Android and Me |
- Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus users reporting data connectivity issues – fix already in the works
- Google’s JBQ speaks out on Android updates, Google selling the Galaxy Nexus and more
- Samsung says they had nothing to do with “Wake Up” flash mob
- Top 10 Android app updates: Photowall, AVG Antivirus, Nova Launcher, Samsung Unpacked
- Android 4 upgrades coming in May for Rezound, RAZR
| Sprint’s Galaxy Nexus users reporting data connectivity issues – fix already in the works Posted: 27 Apr 2012 01:34 PM PDT  Anyone planning on buying the newly launched Galaxy Nexus from Sprint may want to hold off for a week or two. A handful of new Galaxy Nexus owners are reporting issues connecting to Sprint’s 3G network. From what we can tell, affected users are able to send and receive phone calls and text messages, but the data connection to the phone simply remains in “connecting” status without ever making a complete connection. Several affected users have been given replacement phones at local Sprint stores, but others have been turned away since a fix for the issue is apparently already in the works. No specifics about the software update have been revealed, but a Sprint Community moderator claims that Sprint is hoping to have the issue resolved by early next week. Sprint/Samsung are aware of this problem and will be releasing a software update to resolve the issue. Can't commit to a date yet, but they are trying really hard to get it released early next week. Sorry for your troubles.ModeratorSprint Community Have any of you experienced any data connectivity issues with the Sprint Galaxy Nexus? It seems a bit ironic that Sprint’s first 4G LTE phone can’t even get a 3G connection.
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| Google’s JBQ speaks out on Android updates, Google selling the Galaxy Nexus and more Posted: 27 Apr 2012 12:45 PM PDT  Jean-Baptiste Queru is the technical lead for the Android Open Source Project at Google. When he talks, we tend to listen. Many a time now, JBQ (as he’s more commonly known) has come to the aid of speculating bloggers and explained situations with updates, Nexus devices and much more. Today, with the Sony Tablet S getting updated to Android 4 and Google selling the Galaxy Nexus directly recently, JBQ took a moment to share his thoughts on updates on Google+. When it comes to Sony updating their Tablet S, JBQ says that the five months time it took them to complete the update was, “very reasonable.” He continues on to say that the changes from Android 3 (Honeycomb) and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) to Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) are huge. A lot has changed from previous versions of Android to now, and the only reason Sony has managed to stay as up to date as they are is thanks to their contributions to the AOSP. ASUS’ updates have also been very timely, but that’s because of the tight relationship between ASUS and NVIDIA. Both companies are extremely focused on keeping their products up to date. Continuing on the subject of updates, JBQ isn’t too happy on how the Nexus program is playing out. But Google selling the Nexus directly will help that: The part that blows my mind is that some variants of the Google-engineered flagship devices still haven't received Ice Cream Sandwich (or are stuck with older versions of Ice Cream Sandwich) because of delays introduced by operator approvals. I'm very glad that Google is back in the business of selling phones directly without any middlemen to interfere, and I'll be even happier when I see that program expanded to more countries.JBQGoogle Personally, I take two important things out of this. For one, Google is most definitely aware of the woes delayed updates cause. Especially when it comes to Nexus devices. And number two, those delays aren’t going to change if you buy a carrier regulated device. If you really, truly want your updates from Google, you have to buy your device from Google. While none of that may be new information (in fact, it’s starting to feel like we’re beating a dead horse here), it’s especially relevant after this past weeks news of Google deciding to sell the Galaxy Nexus directly. Even the support website for the Google sold GSM Nexus will be directly managed by Google. And that’s all there is to it. What do you think of a five month wait between updates for carrier regulated devices? Is that too long, or is it worth the wait? And while we’re at it, is anyone planning to buy an unlocked Nexus from Google? Have you already? Let us know in the comments.
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| Samsung says they had nothing to do with “Wake Up” flash mob Posted: 27 Apr 2012 10:59 AM PDT  Yesterday we shared a story that said Samsung was behind a series of “Wake Up” flash mobs in front of Apple stores, which was met with a lot of negative comments. Now the company has released a statement which says they knew nothing of the events. “Samsung Electronics Australia has nothing to do with the ‘Wake-Up’ Campaign,” said a company representative to Slashgear. Many of us believed the initial reports that Samsung was behind the campaign, because they have a long history of taunting Apple customers. Just recently, they released a teaser video for the next Galaxy that showed a herd of sheep and said, “You can now stand out from everyone else.” Samsung also had a series of ads making fun of Apple fans waiting in line for the next iPhone. If Samsung is not behind the campaign, that makes us wonder who else wants to make fun of Apple. The site Wake Up Australia is still live and has a countdown that ends on May 6th. That domain is registered to an Australian marketing company called Tongue, that has done previous work for Vodafone in the past. Vodafone Australia actually sells the iPhone and iPad, so we doubt they are behind these anti-Apple flash mobs. The mystery should be unraveled by next week, but let us know who you think is behind the “Wake Up” campaign in the comments below.
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| Top 10 Android app updates: Photowall, AVG Antivirus, Nova Launcher, Samsung Unpacked Posted: 27 Apr 2012 10:22 AM PDT  Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most upgraded apps for the week. I've found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs. To find the most updated apps, I turn to AppAware. It's a great tool that shows me which apps have active support from their developers and sometimes reminds me of an old app that I might have removed long ago. Make sure to install it so your activity can help determine our weekly top 10 list. This week I'm going to do things a little different. I normally filter out apps that have over 10 million installs, but I'm going to make an exception for popular apps that had significant updates. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful. Twitter – Version 3.2.0What’s new in this version:
Most of you have the Twitter app and know what it does, but this week they rolled out a pretty big update. The design of the Discovery tab got a makeover to show more activity, push notifications received more control, and eight new languages were added. PhotoWall Live Wallpaper – Version 1.4What’s new in this version:
PhotoWall is a cool app from top Android developer Larva Labs that shows your photos as your wallpaper. This week the app saw an update that added Instagram support, and increased performance. It’s free so check it out if you need a new wallpaper. Taptu – Version 2.1.3What’s new in this version:
TapTu saw a minor update last week, but they are back again with a new look. Their major new feature this time is user accounts that let you set up your streams on any Android device and have them automatically populate on another device. There is no need to register with Taptu, as your user account just requires you login to your Google, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account. Antivirus Free – Version 2.11What’s new in this version:
Some say Android doesn’t need antivirus software, but there’s no harm in being extra cautious. AVG just updated their Antivirus Free app with a new look, new widgets, and a Tune Up feature that lets you optimize your device’s resources. AfterFocus – Version 1.0.2What’s new in this version:
AfterFocus has become a fan favorite of the site and been featured several times, and this week they released their first update. The latest version is mainly bug fixes, but we also hear a Pro version is coming next month. Opera Mini Next – Version 7.0.2What’s new in this version:
Opera Next gives you a sneak preview of what’s to come in future versions of Opera. This browser app lets advanced users try out new features still under development and provide feedback on how to make it even better. The latest update includes mostly bug fixes. MX Player – Version 1.6cWhat’s new in this version:
MX Player is one of the more popular alternative video players that can handle just about any video codec out there. The latest update increased volume, improved subtitles, and added several on-screen video controls. Nova Launcher – Version 1.1.2What’s new since Version 1.1.0:
Android users have a ton of options for alternative home screens and Nova Launcher is one of the newer apps on the rise. It only has 100,000 installs, but the average review score is 4.6. It is targeted for devices with Android 4.0+ and includes a ton of performance tweaks and eye candy. Samsung Unpacked – Version 1.1What’s new in this version:
This week Samsung updated their Unpacked app so that it actually works on Samsung phones. Make sure you grab this app if you want to watch the unveiling of the next Galaxy on May 3rd. Camera360 Ultimate – Version 3.2What’s new in this version:
Camera360 is another one of our favorite camera apps. The latest update brings new effects, user guides to help you take better photos, and optimized share functions.
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| Android 4 upgrades coming in May for Rezound, RAZR Posted: 27 Apr 2012 05:58 AM PDT  Droid Life has gotten their hands on a screenshot of a Verizon internal system that providers more details about the Android 4.o update for a handful of devices. The HTC Rezound, Motorola Droid RAZR and Droid RAZR Maxx have nearly finished carrier testing of the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade, and are nearing ready for the OTA update we’re all The leak also has some information regarding the Xoom 3G/4G LTE upgrade, though the picture isn’t nearly as clear for the first Android tablet. Carrier testing ended just over a week ago, but since the upgrade will come from Google rather than Verizon, the release date is simply listed as TBD. We don’t know whether the upgrade for the Xoom passed carrier testing, or whether Verizon sent the update back to Google for more work. Hopefully it’s the former, and the Xoom will see it’s share of Android 4.0 very soon. So if you own the Rezound, RAZR, RAZR Maxx, or Motorola Xoom from Verizon, the wait for the next great Android operating system will soon be over. Stay tuned!
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