Android Community |
- Nexus 7 shipping next week according to Staples
- Android 4.0 ICS leaks for DROID XYBOARD 8.2 and 10 tablets
- AT&T Galaxy S III available in store today
- Google Nexus 7 production costs estimated at $184
- Android may not play a role in malware botnet after all
- Google: Galaxy Nexus will be back on sale next week
- CyanogenMod 10 will bring Jelly Bean to many
- HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE Review
- Samsung Galaxy Chat rocks a keyboard and Ice Cream Sandwich
- Nexus 7 gets a dedicated camera app
| Nexus 7 shipping next week according to Staples Posted: 06 Jul 2012 11:17 AM PDT Reports have hit the wires this morning about the new Nexus 7 tablet shipping dates. When Google announced the tablet back at Google IO they said it would ship mid-July but now a few online shops have spilled the dates early. Big name stores like Staples are listing July 12th to the 17th for shipping dates.
Most of those who immediately loved the news of an impressive Android 4.1 Jelly Bean powered quad-core tablet for just $199 instantly pre-ordered from Google’s own Play Store right away. Now Staples is offering the same pre-orders only with these early shipping dates. Yesterday Google announced the Galaxy Nexus would be back online and available next week (after a lawsuit delay) and now it looks like both devices will be available. Good news guys! Staples is promising that the Nexus 7 will be delivered sometime between July 12th and the 17th. The listing also states that the tablet will arrive "no earlier than July 13th," which may indicate a retailer embargo for the product. This could also mean that Google’s own orders will ship before retailers, but we’ll have to wait and see. In other news, Canada should see it come July 23rd according to Staples too. It looks like this impressive quad-core tablet and Jelly Bean will be in plenty of users hands sooner than we thought. Don’t forget to check out our Nexus 7 review and all the coverage below. Then go pre-order your own. Device Info
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 [via SlashGear]
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| Android 4.0 ICS leaks for DROID XYBOARD 8.2 and 10 tablets Posted: 06 Jul 2012 10:35 AM PDT Remember that DROID branded tablet line Verizon and Motorola released last year? Yup the oddly named Motorola DROID XYBOARD tablets are in the news today with a tasty treat. It appears that Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich has leaked for all models. As in the DROID XYBOARD 8.2 and 10.1 4G LTE models, and the regular XYBOARD 8.2 and 10.1 WiFi models too. More details after the break.
Thanks the the developer mattlgroff over at XDA Developers you can now get the latest Ice Cream Sandwich on your Cy-board. He’s released a massive all-in-one Ultimate Update Guide but make sure you read all the warnings and ask plenty of questions before diving in. If you chose to flash one of these leaked builds you may or may not be able to get the official update once released from Verizon, so proceed with caution. It looks like these are official Motorola ICS builds for the XYBOARD from July 3rd, and have leaked for the world of Android enthusiasts to enjoy. Sadly without the fastboot files to go back to Honeycomb you are stuck on ICS no matter what if you decide to try these. Which is a good thing in a way as we are hearing it runs extremely smooth and stable. As usual proceed at your own risk and make sure to ask questions if you have any concerns.   [via TGDaily]
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| AT&T Galaxy S III available in store today Posted: 06 Jul 2012 10:14 AM PDT Last week was supposed to be all about the Galaxy S III but production delays and a huge demand caused all the US carriers to slightly push or delay their push. Today however is the day AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy S III is finally available in stores nationwide. If you’ve been patient through the mess today you can run down and pick one up.
T-Mobile did the same thing and it’s available now, and Verizon has started shipping pre-orders (arriving as we speak) and have stated their model will be available in stores for purchase on the 10th. The Galaxy S III is the same across all carriers for the most part here in the US, other than a few tweaks to pre-installed apps and 4G LTE options. Most of you probably already pre-ordered and received your new Galaxy S III, but if you’re still on the fence check out our full review. After checking that out you’ll want to run down to the nearest AT&T shop and toss down a quick $199 (or $249 for the 32GB model) and get a shiny new white or pebble blue Galaxy S III. Did you already pick one up? Or will you be getting one sometime this weekend from your local AT&T shop? Device Info
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| Google Nexus 7 production costs estimated at $184 Posted: 06 Jul 2012 09:53 AM PDT When Google announced their new ASUS made Nexus 7 tablet at Google IO for the low price of just $199 there was a roar of cheers and clapping. Offering such a high quality product with top of the line specs at that price surely isn’t easy. After initial reports suggested Google would make zero profit on the tablet we now have additional details.
Now this doesn’t really matter for the individual consumer. All they need to know is the tablet is awesome, is $199, and a major bang for their buck. After a teardown by TechInsights the tablet’s estimated production cost sits at around $184 per tablet. Roughly a $15 profit per device for Google/ASUS. It looks like that “virtually no profit margin” statement might not have been completely accurate. When you add in all the additional R&D to hit that low price point, logistics, and many other factors that $15 probably gets gobbled up pretty quick. When Google said they weren’t making any profit margin on the tablet — it was probably true. That is only the 8GB model however. The 16GB model is $249 when that additional 8GB of storage costs under $10 to produce, making the 16GB version profitable to the tune of around $55. With the increase to the Play Store they are hoping movies, magazines, books, and music are what drive sales and profit margins. This is the same approach Amazon took with the Kindle Fire, but the Nexus 7 blows it away. It looks like sales from the Play Store and the 16GB version will offset any lack of profit from the lower alternative, and either way this was a great move by Google. Who’s buying?   Device Info
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[via Fudzilla]
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| Android may not play a role in malware botnet after all Posted: 06 Jul 2012 03:29 AM PDT There has been a lot of talk this week about Android possibly being the source of a bunch of spam thanks to an Android malware botnet. The finger was pointed at Android by both Sophos and Microsoft earlier in the week after e-mail header information pointed a finger at Google’s Android operating system. However, both Sophos and Microsoft have said that Android being involved in the botnet isn’t confirmed.
Microsoft isn’t letting Android completely off the hook, one of its engineers named Terry Zink has written that it is plausible that a bot on a compromised computer could have inserted a message ID pointing at Yahoo Mail for Android rather than the e-mails actually coming from an Android device. However, Zink also notes that it is quite possible that Android malware is the source of the spam with the significantly increased occurrence of Android malware we’ve been seeing. Sophos’ Chester Wisniewski also noted that he is rechecking the company’s findings to see if it’s possible that a fake signature could have erroneously pointed a finger at Android. Google for its part continues to say that its own evidence gathering does not support the Android botnet claim. A company spokesperson for Google says that so far its analysis suggests spammers are using infected computers with faked mobile signatures. Investigations into the botnet continue. [via SlashGear]
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| Google: Galaxy Nexus will be back on sale next week Posted: 05 Jul 2012 04:23 PM PDT In case you missed the news, this week Apple was granted an injunction and sales ban of Samsung and Google’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone. Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately you’ll know that Apple vs Samsung (and others) has been a huge legal discussion as of late. After Google pulled the Nexus from their online store this week they’ve now confirmed it will be back next week ready to rock.
You can clearly see the “coming soon” and “notify me” parts of the image above, where Google has stopped sales of their flagship device. There are a few reasons for that however. One is the sales ban brought forth from this ever-growing (and ridiculous) set of Apple lawsuits, and because they’ll be shipping it later next week with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean instead of Ice Cream Sandwich. Along with Jelly Bean Google’s also promised a quick and small fix that will prevent it from being attacked by Apple’s slew of lawyers. The ban was based on Android using unified search (searching across all apps and music) on the device in one easy system — something that makes logical sense yet Apple had patented. Google confirmed today to ABC News that a fix is in the works, and the device will go back on sale and be shipping next week on the Play Store. If you’re a bit fed up with all these lawsuits against Android lately, you aren’t alone. For now however check out our Nexus 7 and Jelly Bean Review right here, then stay tuned for more details on these petty lawsuits and the Galaxy Nexus next week. We expect the Galaxy Nexus and new Jelly Bean powered Nexus 7 to start shipping late next week or shortly after. Can’t we all just get along? [via SlashGear]
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| CyanogenMod 10 will bring Jelly Bean to many Posted: 05 Jul 2012 03:47 PM PDT When Google announced Android 4.1 Jelly Bean last week at Google IO I’m sure the first thought in most Android fans heads was about when they’ll get it. CyanogenMod is one of if not the biggest custom ROM for Android so obviously they have a lot of people asking questions. Today they’ve confirmed CyanogenMod 10 will be Jelly Bean, and is coming soon.
Now this was pretty much expected, as they’ve upped their version number to match each new AOSP version of Android, so this shouldn’t come as a shock. On a in-depth post over on Google+ CyanogenMod goes into the details explaining that they’ll start work on it as soon as possible, and that most if not all CM9 devices will be able to run CM10. Now obviously they won’t push out both at once so after they get a stable CM9 build released (currently a release candidate and really close) they’ll move on to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and continue with CM7 and CM10 moving forward. CM7 will continue their Gingerbread devices support while everything else will get pumped up to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Google announced they’ll drop the AOSP code for JB later this month after the Nexus 7 starts shipping so hopefully in under a month we’ll have some nightly builds of CM10. The team specifically mentions all the major changes in Ice Cream Sandwich has caused CM9 to be a slow process but they expect CM10 to come together quickly, and be extremely “butter” smooth. I can’t wait to try some nightly builds the minute they are possibly ready. Who’s with me?
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| HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE Review Posted: 05 Jul 2012 02:51 PM PDT This week we’ve been given the opportunity to check out the latest DROID to grace the Verizon 4G LTE lineup, and that is the DROID Incredible 4G LTE. This pocket friendly and conservatively sized device comes in at a great price and has some awesome specs to back it up. The new Incredible 4G LTE follows right along with previous models, only this time it’s better. Is this phone deserving of your dollar? Read on to find out.
Verizon opted not to offer an HTC “One” caliber device like AT&T or T-Mobile have done with the HTC One S and One X, but this is as close as you’ll get from Verizon. Other than a smaller screen and a few minor differences you’d hardly tell though. To start things off check out our hands-on and first impressions. Hardware    We have the same dual-core Qualcomm S4 processor as the HTC One X (AT&T) and the Galaxy S III so this phone packs plenty of punch although is only running at 1.2 GHz instead of 1.5 GHz like the others. HTC’s tossed in 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, micro-SD support for expanded storage and an impressive 8 megapixel rear camera. In HTC’s usual fashion we have the red power/wake button up top accompanied by the 3.5mm headphone jack and a noise cancellation microphone, then the volume up/down rocker on the right — which is surprisingly not red like the power button and camera accents. Then the microphone on bottom and micro-USB for charging and syncing is the lone port on the bottom left. Overall the design and build quality is exceptional, just like everything from HTC. The soft-touch matte back with the same rugged design and speaker grill will be familiar to any previous DROID Incredible owner, and the slits in the design gives you an assuring grip. The volume buttons can be hard to press at times, and are a bit stiff if you ask me. All of this is enjoyed on a 4-inch qHD 960 x 540 resolution (275ppi) display and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Software As you can see above performance is very much improved over the last DROID Inc. The dual-core processor kept things moving along extremely quick and was near the top of most results except for AnTuTu where quad-core devices are king of the hill. As far as pre-installed bloatware we have the usual Verizon apps like My Verizon, VCAST, Navigator, and more. Then nicely they’ve added Real Racing 2, Golf 3 and Kindle Reader for games and media consumption, but that is about it. Can’t forget the awesome NFL Mobile app exclusive to Verizon — Go Packers!       Camera       Battery Life & 4G LTE As far as 4G LTE speeds go you know you’ll have the best coverage and fastest speeds with Verizon. Their continued rollout makes them a great option. I only saw speeds around 12-15 Mbps here in Vegas, but on the strip this increases to well over 20-25 or faster. Being the first Incredible with 4G LTE you’ll love the speed increase (in more ways than one) if you’re upgrading from a previous model. Wrap-Up The Incredible 4G LTE might not be the biggest, best, thinnest, or fastest phone on the block but has impressive specs and a great price to match it. This is clearly aimed at dominating the 4-inch market and does it easily. Until Verizon gets an HTC “One” device (if they do at all) the Incredible 4G LTE is the best HTC phone to get from the carrier. It’s a perfect package that isn’t too big and isn’t too small. With a great price of $149 it’s available in store and online starting today, July 5th. What are you waiting for?               Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy Chat rocks a keyboard and Ice Cream Sandwich Posted: 05 Jul 2012 12:24 PM PDT Smartphones with hardware keyboards are becoming a rarity these days, especially the candy bar Blackberry style. Samsung however has just announced a new hardware QWERTY keyboard rocking Galaxy device that also comes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It isn’t exciting by any means, but could get a few people interested.
Being called the Samsung Galaxy Chat this phone is indeed as low-end as it gets, although Samsung did confirm at least one version will offer 4G LTE. They’ve paired a 3-inch QVGA display with a hardware QWERTY keyboard, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and a 2 megapixel rear facing camera. The Galaxy Chat also offers 4GB of storage and a 1,200 mAh battery which should be plenty for that small screen. Samsung appears to have no immediate plans for a US launch, but it will be arriving in Spain first then followed by Europe and other parts of the country later this month. We have no details on pricing but Samsung says it will be priced “competitively” when released. Who’s interested?    [via SlashGear]
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| Nexus 7 gets a dedicated camera app Posted: 05 Jul 2012 12:07 PM PDT Google’s newly announced Nexus 7 tablet lacks a rear facing dedicated camera, and instead only rocks a front camera for video chat type apps. Which makes it understandable that Google did away with a camera app making it so you can’t just snap photos at will. Today however a familiar Android developer has released an app that solves this problem.
To meet the awesome low price of just $199 Google and ASUS removed the rear facing camera, plus I don’t think that many people take pictures with their tablets anyways. For those that want to use that front camera on the Nexus 7 (once they get it) for Instagram or any of those “camera effects” a dedicated Jelly Bean camera app launcher by Paul O’Brien is available now. Since this is just an app you don’t need any tricks or root access, just download the app from the Play Store here and enjoy. If you’re the type that wants to take video with a front 1.3 megapixel camera you can do that too. There isn’t much to the app and it’s basically just for convenience and to add the option to the Nexus 7. Do you take pictures with your tablet? Will you download this app once you get the Nexus 7 tablet yourself? Device Info
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[via SlashGear]
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