Sunday, April 15, 2012

Update - 90



Posted: 28 Feb 2012 02:34 PM PST
With so many exciting new Android devices surfacing at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, the chances are we’ve all got our eye on our next new toy. Android enthusiasts worldwide will undoubtedly be eager to find out when they can finally get their hands on their newly desired devices. For those of you looking to get a hold of LG’s Optimus 4X HD, UK retailer Clove has got you covered.
Clove added a post to its Blog this morning announcing that it will be stocking LG’s new flagship device from June this year. You can pre-order the device from £456 ($726) starting from today! Just in case you missed LG’s announcement at MWC, here are some highlights:
  • 1.5GHz quad-core processor
  • Android 4.0 ICS
  • 4.7″ (1280 x 720) True HD IPS display
  • 16GB internal storage
  • 8MP read camera and 1.3MP front camera
  • 2150 mAh battery
Will the 4X HD be the device that finally announces LG’s arrival as a serious player at the high end of the Android market? Will you be considering LG’s flagship device alongside Samsung’s Galaxy S III and HTC’s One X? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
source : clove
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 02:03 PM PST
“What could be better than winning a DROID XYBOARD by Motorola 8.2 Tablet? Winning TWO!” That’s right folks, that’s how Verizon has started its announcement regarding your chance to win not just one, but two XYBOARD 8.2-Inch Tablets. All you have to do is complete the entry form and then share the sweepstakes on either Facebook or Twitter. A new winner is chosen daily and entries do not roll over. So if you want to increase your chances you’ll need to enter as often as you like “EVERY DAY” through March 11th.
So hit the source link below for your chance to enter. As it says you’ll be blown away by this tablet’s “off-the-hook power, and lightweight portability, lightning-speed 4G LTE connectivity, and so much more.” Of course you are more than welcome to check out our review on the tablet to see if it’s worth the effort of entering this contest. Our only issue was the price for these beasts so winning one would just be icing on the cake. Enjoy!
source: Verizon Insider
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:49 PM PST
Woo Games, the developer behind the 4.5 star rated FRG Deluxe is back with another quality multi-player game for you Android gamers to sink your teeth into.
ErnCon is a fast and furious space shooter that sees you battle with up to seven human opponents in a free-for-all deathmatch format. Picture if you will, Asteroids combined with Quake Arena and you’ll get an idea of what to expect. The game is multi-player only (via both 3G and WiFi) whilst in beta, however Woo Games promises that an extensive single-player mode is in the works and will arrive post beta.
Remember folks, ErnCon is currently in public beta so be sure to get in touch with the developer with feedback and info on bugs etc.
The game is available to download from the Android Market right now. Check out the video below and hit the link to get downloading, those spaceships won’t shoot themselves!

Click here to view the embedded video.
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:41 PM PST
Andy as seen above on his skateboard has long been apart of the CyanogenMod ROM and Legacy. Many a boot ups have we seen this little guy roll in. Well the CM team is looking to say goodbye to this icon and move forward with a logo of their own. This is where you come in. They are putting it up to you to create their new logo as they are holding a contest for submitted artwork to be voted upon as the new face of CM ROMs here on out. Like they did with their Trebuchet launcher contest, any submitted art will be evaluated soley by the CyanogenMod development team, and will not be put to a public vote. If you are interested then read the following rules to enter.
  • All submissions should be original work. Submissions using the work of other entities will be deleted.
  • Since this is a new face for CyanogenMod, submitters are free to pursue other color palettes, beyond "cyan-blue". However, we would love to have some of that color retained to reflect our history, and pay proper homage to Andy.
  • All entries should be submitted by March 9, 2012. The winner will be select by April 1st. 
  • Submissions may be in jpg or png, but the final selection will be required to be submitted in original vector sources.
  • Submitters may be contacted to request possible touch-up/rework.
Once you meet all the criteria your submission should be emailed to legal (at) cyanogenmod (dot) com with a subject line of “CM9 Logo.” If you are selected as the winner you will be notified prior to inclusion in the ROM and other related Community assets. You will receive proper credit for all your submitted artwork but all rights to that artwork will be transferred to CyanogenMod.
If that doesn’t deter you from entering this contest then I would suggest getting started because you have about 11 days to get your work submitted. Who knows, maybe your artwork will be the face of CyanogenMod ROMS to come, starting with CM9, because as they put it you have a chance of “creating the new face for the largest third party Android distribution in the world.” What an honor indeed!
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:25 PM PST
More than a few of you either use or have used a Torrent client at some point (and no, not just for pirating). Of course many of us have thought about and waited for the moment we would be able to use Torrent clients to download files from our Android devices. Well friends, that moment is almost here now that the uTorrent client app is currently in development for the Android platform. The uTorrent client will allow for legitmate file-sharing (downloading and sending) around the world, right from your Android device. This means we’ll likely be able to see more and more apps being developed for Android— on top of the thousands of apps available now. In addition, it is believed the “Android's open market and flexibility gives it a huge advantage when it comes to which platform is best suited to make a smooth transition from desktop to mobile.” This means we can expect to see more improved mobile ports of certain types of desktop software like say, Adobe Photoshop.
Sadly, BitTorrent is mum on release date of the uTorrent client. We know many of you are certainly licking your chops right now, so just sit tight and be patient. The app will likely be here sooner than you know it.
source: Torrent Freak
via: Android And Me
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 12:01 PM PST
Motorola has released a series of videos using several of its devices to take on iPhone’s Siri application.  And though Siri might be amusing to talk to at times, Moto is touting that the voice actions on several of their devices takes the title.  Check out the video demos below of the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Moto Electrify as they go toe to toe with Siri.  Voice actions included sending text messages, asking for driving directions and loading up specific web pages.  The Motorola devices beat the iPhone out every time.  But hey, if you want to know if there is life on other planets, we’re sure Siri will offer up something entertaining.  
Click here to view the embedded video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: Engadget
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST
One problem that is prevalent with existing video call technology is its rigid functionality. You can either video call, or voice call. If, for some reason, your call requires a changeover to video, you would then have to end the call and start a new one as video. Well it seems that LG has figured out a pretty nifty solution, and it’s showing it off at MWC 2012.
The same technology that allows you to record and upload video simultaneously is being utilized to allow seamless transition from voice to video, without the inconvenience of having to sever the connection. This is actually really cool, and I predict will be adopted by the mobile industry in a fairly quick manner, especially since the technology complies with industry standards. This voice-to-video technology is expected to be seen on LG smartphones sometime later in the year. Full press release after the break.
LG’s LTE Technology Enables Seamless Switching Between Voice and Video During Phone Conversations
BARCELONA, Feb. 28, 2012 –- LG Electronics (LG) successfully demonstrated the world’s first voice-to-video conversion over a LTE network at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012. The demonstration, which was based on LG’s proprietary technology, enabled users to switch back and forth between high quality voice and high resolution video call modes during an ongoing telephone conversation. Also demonstrated was a video sharing service, which enables real-time sharing of videos over a LTE network, as they are being recorded.
LG’s LTE voice-to-video conversion process adheres to the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Profile for Conversational Video Service, the industry standard established by the GSMA to govern the delivery of both video and voice data over LTE. LG will launch LTE-capable smartphones compliant with Conversational Video Service later this year.
“LG will continue to lead in LTE by developing and introducing innovations that consumers can actually experience and benefit from,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LTE sector is advancing at light speed and our voice-to-video conversion technology is in the best position to be adopted industry-wide.”
At last year’s MWC, LG successfully demonstrated Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and video calls. Prior to the introduction of LTE technology, high definition video calls on smartphones were not possible, as 3G networks were unable to handle the volume of data at the speeds required for high quality video images.
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:37 AM PST
We know, we know!  After reading that title you’re saying to yourself, “damn man, Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t even rolled out yet to more than a handful of devices!”  We hear ya.  I’m all for upgrades, updates and better OS’s don’t get me wrong.  However, this isn’t helping the fragmentation issue one bit.  Google, if you’re reading this, slow the heck down.  One can only assume that the new OS is most likely a minor one and not as drastic of a change as ICS was from Gingerbread.  That being said, Hiroshi Lockheimer, VP of Engineering for mobile devices at Google made a comment during an interview with Computerworld at MWC that noted the new version could be rolling out to devices by early fall.
“After Android 4 comes 5, and we haven’t announced the timing yet, which we’re still sorting out,” Lockheimer said. “There’s a lot of engineering work behind it still, and there’s also just the question of how to time it.“
and
“In general, the Android release cadence is one major release a year with some maintenance releases that are substantial still.”
So, makes sense since Android 4.0 was released last Nov.  However, Lockheimer adds:
“Having said that, we’re flexible. The [timing of releases] is not what drives us, but what does is innovation and offering users a great experience.”
So, there’s really no telling when the official announcement and/or roll-out will be.  In addition, there was no solid confirmation that the name of the new OS would indeed be Jelly Bean.  For now, we’ll have to give Android 4.0 some breathing room as it’s still a hit and success among developers and users alike.  Stay tuned as we dig for the soup on all the details regarding the next iteration in the alphabetical sweets release.  And feel free to offer some suggestions of your own as to what will follow suit.  
1.5  - Cup Cake
1.6 – Donut
2.0/2.1 – Eclair
2.2 – Froyo
2.3 – Gingerbread
3.0 – Honeycomb
4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich
5.0 – “J” ?
source: Computerworld
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 11:27 AM PST
The Samsung Rugby Smart will debut on AT&T this Sunday, March 4 for $99, and let me tell you that this is a really nice phone for the money. It’s priced at $99 and is built to military specifications (mil-std 810f). This means it should be able to handle just about anything including being submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, dust, sand, or extreme weather conditions.
It features a 3.7-inch (800 x 480) Super AMOLED display, 1.4 GHz single-core Qualcomm processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, microSD for up to an additional 32GB, 5MP rear camera with LED flash (capable of recording at 720p), 1.3MP front-facing camera, 1650mAh battery, and Android 2.3.6. It’s not the thinnest phone in the world, at 12.19mm, but it has a really nice design. In fact, this might be my favorite Samsung phone to date as far as design goes. The rubberized edges remind me of the DROID X, and it’s not glossy or slippery like most other phones.
Our own Stacy Bruce will do a full review soon, but for now, check out my quick hands on. It’s not everyday that I get to throw sand and water on a review unit so I had a lot of fun with this one..
Click here to view the embedded video.
Posted: 28 Feb 2012 09:05 AM PST
Back in October we told you about the Samsung mobile messaging service ChatON being available in the Android Market months after its initial announcement. Looking to take on Blackberry Messenger and the iOS Messages this app allowed you to send messages to anyone regardless of device. Today that functionality has increased even further as Samsung has now opened up the ChatON web interface for everyone. Meaning you will now be able to send messages to anyone on their Android or iOS device via your computer web browser.
Similar to its app counterpart ChatON for web will allow you to have group chats and 1:1 conversations with attachment and emoticon support. Much like the app you will need to input your same phone number, should you want to sync your existing ChatON contacts from your device. The web version does require users to install a ChatON app to your device first so that you can receive a verification code for the program.
Hit the link below to head on over to the web client and start chatting with your ChatON buddies today. Enjoy!
Samsung ChatON – Link
source: All About Samsung (German)
via: SammyHub

Posted by at 10:38 AM

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