a capacity around 2,500 mAh. This should still deliver some very solid battery life considering the S4 processor is known to handle power management very well. Those wanting a developer edition of the Motorola DROID RAZR HD can go here, but there’s an unfortunate twist for those seeking the MAXX HD variant — there won’t be a developer’s edition. This means you’ll have to deal with a tough cookie of an encrypted bootloader and support for custom ROMs will be very limited. If the bootloader means nothing to you then get over to Verizon Wireless to stake your claim to the other two. You can also do yourself a favor and check our hands-on time with the MAXX HD by clicking right here. [via Verizon Wireless | RAZR HD, RAZR MAXX HD, RAZR HD Developer Edition]

New Casio G’zOne phone on the way, shows up at FCC Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:23 AM PDT Verizon’s Casio G’zOne Commando wasn’t exactly the phone of the year, but for what it was — a ruggedized Android device with a fair bit of power — you couldn’t ask for much more. So we’re more than intrigued by a recent FCC filing that reveals a followup to the handset, a new Gz’One-branded handset listed as the Casio C811. The new Gz’One phone looks to continue the tradition of combining a rugged exterior with a properly-specced smartphone, and upgrades the previous model with such features as Verizon LTE connectivity and NFC. It also carrier GSM worldphone, which could come in handy for your next globe-trotting spelunking excursion. There is no word on exactly what spec the phone carries in terms of resistance to shock/heat/water/dust/etc., but we assume it will at least match that of previous Gz’One handsets. From the sketch accompanying the FCC documents, the aesthetics of the device look to remain the same, at least. We haven’t heard anything from inside Verizon to suggest a possible launch date for the handset, but given that the phone is already making a trip to the FCC it could hit shelves by the end of the year. [via Engadget]

Apple loses UK appeal, must place ads saying Samsung is no copycat Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:13 AM PDT Apple just lost one appeal they certainly were hoping to have reversed. A panel of judges in the UK has upheld an earlier ruling that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab did not copy the design of Apple’s iPad. You might recall that at the time of the initial ruling, a judge made the backhanded statement that Samsung’s tablet was not as “cool” as Apple’s. You might also recall the punishment handed down, which ordered Apple to post notice on their website and in several publications explicitly stating that Samsung did not copy their designs. The judges said that such an “acknowledgement must come from the horse’s mouth,” adding, “Nothing short of that will be sure to do the job completely.” The ruling could still be appealed to the UK Supreme Court, but it currently appears as though Apple has no plans to do so. The results of the case could have much larger implications, as the ruling is valid throughout Europe and could prevent Apple from taking further legal action against Samsung based on this particular design claim. The decision contrasts recent developments in the US, where Apple won a $1 billion dollar settlement after bringing similar patent and design infringement claims in front of a California courtroom. Samsung said of the ruling, “We continue to believe that Apple was not the first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners. Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited.” Apple had not comment. [via BBC]

Just In Time For Christmas, Wishlists Arrive In The Google Play Store Posted: 17 Oct 2012 09:06 PM PDT After laying dormant for weeks now, Google has finally flipped the switch enabling the bookmarking of apps, music, movies, and books in the Play Store. This is a “feature” I’ve been clamoring for since the dawn of the Android Market (I have an app addiction, one that needs to be sorted), and comes as a welcomed update. Well, the wait is officially over and while you can’t share your Wishlists with friends and family just yet, it is a nice place to tuck away apps you would maybe wanna try out later, or save for until after the Christmas season (once you’ve accumulated enough Google Play Store giftcards from relatives). There’s no need to hunt or look for an updated version of the Play Store, it’s already there. You just need to wait for Google to enable it in the current version, 3.9.16. Let’s hope Google has more goodies in store for the Play Store hopefully revealing more at their October 29th press event in NYC. It’s a good time to be alive and reppin’ the green robot, folks. Let us know if you see Wishlists in your Play Store yet. Thanks, Ricky!

Android 4.1.2 Over-The-Air Update Now Rolling Out To Google Play Galaxy Nexus (Takju) Posted: 17 Oct 2012 08:52 PM PDT That didn’t take long. After the international model of the Galaxy Nexus began receiving its over-the-air update to Android 4.1.2 a few days ago, now those that purchased the device in the Google Play Store can get in on some of the fun as well. We’ve received quite a few Phantips, alerting us that the OTA update is now live, so if you haven’t yet been prompted, jump into your Settings app and pull it manually. If it’s still not there, you can either sit tight, or manually download the update (but only if you’re running JRO03, and you know exactly what you’re doing). The update can be grabbed via Google’s server here. As for the rest of us, we’ll just be hanging out, wishing we knew what it was like to have the absolute latest version of Jelly Bean. (Sigh). Thanks, ToxMarz, Flyingsolow, Forrest, and Justin!

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Android Central

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• Verizon confirms Droid Bionic ICS update is starting tomorrow
• Play Store carrier billing coming to Verizon
• Razor Salvation THD Review
• Facebook SDK for Android updated to 3.0 beta
• The Galaxy Nexus may soon have brother(s)
• Acer reportedly looking to launch Intel powered smartphone before the year end
• Android Central celebrates 1 million members!
• Sprint finally takes controlling stake in Clearwire
• Page: Android activations still at 1.3 million a day
• Motorola Droid RAZR HD Developer Edition goes on sale for $600
• LG Lucid gets ICS upgrade starting Friday
• Three UK pushing out Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S3
• Google launches new, cheaper Samsung Chromebook
• Google Play seller support coming to India
• LOVEFiLM details how the service will integrate into the UK Kindle Fire
• AT&T LG Optimus G review
• Google Q3 2012 earnings released prematurely, revenues and operating income down
• Swype Beta 1.3 released, brings dictionary backup, 'hotwords' and more
• Apple loses appeal in UK High Court, must take out ads saying Samsung isn't a copycat
• Verizon brings LTE to a whole bunch of new cities
• Samsung partners with Khan Academy to bring the Galaxy Note 10.1 to California schools
• Hands on and a quick unboxing of the HTC Desire X
• Kyocera Rise lands on Public Mobile in Canada
• Motorola Droid RAZR M, RAZR HD, and RAZR MAXX HD now available on Verizon
• A little perspective ...

Verizon confirms Droid Bionic ICS update is starting tomorrow Posted: 18 Oct 2012 05:19 PM PDT Remember when we started hearing about a Droid Bionic soak test? Yeah, that's happening now. Verizon has just put up official documentation on its support site for the update -- software version 6.7.246 -- with the label "Coming soon!". The software update will be a whopping 368MB download, and will bring the device up to Android 4.0.4 with many of the recent software customizations people have come to enjoy on the latest Motorola handsets. From its official @VZWnews Twitter account, Verizon has also confirmed that the ICS update will be rolling out for widespread availability tomorrow. This will certainly be a good start to many Bionic user's weekends. Source: Android Central Forums; Verizon (Support) ; Verizon (Twitter)

Play Store carrier billing coming to Verizon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 05:00 PM PDT Well, it's about damn time. The Play Store on its official Google+ page announced that Verizon will be offering carrier billing of apps, books, subscriptions and other content. The page indicates that the feature will be rolling out in the next few weeks. This couldn't come any sooner and we really wonder what has taken so long to implement. The other carriers in the U.S. have offered carrier billing even back to when the Play Store was still called the Android Market. What really matters is the more ways people have to pay for content and apps in the Play Store, the better. Source: +Google Play

Razor Salvation THD Review Posted: 18 Oct 2012 04:32 PM PDT Razor Salvation THD found its way into Google Play recently, offering explosive shooting action full of futuristic mechs and menacing aliens. The game was made with NVIDIA Tegra compatibility first and foremost, so device compatibility is minimal for the time being. Razor Salvation THD is effectively a wave defense game. Players land in war-torn hotspots through an orbital drop-pod, and have to stand their ground against alien attackers from all directions. The pod has a variety of weapons from the get-go, such as a missile launcher, minigun, auto-cannon, and mortar, but managing reload times and quick switching are essential to staying alive. There are only four levels to play through, though mission objectives change up every time you play. Those missions keep things relatively fresh, even if the core gameplay doesn’t change much other than offering more challenging enemies to blow up and different scenery. read more

Facebook SDK for Android updated to 3.0 beta Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:44 PM PDT Following the update for iOS developers a few weeks ago, Facebook has completely revamped the Android SDK, it said. The new changes, touted as the “biggest overhaul” yet, are aimed at making it easier and faster to develop Android apps which plug into Facebook. The company is also trying to make third-party user interfaces more consistent. New native UI controls pack built-in caching in order to make the whole experience faster. Developers will get the ability to integrate friend tagging and calling up nearby places. It looks like new login controls to manage authentication are meant to help apps call up your Facebook identities and hold onto them, without having you authenticate too often—or more than once, conceivably. (This could be the start of a number of embarrassing gaffes, so watch your logins, people.) On the backend, Facebook API calls can be done in batches now, which helps make everything faster. And with the emphasis on smartphones coming onto Facebook, it makes sense that developers now get a way to measure clicks and installs for mobile ads. So it seems the SDK has come along way since the first version was released way back in 2010. Interested developers can get all the details here, or download the SDK here. Source: Facebook Developer Blog

The Galaxy Nexus may soon have brother(s) Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:30 PM PDT Don't read too much into it, but the Galaxy Nexus Google+ feed just announced the following: October 29th. The game is on ladies and gentlemen. Happy birthday +Galaxy Nexus, you were born one year ago, on October 18th. Soon you are going to meet your younger brother(s) ;) Now this might mean anything. The Nexus 7 certainly makes for a fine brother, as would the rumored LG Nexus 4. Of course, everyone's mind instantly turns towards multiple Nexus phones, which can never be counted out.  We'll know more in 11 days. In the meantime, dissect this one in the rumored device forums! Source: +Galaxy Nexus

Acer reportedly looking to launch Intel powered smartphone before the year end Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:19 PM PDT It's inevitable that we'll start to see more Intel powered Android devices as we move into 2013. But, the latest word to reach us from the far east suggests we may yet see another before this year is out. According to an article written by The China Post, Acer is hoping to launch their own Intel smartphone before the end of 2012. A potentially odd move if true, especially with CES taking place in early January.  The news comes from Acer's Peter Shieh, during a launch event for the company's new S500 phone. While declining to comment on a release schedule, or any kind of hardware specs, Shieh did indicate that Acer plans to include their own cloud services on the device. If it all comes to pass, it will be another step in the right direction for Intel. It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise either. Acer and Intel are long standing partners in the personal computer space, so a move together into mobile is a pretty logical next step.  Source: The China Post via Techradar

Android Central celebrates 1 million members! Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:49 PM PDT October is a month of celebration at Android Central. Not only are we celebrating our fourth birthday – we are also celebrating 1 million registered members! That's 1,000,000 members of the forums as well as this blog. That's 1,000,000 of you who truly make this the greatest Android community around. And we take great pride as we watch (and take part) in the discussion of the latest news, find answers, read our Adviser-written tutorials, download and share wallpapers, and access a variety of ROMs, rooting methods, and other Android hacks. We also value the forums Moderators, Advisers, and Android Developers for their dedication, passion, and loyalty. Collectively, these individuals have contributed hundreds of thousands of hours of their time to help build the best Android Forums on the web. The best celebration in the world always includes prizes, and we’ve come up with a selection that 18 lucky members are going to love. You don't want to miss this. Hit the break for the details. read more

Sprint finally takes controlling stake in Clearwire Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:48 PM PDT Sprint has kept itself in the news cycle pretty intensely in the last few weeks -- what with all of that getting bought by Softbank and such -- and now it has another big announcement. Today Sprint will finally take a controlling interest in partner Clearwire, purchasing 30.9 million Class A shares (and fractional interests in some Class B shares) for $100 million. Sprint will now own 50.8-percent of the company. Previously, the two companies simply had a business partnership, with Sprint as a large investor. The initial partnership was formed to deploy WiMax for Sprint and Clearwire customers. Since then, Sprint has made the decision to move towards LTE, and needed a controlling stake in Clearwire in order to use their vast spectrum holdings without restriction. Source: Reuters

Page: Android activations still at 1.3 million a day Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:39 PM PDT Google's Larry Page made it to the third-quarter earnings call (after missing the Q2 call). And in his opening remarks, he dropped the same activations numbers on us that we heard back in late September. More than a half-billion Android devices in the field, with more than 1.3 million activations per day. It's not overly surprising that the numbers haven't really changed in a month -- we just like shiny new things like everybody else. And, as we pointed out this morning after Verizon's earnings call, it's still heads and shoulders above every other platform not named iPhone. We're kibbitzing on the earnings call now. You can listen live after the break. read more

Motorola Droid RAZR HD Developer Edition goes on sale for $600 Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:22 PM PDT So, we've already seen today that Verizon has made available the trio of Droid RAZR devices -- the M, HD and HD MAXX if you're counting -- but let us not forget about that other RAZR device. That's right, alongside the regular RAZR devices going on sale is the Developer Edition. The contract-free, bootloader unlockable developer friendly RAZR HD is also available for purchase. It isn't cheap though, at $599.99 you'll be parting with a fair amount of your cash.  It's a far cry from the release of the Developer Edition Samsung Galaxy S3 on Verizon too. The wait for the S3 went on so long that the regular one had been cracked open before it ever had chance to get into peoples hands. That made us sad, but the speediness of the Motorola release makes us happy. If this is the one you've been waiting on, hit the source link below and go get one.  Source: Verizon

LG Lucid gets ICS upgrade starting Friday Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:51 PM PDT The LG Lucid is finally getting upgraded to Android 4.0. Verizon will start pushing the OS upgrade to users in phases, starting tomorrow. If you’re impatient, you can trigger the download from your computer, according to Verizon. The mid-range device sports a 4-inch screen (just WVGA resolution only, however) and is powered by a 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor. Its main plus is being able to support 4G LTE, and in spite of its March 29 release date, has been stuck on Gingerbread till now. The LG Lucid retails for $449.99 at Verizon, or $99.99 with a 2-year contract. Source: Verizon Wireless

Three UK pushing out Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:50 PM PDT The Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean rollout continues, and this time we bring news of a British update pushing out. UK carrier Three is starting to push out Android 4.1.1 for their Galaxy S3 owners via an OTA update. The bigger story here perhaps is that Jelly Bean is rolling out to a carrier branded device, ahead of the unlocked versions. This pretty much never happens, so kudos to Three for making it happen.  The update weighs in at a hefty 286MB, so you're going to want to be connected to WiFi before pulling the trigger. If you've yet to see an update notification, now would be the time to head into your settings and start tapping like mad on the "System Updates." Go on, we'll wait while you go check.  If you've already seen the update drop, be sure to hit up the comments below with your thoughts.  via Android Central Forums

Google launches new, cheaper Samsung Chromebook Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:35 PM PDT Chromebooks, Google's thin client browser-only laptop experiment, are getting a refresh today with a new cheaper option. The new Chromebook seems to have similar design features as the previous Samsung Series 5 model -- matte grey plastic and understated lines -- and is a generally nice looking device. The difference here is that this device will sell full-priced at $249, a huge drop from the $449 of the previous versions. Probably the most significant change with this release is the movement to an ARM processor from Intel previously. The Samsung Chromebook now sports an Exynos 5 dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, Wi-Fi and 16GB of storage (and 100GB of free Google Drive storage for 2 years). It has a 1366x768 11.6-inch matte display, and has USB 2.0, USB 3.0, HDMI and an SDcard slot. The new $249 Chromebook goes on pre-order from online retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy and PC World starting today. Next week it will officially go on sale from the same retailers, as well as directly from Google via the Play Store. Source: Google Chrome Blog; Engadget read more

Google Play seller support coming to India Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:26 PM PDT Google Play seller support is coming to India, and that's a really big deal. Previously, app developers based in India could only make free apps, obviously limiting their potential. Starting today, Indian developers can submit paid apps, in-app purchases and subscriptions to the Google Play Store. For existing free apps that are already published, developers can simply add in-app purchases while they work on publishing a paid version Additionally, users purchasing apps in India can now purchase in their home currency. Google is encouraging all app developers to set proper pricing information for Indian Rupees as soon as possible. India is one of the fastest growing areas for Android, with a 400-percent jump in device activations over the last year. Google notes that in the last 6 months, more apps have been downloaded in India than the past 3 years combined. These new changes will influence developers around the world to start offering more great apps, which certainly benefits everyone. Source: Android Developers Blog

LOVEFiLM details how the service will integrate into the UK Kindle Fire Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:02 PM PDT The arrival of the Kindle Fire in the UK is hotly anticipated. The combination of an affordable tablet device, with Amazon's huge content libraries is extremely enticing. We've recently seen Cloud Drive and Cloud Player launch on these shores, both of which will play a crucial part in the content offerings on the Kindle Fire. One area that has offered a little confusion however, is how the promised TV and movie streaming content will be offered.  Amazon owns UK based LOVEFiLM, a service that offers a range of on demand digital streaming media alongside physical rentals. We know that LOVEFiLM will be the provider for the Kindle Fire, but in what sense we're not 100% sure. There is no Android application that allows LOVEFiLM streaming at this time. However, a post on the company's blog today gives us a little more insight.  From today, LOVEFiLM customers that log in on a PS3, Xbox or iPad. can choose to sign in to their accounts using their Amazon login details instead of their LOVEFiLM details. This step will be required if you wish to stream content on a Kindle Fire. If you don't use one of those three current devices, you won't see the option just yet. Better still, if you bought an American Kindle Fire at any point in the last year, you'll soon start to see the LOVEFiLM content in the video app. Within the next week we're told. This also gives us a little more on how we're going to see this content. In short, it doesn't look like there will be any form of LOVEFiLM Android application, at least not yet. Video content will be available in the video app on the Kindle Fire.  This is however great news if you're planning to buy a Kindle Fire. It looks like UK owners will receive the same seamless experience offered to our American friends. With Google yet to offer music, magazines or TV yet in the UK through Google Play, Amazon has a real opportunity to make an impression in the market. We're due to see the devices land for the first time on October 25.  If you bought a US Kindle Fire though, be sure to let us know what the experience is like for you when the video content starts to appear.  Source: LOVEFiLM

AT&T LG Optimus G review Posted: 18 Oct 2012 11:28 AM PDT There's no doubt - LG's here. But will the Optimus G be here to stay? When was the last time you were excited about an LG phone? It has been a while since the handset maker had both buzz and substance on its side; upon entering the Android market, LG lost a bit of its luster, and pitted against such fierce competition like Samsung and Apple, LG began its descent into the brink of obscurity. Enter the Optimus G. With its latest flagship model (and accompanying marketing blitz), LG hopes to regain its fair share of the spotlight, and reestablish itself as a major player in an increasingly crowded market. Its strategy is simple: stuff a smartphone with the biggest and best specs, pump dollars into its marketing budget, and one-up nearly every other flagship on the market today. But will the strategy pay off, and will the Optimus G catch the eye of AT&T customers? After a week with the phone, I’m ready to make a prediction. read more

Google Q3 2012 earnings released prematurely, revenues and operating income down Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Google has released its earnings report for the third quarter of the year. For the three month period, Google pulled in $2.78 billion in operating income, 19% of its $14.1 billion in revenues. This is down on same quarter last year, where It had $3.08 billion in operating income. Motorola contributed $2.58 billion in revenues for the quarter, but still operated at a loss of $527 million. The bulk of those losses, $505 million, were attributed to the mobile side of Motorola. Google's EPS (Earnings Per Share) were just $6.53, down from $8.33 in the same period last year. Google's stock slid nearly 10% on the earnings report, triggering a halt in trading. Hopefully we'll know more in the coming days as to the reasons behind its lackluster earnings. The initial earnings report was a bit interesting, as the SEC filing was missing a quote from Google CEO Larry Page, and marked as "PENDING LARRY QUOTE." According to The Wall Street Journal, Google's earnings were indeed released ahead of schedule to the SEC without its knowledge, which triggered the quick slide in stock price. As Google's official statement reads: "Earlier this morning RR Donnelley, the financial printer, informed us that they had filed our draft 8-K earnings statement without authorization. We have ceased trading on NASDAQ while we work to finalize the document. Once it's finalized we will release our earnings, resume trading on Nasdaq and hold our earnings call as normal." This is quite a blunder for a company of Google's size, and it's clear that the protocols for filing its earnings were not followed. According to Google, earnings were not to be released at that time. Update: Google has filed their official Q3 2012 earnings report directly, with a proper quote from CEO Larry Page: “We had a strong quarter. Revenue was up 45 percent year-on-year, and, at just fourteen years old, we cleared our first $14 billion revenue quarter. I am also really excited about the progress we’re making creating a beautifully simple, intuitive Google experience across all devices.” Google's official statement confirms the earnings numbers of the previous (premature) filing with the SEC, and will initiate trading of its stock for the rest of the day. The official investor earnings call is still scheduled for 1:30 PT / 4:30 ET. We'll bring you more analysis of the earnings numbers later today. Source: Google; SEC; WSJ

Swype Beta 1.3 released, brings dictionary backup, 'hotwords' and more Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:13 AM PDT The latest beta of the Swype keyboard is out, and available to download from the Swype Beta website. The popular third-party keyboard from Nuance Communications packs a number of new updates. Dictionary backup & sync: Users’ personal dictionaries and word additions can be synced across mobile devices. Three new tablet keyboard layouts: The original, a small and moveable one, and a split keyboard. New themes. Enhancements to the Chinese keyboard, and a new flick keyboard for the Japanese language. Language prediction has been updated for foreign languages, too. And the last one is my favorite. According to the official press release, the new keyboard could even update you with all those crazy things the kids are saying these days. Swype users can opt-in to receive new words so they can be up to date with “the newest ‘hotwords’, like ‘Gangnam Style’.” That’s right, the K-pop revolution is taking over, and your keyboard is next. Update: According to the Swype forums, the beta is broken on the Galaxy Nexus, with 4.1.2. Several users are complaining that upon selecting the Swype keyboard, it automatically closes and is replaced with the stock Android keyboard. (Thanks Jon!) Source: Nuance Communications

Apple loses appeal in UK High Court, must take out ads saying Samsung isn't a copycat Posted: 18 Oct 2012 10:04 AM PDT Apple has lost its appeal against a UK ruling in its long-running suit against Samsung, and will have to wear a little egg on its face for a while — a month, to be specific. Back in July, the British High Court ruled that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab devices were not infringing Apple’s design patents, in part because Samsung’s devices were not as “cool”. Thanks to this backhanded compliment of sorts, Apple was ordered to run ads saying Samsung has not infringed its rights, and to place a link for a month on its website to a notice affirming this. Naturally, Apple appealed against the decision, and today appeal judges ruled not to overturn the decision. According to reports from BBC News, the three judges said Apple had to “correct” the copycat label slapped on Samsung. “The acknowledgment must come from the horse’s mouth,” they said. While Apple can still appeal to the UK's Supreme Court, ultimately it's just one chapter in the global legal conflict against Samsung’s Android devices, which has taken the companies to the US, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Australia. It's also a something of a coup for Samsung in light of its recent $1.05 billion fine for software and design patent infringements regarding the iPhone in the US. Elsewhere, it’s been much less successful. In June, the Dutch court decided that Apple had to pay Samsung for infringing a patent related to how the iPad and iPhone connects to the Internet. And last year in Australia, Apple wasn’t granted its wish to prevent Samsung from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the country. Source: BBC News

Verizon brings LTE to a whole bunch of new cities Posted: 18 Oct 2012 09:57 AM PDT Back at CTIA MobileCON, Verizon said it would launch a whole host of LTE locations on October 18th, pushing the total number over 400 nationally. Verizon has just put up a list of all of the locations either going live or getting improvements of coverage today, and it's staggering. The new markets going live include: Gadsden, AL Chico-Oroville, CA Vincennes, IN Owensboro, KY Augusta-Waterville, ME Marquette, MI Brainerd and Fergus Falls, MN Hattiesburg and Laurel, MS Columbia, MO Grand Island, Norfolk and North Platte, NE Clovis, NM Jamestown, NY Bend and Meford, OR Amarillo and Victoria, TX Aberdeen and Walla Walla, WA Morgantown, WV. If the first 23 cities weren't impressive enough, Verizon has also listed another 42 existing LTE markets that are receiving enhancements. You can see a full listing of the new and existing Verizon LTE markets at the source link below. Source: Verizon

Samsung partners with Khan Academy to bring the Galaxy Note 10.1 to California schools Posted: 18 Oct 2012 08:20 AM PDT Samsung announced this morning that its Media Solutions Center America division is partnering with Khan Academy to bring not just increased educational opportunities to California schools, but Galaxy Note 10.1 tablets as well. The initiative will bring the tablets to Mountain View Whisman School District. MSCA developed a specially designed Khan Academy app that will take advantage of the Note 10.1s features, such as the S Pens note taking ability. Students will be able to search Khan courses and view lectures and coursework. Here are the specific schools listed that will initially be involved: Crittenden Middle School Stevenson Elementary School Huff Elementary School Khan Academy has been doing some amazing things with their online learning tools and it's great to see them brought to the classroom. Full press release after the break. read more

Hands on and a quick unboxing of the HTC Desire X Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:43 AM PDT This isn't our first time we have spent with the HTC Desire X, however we do now have in our possession a review unit that HTC kindly sent me today. Although in comparison to some of the more recent HTC Android devices released the Desire X is pretty low down the line in terms of being near the top of the range - but that is where it is designed to sit. It is a low cost, mid range handset but still packs a pretty mean punch. Powered by a 1GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 768MB of RAM and a 4-inch WVGA SuperLCD display the Desire X will suit many people down to the ground. With the familiar Sense UI present (now version 4.1), customers upgrading from an older HTC device will still find the Desire X familiar yet refreshing. Running Android Ice Cream Sandwich the Desire X may not be as up to date as some 'top of the range' phones but the general public probably won't know the difference and ICS runs smoothly and seamlessly on the handset. Combined with a 5MP camera and the ability to capture photos while using the video camera, the Desire X will more than likely be one of those devices where a consumer walks into a phone shop and spots it on the shelf and automatically thinks how nice it both looks and feels. We will of course have a full review of the HTC Desire X coming soon but in the meantime I hope the above video will keep you going if you are looking to purchase the device.

Kyocera Rise lands on Public Mobile in Canada Posted: 18 Oct 2012 07:06 AM PDT Canadian regional carrier Public Mobile has launched the Kyocera Rise, which we had seen in the U.S. on Virgin Mobile U.S. not too long ago. It's got a full QWERTY keyboard, a subscription music service called Siren, and costs a scant $149. Here's a quick run-down of the specs.  Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) 3G Network ready Siren Music ready 3.5” touch screen display 3.2 MP camera with flash Slide-out full QWERTY keyboard MSM8655 chipset from Qualcomm 2GB ROM and 512MB RAM You can go ahead and grab it here, or check out our hands-on video before taking the dive.  Source: Public Mobile

Motorola Droid RAZR M, RAZR HD, and RAZR MAXX HD now available on Verizon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:55 AM PDT Motorola's latest batch of devices launched on Verizon today. Starting at the lower end is the Droid RAZR M, with a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 display and 2,000 mAh battery for $99.99 on a two-year contract. It's followed up by the Droid RAZR HD, which has a 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 screen and a 2,530 mAh battery starting at $199.99. If you want to go really big, there's the Droid RAZR MAXX HD which bumps up the battery to 3,300 mAh and adds another 16 GB of local storage, though it will cost you $299.99 plus the commitment. All of them have a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera, and 4G LTE connectivity.   If you're thinking of hitting up the Verizon online store and picking up any of these, be sure to check out our Droid RAZR HD and Droid RAZR M reviews first. Any takers, or is the lack of Jelly Bean at launch a deal-breaker?

A little perspective ... Posted: 18 Oct 2012 06:53 AM PDT Verizon this morning during its Q3 earnings call said it sold some 3.4 million Android smartphones, beating even the iPhone (3.1 million) for the quarter. We'll probably see that number shift a bit in the fourth quarter, given that the iPhone 5 didn't go on sale until Sept. 21 -- leaving only 10 days left in the quarter. So don't read too much into that. But consider: Android's still seeing more than 1.3 million activations a day. Verizon sold just 4 days' worth of global activations in three months. That's not a knock on Verizon -- it's a big, big world out there. Don't forget it. Nokia managed to sell just 2.9 million Windows Phone Lumia whatevers in three months. That's globally. Ouch. RIM "shipped" 7.4 million BlackBerry phones (that's different than "sold") and just 130,000 tablets. So, yeah. It's a two-horse race, still. And it's a good one. And don't forget that Google's Q3 earnings will be released this afternoon.

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