Friday, June 22, 2012

AndroidGuys

AndroidGuys

Galaxy Nexus to be first Jelly Bean smartphone

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 02:07 PM PDT

Google has accidentally let it slip out that their Galaxy Nexus handset will be the first smartphone to see Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.  Tucked away in the phone's Google Play Store description, the HSPA+ model is marked as being the first to soon receive the update.  If you thought you were going to see a handful of Jelly Bean devices launching later this year, you might still be right - This only indicates that the Galaxy Nexus will be first.

As for reading through the lines, we see that it doesn't say "first device", but smartphone.  This leaves the door open to the Nexus 7 tablet, which is still rumored for Google I/O next week. Perhaps that will be the first true product to launch with 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Galaxy Nexus to be first Jelly Bean smartphone originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Verbatim Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard review

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 01:57 PM PDT

Tablet users who find themselves on the go and looking for a better way to write emails or blog posts might look to Verbatim's Bluetooth keyboard for some assistance.  Designed to pair with any Bluetooth device you can imagine, it's a terrific companion for your Galaxy Tab or Toshiba tablet.  Yes, it even works with the fruity stuff, too.

Unlike other Bluetooth keyboards, the Verbatim model folds in half and tucks away inside a carrying case.  Roughly the size of a Galaxy Note, this is more portable than a flat Bluetooth model, and easier to toss in a bag.

Folded in half and ready for carrying around.

Additional feature that were impressed with include the media buttons for controlling music playback as well as the hot keys for launching Gmail and other apps.  There are some other functions (cut, copy, paste, undo) that iOS devices can enjoy and we were disheartened (jealous) to see that our tablets could not quickly handle these shortcuts.

Another item that we came to enjoy with the Verbatim Bluetooth Keyboard was that it runs off AAA batteries instead of an internal charge.  It's nice to be able to pull out a keyboard and know that it's got juice in it and that you don't need to steal a charger spot from your phone.

  • Ultra-Compact Design – Thin-profile keyboard folds and stores in carrying case for maximum portability
  • Bluetooth Wireless – Designed to work with Bluetooth-enabled iPad, iPad2, iPhone & Tablet devices with HID keyboard support. Can be paired with up to six devices at one time.
  • Media Console – Play, pause and control your digital music with the touch of a button. Enhanced volume controls for volume up, down and mute.
  • Slide-Out iPhone Stand – Removable iPhone stand allows improved screen visibility when typing. Stand slides into keyboard for storage when not in use.
  • Low Profile Keys - Quiet, soft-touch keys provide crisp, responsive feel when typing.
  • Enhanced Function Keys - Easy-to-use function keys for cut, copy, paste, and undo. Added controls for brightness, power off and device locking.* (iOS only)
  • Extras – A carrying case for the keyboard and iPhone stand are also included, providing even greater freedom and mobility

Normally priced over $100 we have a tough time saying it's worth that kind of money, however the $56.71 on Amazon is much more in line what what we'd expect.

Verbatim Wireless Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard review originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Gameloft’s Asphalt 7: Heat arrives June 25

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:30 AM PDT

Gameloft's ever-popular arcade racing game, Asphalt, sees its seventh iteration hitting Android in but a few days time.  Titled Asphalt 7: Heat, the game features 60 licensed cars, 15 tracks, and a brand new Asphalt Tracker system which connects you with friends to compete against. Available on Monday June 25th, we figure it will turn out to be another hit; Asphalt 5 has nearly 500,000 downloads and Asphalt 6: Adrenaline has more than one million so far.

Gameloft’s Asphalt 7: Heat arrives June 25 originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Win one of two Motorola Roadster 2 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphones [GIVEAWAY]

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:25 AM PDT

How would you like the chance to win one of two Motorola Roadster 2 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone kits?  We recently reviewed one of these and absolutely love it, especially the FM tuner feature which lets us pipe podcasts throughout our car. Given that it's Responsible Driving month and we really want to do our part to keep the roads safer, we're giving away a pair of these Bluetooth babies.  How do you enter to win?  Read on.

Win One Here

One of these will be offered to a randomly selected reader who leaves a comment on this post.  All you have to do is chime in below with a valid way for us to contact you.  We'll pick the winner come Sunday night (June 24, 9PM EST) and reach out immediately.  Make sure your email address is correct so you know if you've won!

Double Your Odds

Follow us on Twitter?  Of course you do!  Double your chances of winning by joining the Twitter giveaway and using the following details:

  • You must tweet with @androidguys @motorola #AGRoadster in the body

Your tweet can be anything you want but we'd certainly appreciate a nice message or two.  You can tweet as often as you'd like however we can sniff out spammers and twitterbot stuff.  The twitter contest runs through Sunday night (June 24, 9PM EST)  and we'll notify the winner as soon as it's over.

Thanks for being part of the AndroidGuys community and have fun!

Win one of two Motorola Roadster 2 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphones [GIVEAWAY] originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Swiftkey 3 arrives with limited time discount

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:48 AM PDT

Version 3 of the popular Swiftkey for Android is now available in the Google Play Store and Amazon Appstore.  Offered for a limited time discount of $1.99, the keyboard has undergone some changes since its last release and is full of features requested by the community.  Details include two new themes, a smarter UI, larger space bar, dedicated comma button, and support for 42 languages. For the next seven days, Swiftkey will be on sale at half price for $1.99 and is a free upgrade for existing users.

Here's a summary of what's new:

  • Smart Space – adding to SwiftKey's already cutting edge correction, Smart Space detects mistyped or omitted spaces across strings of sloppily typed words in real-time.
  • Two new themes – a new theme, 'Cobalt', to match SwiftKey's new look and feel, and an Ice Cream Sandwich-styled 'Holo' theme, as voted for by you.
  • An enhanced UI – a much larger space bar and smart punctuation key help improve accuracy and make it quick and easy to access common punctuation.
  • Additional languages – SwiftKey 3 now offers support for an additional seven languages, bringing the total up to 42. The new languages are Korean, Estonian, Farsi, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian and Serbian.

Since launching the Beta, we've taken your valuable feedback on board to include the following:

  • A dedicated comma key, and the <123> key in the bottom-left corner.
  • A refined Smart Punctuation pop-up for better, more consistent behavior.
  • An improved Smart Space functionality for easier email addresses and URL entry.
  • Reduced lag on some devices for a more responsive experience.
  • A reintroduction of the long-press duration setting by popular request.
  • Further improved prediction algorithms for even more accurate next word suggestions.
  • Refined gestures for a smoother experience.

Note that the Amazon Appstore may not yet have the discounted price.

Swiftkey 3 arrives with limited time discount originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Lookout finds a nomophobia epidemic in Mobile Mindset study

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:29 AM PDT

Nomophobia: the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. The term is an abbreviation for "no-mobile-phone phobia".

How long has it been since you last checked your phone for a message, notification, or simply to see what time it is?  Where were you when you did it?  Driving? Eating dinner?  Lookout Mobile Security recently polled 2,000 American mobile users to find out how often we check our phones, where we take them, and how we'd feel if we lost them.  What did they find?  Apparently we don't know how to put smartphones down for a while and would absolutely panic if we left them somewhere or lost them.

Here's a few statistics that stand out:

  • 58% of smartphone owners said they don't go an hour without checking their phone
  • 30% check their phones during a meal
  • 94% of people are concerned about losing their phone
  • When asked to select which feeling they best identified with when they lost their phone, 73% reported feeling "panicked" and 14% reported feeling "desperate"

Lookout blog

Mobile Mindset Study Reveals Americans' Smartphone Attachment is Altering Our Behaviors and Emotions

Lookout's nationwide data shows 24% check smartphones while driving and 73% feel panicked about phone loss, among other stats

San Francisco – June 21, 2012 – Lookout, makers of an app to protect your smartphone, today released the Mobile Mindset Study, analyzing and exploring data-based trends in the emotions and behavior driven by our smartphones. As people rely more on their smartphones, they are increasingly checking their phones in bed, in the bathroom, at the dinner table, and while driving.

Lookout found the frequency that people check their smartphones is increasing:

  • 58% of smartphone owners said they don't go an hour without checking their phone
  • 54% of smartphone owners said they check their phones while lying in bed: before they go to sleep, after they wake up
  • Nearly 4 out of 10 people (39%) check their phones while using the bathroom

The smartphone attachment is also enabling a whole new genre of mobile etiquette:

  • 30% check their phones during a meal
  • 24% check their phones while driving
  • Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) check their phones during religious services at a house of worship

The findings are further evidence of a social phenomenon called nomophobia: the extreme fear of being without a mobile phone:

  • Lookout's survey found that 94% of people are concerned about losing their phone
  • When asked to select which feeling they best identified with when they lost their phone, 73% reported feeling "panicked" and 14% reported feeling "desperate"

"Our phones are our lifeline, from sharing photos with social networks to shopping and managing bank accounts," said Alicia diVittorio, mobile safety advocate at Lookout.

"The findings establish that our attachment to smartphones is driving a new mobile mindset. Our behaviors, emotions and social interactions are impacted by smartphones, to the extent that they now play an important role in our value systems."

With smartphones being critical to everyday life, there are a few basic steps Lookout recommends to protect your mobile:

  • Don't lose it: Keep your smartphone in a zipped pocket or bag when you're on the move and scan your area when leaving public places to make sure you don't leave it behind
  • Keep your power: Make sure you charge your battery before you leave the house or keep a charger in the car – not only will it keep your phone alive, but it will help to track it down if you misplace it
  • Keep it safe: Download an app like Lookout so you can find your phone if you lose it, lock & wipe your data if it cannot be recovered and backup your personal information

Lookout commissioned Harris to survey more than 2,000 American smartphone owners on how much they use, where they use and how they feel about their phones.

For the complete Mobile Mindset Study, please click here. For more information on Lookout, please visit www.mylookout.com. To download Lookout for free, visit the Google Play or App Store.

Lookout finds a nomophobia epidemic in Mobile Mindset study originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II users get ICS 4.0.3 update

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 06:03 AM PDT

It's about time, right!? You AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II users have been patiently waiting, and now your time has come. The AT&T iteration of the SGS2 has finally gotten Ice Cream Sandwich... Android 4.0.3, exactly.

To get yours, plug your SGS2 into your PC with Kies installed, and just let 'er rip. There's no word as far as specific updates to the device, but this is going to be a total overhaul for you SGS2 users... and we think you're going to love it.

Be sure to let us know how you like the update in the comments!

via ubergizmo

AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II users get ICS 4.0.3 update originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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T-Mobile confirms leaked Galaxy S III pricing; Most expensive new-on-contract SGS3 option in the U.S.

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 05:55 AM PDT

If you're on T-Mobile, you may not be too excited to hear the latest pricing confirmation from your carrier. The expensive pricing that was leaked out is confirmed, and you'll be coughing up a lot of dough.

Available with a qualifying Value voice and data plan with a two year service agreement, the Galaxy S III will cost an out-of-pocket down payment of $229.99 (16GB) or $279.99 (32GB) with 20 equal monthly payments of $20 per month via T-Mobile's Equipment Installment Plan (EIP).

Also offered with a qualifying Classic voice and data plan, the Galaxy S III will cost $279.99 (16GB) after a $50 mail-in-rebate card or $329.99 (32GB) after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement.

That makes the SGS3, at minimum, $30 more expensive than it is with any other U.S. carrier. Not to mention the fact that you're also looking at this being the cost after a $50 mail in rebate if you're on a classic voice and data plan, making your out of pocket $329.99 for a 16GB and $379.99 for a 32GB.

Worth the price? let us know in the comments.

T-Mobile confirms leaked Galaxy S III pricing; Most expensive new-on-contract SGS3 option in the U.S. originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Samsung Galaxy S III explodes, melts through casing

Posted: 21 Jun 2012 05:43 AM PDT

Everyone's been talking about how "hot" the new Samsung Galaxy S III is, and it looks like the phrase has now been taken literally. While I go hide in a corner for the shameless pun use, read on to learn about the GS3 that caught fire for one user.

It looks as though the Global HSPA+ GS3 malfunctioned while in a car holster. The malfunction caused melting and burns across the lower half of the phone. All damage on the outside casing was around the charging port and base of the device. The user, dillo2k10, was unharmed, but nonetheless took his device to Carphone Warehouse for repairs.

Samsung has responded to the claim with the following:

"Samsung is aware of this issue and will begin investigating as soon as we receive the specific product in question. Once the investigation is complete, we will be able to provide further details on the situation. We are committed to providing our customers with the safest products possible and are looking at this seriously."

So, dear readers, if you have a Galaxy S III, take this word of caution: keep an eye on your device temperature. If it seems to be getting too hot, we recommend a quick battery pull, let it sit for a few minutes, and then boot back up. Be sure to let us know if anything similar has happened to you SGS3 users in the comments.

via boards.ie | samsungtomorrow

Samsung Galaxy S III explodes, melts through casing originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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