Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

AT&T Sony Xperia Ion Gets Rooted

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 02:30 PM PDT

 

Good news for Sony Xperia Ion users today, the wizards over at XDA have discovered a root method that’s pretty simple to use.

It looks like once you’ve got your bootloader unlocked, all you’ll need to do is flash an insecure kernel which will allow you to run a root script.  That’s it. A quick download of busybox and superuser from the Play Store will let you take advantage of your newly acquired freedom.

To see the procedure and the necessary info, hit the source.  Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.  Rooting gives you greater control over your phone, but you can mess stuff up too, so don’t blame us if things go south.

If you do decide to go for it (you should), make sure you send XDA user yuunanase some love for putting this together.

 

source: XDA

Be the first to unlock the bootloader on the Verizon Galaxy S III and collect the bounty

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 02:01 PM PDT

Well the Galaxy S III might be created for humans, but not for the development community. Well, at least for the Verizon version that is as its bootloader is locked by design. Now it was rooted over the weekend, but we need a method to permanently unlock the bootloader to allow unrestricted flashing from ODIN. Well our friends over at XDA created a bounty for anyone who can do it. Right now the total is at $1,320 and is sure to climb. Hit the break for the rules:

Requirements to Receive Bootloader Unlock Bounty

  1. Be first person on XDA to create a method of permanently unlocking or patching the bootloader to allow unrestricted flashing from ODIN
  2. Make a post in this thread with the following:
    • Proving it works with appropriate photos or screenshots
    • Providing full step-by-step instructions for which anyone else can follow
  3. Wait for another member to follow the method and confirm it works
  4. Claim your bounty via PM from donator(s)

Payment will be processed between each member and the bounty collector via PM on an individual basis.

**Please be advised that if Samsung or Verizon is to release the unlocked bootloader or tool to process unlocking of the bootloader prior to any member of XDA’s submission, this bounty automatically becomes invalidated.

If you think you have what it takes or maybe you want to donate to the cause, hit the source link below to get started.

source: xda

Verizon Wireless confirms locked bootloader on Galaxy S III and pretty much anything else moving forward

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 01:38 PM PDT

As we already knew, Verizon’s version of the Galaxy S III has a locked bootloader, but you didn’t think Samsung did that on purpose did you? Verizon has never been a fan of unlocked bootloaders, which always amazed me that they allowed the Galaxy Nexus on their network. The Verge reached out to Verizon for comment about the GSIII and this is what they had to say:

Verizon Wireless has established a standard of excellence in customer experience with our branded devices and customer service. There is an expectation that if a customer has a question, they can call Verizon Wireless for answers that help them maximize their enjoyment and use of their wireless phone. Depending on the device, an open boot loader could prevent Verizon Wireless from providing the same level of customer experience and support because it would allow users to change the phone or otherwise modify the software and, potentially, negatively impact how the phone connects with the network. The addition of unapproved software could also negatively impact the wireless experience for other customers. It is always a delicate balance for any company to manage the technology choices we make for our branded devices and the requests of a few who may want a different device experience. We always review our technology choices to ensure that we provide the best solution for as many customers as possible.

The GSIII is locked, but it has been rooted and trust me the amazing Android development community will figure something out soon.

source: theverge

 

Sony Xperia Acro S breezes through the FCC

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 11:23 AM PDT

Sony’s Xperia Acro S is designed to be durable, water resistant, scratch resistant and generally well equipped to survive the elements. With that in mind it’s no surprise to learn that the device passed the FCC’s slightly less demanding tests without batting an eyelid.

If you fancy getting your grubby paws on a device that is built to take on everything you can throw it yet still offers high end specifications then look no further. With a 4.3″ 720P display, 12MP camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor and Android Ice Cream Sandwich on board, the Xperia Acro S ticks all the boxes.

If you want to get your geek on, you can check out the test results in the link below.

Source: FCC

Verizon flavoured Galaxy S III source code released

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 10:50 AM PDT

Welcome to the party Verizon. Samsung released the source code for the Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T over a week ago so it was only a matter of time before Verizon customers got their fix. The Samsung open source bank has been updated to include the latest kernel files for the SCH-I535, the Verizon Galaxy S III. Unfortunately you’ll still have a locked bootloader to content with however I’m sure this latest news will be welcomed by the developer community all the same. Modders, start your engines.

 

Source: Samsung

Samsung wins U.K. ruling over Apple; tablets not as simplistic

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 10:26 AM PDT

Samsung won a ruling in a U.K. courtroom today in one of its many cases against Apple. Judge Colin Birss ruled in London that consumers are not likely to mix up Galaxy tablets with the iPad. In the ruling, Birss indicates the Samsung products "do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity" of the Apple products. According to Birss, the Samsung tablets were thinner and possessed "unusual details" on the back. Apparently these qualities make the Apple products more "cool" according to the judge.

Samsung released a statement indicating their belief that the ruling affirms their position that Apple's claims "on such generic designs" could harm innovation and limit consumer choice. For their part, Apple released a statement similar to many past statements indicating "this kind of blatant copying is wrong."

While some are fretting about the judge's comments regarding how "cool" the Apple products are, the ruling is a welcome change of pace for Samsung who saw sales of their Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned in the U.S. last week as a result of one of the many Samsung v Apple cases.

source: Bloomberg

Nexus 7 Coming To A Staples Near You

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 10:18 AM PDT

The Google Nexus 7 tablet has been making a lot of buzz lately, with orders from Google Play shipping in the next couple of weeks. Although Google intends to sell the bulk of their new tablets directly from their online store, there will be select retailers with in store availability. The latest to announce their intentions is Staples, and they will charge the same $199 for the 8GB and $249 for the 16GB model. According to the press release, we can expect to seem them at the end of the month.

If you want to see the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean rocking Nexus 7 in person before taking the plunge head on over to your local Staples when Google makes the tablet available.

Full press release after the break:

Staples Launches Pre-Sale of Nexus 7 from Google

Highly acclaimed Nexus 7 tablet features Google's Jelly Bean operating system

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Staples, Inc, the world's largest office products company and second largest e-commerce company in the world, today announced that Nexus 7 from Google is now available for pre-sale. Nexus 7 8GB and 16GB will be available in Staples stores nationwide and at Staples.com for just $199 and $249 respectively later this month.

"Staples is a leader in offering the latest technology for small businesses and consumers, and we are thrilled to offer early availability of this amazing new product," said Mike Edwards, executive vice president retail merchandising, Staples. "We invite customers to come in and experience a live demonstration of Nexus 7 at one of our U.S. locations or enjoy the convenience of free shipping when ordering on Staples.com."

Jointly developed between ASUS and Google, Nexus 7 is the world's first 7" quad-core tablet, built to bring you the best of Google in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in your hand. It's powered by Android™ 4.1, Jelly Bean, the latest version of the world's most popular mobile platform. Nexus 7 was made for Google Play™, with all the entertainment you love right in your hand. Nexus 7 already comes preloaded with content so you can start reading and watching right away.

Nexus 7 is the latest addition to a wide selection of the newest technology products at Staples. Staples full suite of technology products and services include the latest computers, e-readers, tablets and smart phones. Staples certified EasyTech associates are highly trained, and able to assist customers in selecting the best technology solutions for their needs.

About Staples

Staples is the world's largest office products company and a trusted source for office solutions. The company provides products, services and expertise in office supplies, copy & print, technology, facilities and breakroom, and furniture. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and now has annual sales of $25 billion, ranking second in the world in eCommerce sales. With 88,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, making it easy for businesses of all sizes, and consumers. The company is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com/media.

Verizon GS III pre-orders now shipping July 19

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 09:05 AM PDT

We just reported yesterday that Verizon had pushed back their GSIII launch to July 12 and now the pre-orders are getting hit with delays as well. The latest update from Big Red states that pre-orders will begin shipping out July 19. I’m sure this is a tad frustrating for many customers have been already patiently waiting for their dream phone to arrive. Hopefully we won’t see any more delays in the coming days.

source: droidlife

iPPea TV dongle brings Ice Cream Sandwich to any TV for $50 [Video]

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 07:36 AM PDT

Android 4.0 on a dongle stick is starting to become a popular thing. We’ve seen a Kickstarter project and various other versions recently released. Here’s another to add to your list, and you might want to move it to the top because it’s only $50. It’s basically a simple dongle that can be plugged into any HDMI-enabled TV. Upon doing that, you will get the full Android Ice Cream experience that you get with phones or tablets.

“The tiny iPPea TV is a fully-functioning Android super micro PC that connects to the cloud, accesses a broad range of websites and apps, and delivers a high-quality entertainment experience,” said iPPea CEO Amanda Senkowski. “We are delighted to be using the MIPS-Based Ingenic processor, which provides all of the advantages of an industry-standard architecture, including a broad ecosystem of supporting tools and software. And because of its inherent power efficiency, the device can be fully powered by a standard USB port — such as those available on most DTVs. Also, unlike many competitive PC offerings, no heat sink is necessary in the iPPea TV device.”

Full specs include:

  • MIPS-Based(TM) XBurst(TM) CPU running at 1.2 GHz
  • Android 4.0.3
  • 802.11b/g/n Wifi
  • USB 2.0
  • 2GB storage with support for up to 32GB external storage via a microSD slot
  • support for 1080p HD video and most popular audio/video formats, and other advanced functionality.

You can pre-order one now (see link below) with shipments expected to start at the end of July. Along with the dongle, you will get a USB power cable and micro USB to USB cable. It also comes in black or white. They are also offering as optional accessories; a 3D + gyro wireless key mouse for $22, USB RJ45 LAN adaptor for $12, HDMI extension cable for $8, and 360 degree HDMI connector for $8.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

Click here to pre-order

 

Full press release:

MIPS-Based(TM) iPPea Device Brings ‘Smart’ Android(TM) Experience to any HDMI-Enabled DTV for $50

Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” Dongle Available From iPPea

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jul 9, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — MIPS Technologies, Inc. MIPS -1.62% , a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for home entertainment, networking, mobile and embedded applications, and iPPea Inc., a leading Android(TM) entertainment and mobile device designer and manufacturer, today announced iPPea’s new iPPea TV, an Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” dongle that brings the ‘smart’ Android experience to any HDMI-enabled DTV for $50 (U.S.). The iPPea TV device can be ordered now from iPPea.

The Android operating system brings to the big screen a connected entertainment experience that includes streaming video and music, internet browsing, social media, apps, gaming and more. Now with iPPea TV from iPPea, any consumer can experience these features without having to purchase an expensive high-end smart TV.

The iPPea TV device leverages the high performance and ultra-low power consumption of the JZ4770 mobile applications processor from Ingenic Semiconductor, a leading China-based CPU provider for mobile multimedia applications. The JZ4770 SoC is powered by a MIPS-Based(TM) XBurst(TM) CPU running at 1.2 GHz. In addition, iPPea TV features support for Android 4.0.3, 802.11b/g/n Wifi, USB 2.0, 2GB storage with support for up to 32GB external storage via a microSD slot, support for 1080p HD video and most popular audio/video formats, and other advanced functionality.

“With our high-performance processor cores, MIPS has long been a leader in home entertainment products including DTVs and set-top boxes,” said Gideon Intrater, vice president of marketing, MIPS Technologies. “Because of the extremely low power consumption of the MIPS architecture, we have also worked successfully with licensees and OEMs to bring affordable Android 4.0 tablets to emerging markets. We applaud iPPea for leveraging the performance and power efficiency of the MIPS architecture to create a device that represents the future of affordable connected consumer entertainment.”

“The tiny iPPea TV is a fully-functioning Android super micro PC that connects to the cloud, accesses a broad range of websites and apps, and delivers a high-quality entertainment experience,” said iPPea CEO Amanda Senkowski. “We are delighted to be using the MIPS-Based Ingenic processor, which provides all of the advantages of an industry-standard architecture, including a broad ecosystem of supporting tools and software. And because of its inherent power efficiency, the device can be fully powered by a standard USB port — such as those available on most DTVs. Also, unlike many competitive PC offerings, no heat sink is necessary in the iPPea TV device.”

According to Qiang Liu, chairman and CEO of Ingenic Semiconductor, “The high-performance, ultra-low power XBurst CPU is the driving force inside millions of portable electronics devices. As multi-screen entertainment gains in popularity, it just makes sense that our technology is now also powering home entertainment devices that can deliver a connected TV experience to the mass market. We are pleased to continue our successful collaboration with MIPS Technologies in enabling innovative, cost-effective consumer entertainment devices.”

Availability

iPPea’s iPPea TV can be pre-ordered now at http://www.ippea.com/estore and is expected to ship by the end of July. Included are the iPPea dongle with USB power cable and micro USB to USB cable. Optional accessories include: 3D + gyro wireless key mouse, USB RJ45 LAN adaptor, HDMI extension cable and 360 degree HDMI connector. A support forum is available at http://forum.ippea.com/ .

Ingenic’s JZ4770 SoC for Android 4.0 devices is available now. For more information on the JZ4770 SoC and Android 4.0 products that incorporate this SoC, visit http://en.ingenic.cn/ .

Editor’s Note: Photos of iPPea TV may be downloaded at http://www.mips.com/news-events/newsroom/image-library/news-release/

About iPPea

iPPea Inc. is a leading Android entertainment and mobile device designer and manufacturer located in San Clemente, Calif. Its flagship product is the iPPea TV, an Android thumb PC that can turn any DTV into a Smart TV through an HDMI connection. For more information, visit www.ippea.com .

About MIPS Technologies, Inc.

MIPS Technologies, Inc. MIPS -1.62% is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for home entertainment, networking, mobile and embedded applications. The MIPS architecture powers some of the world’s most popular products. Our technology is broadly used in products such as digital televisions, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, broadband customer premises equipment (CPE), WiFi access points and routers, networking infrastructure and portable/mobile communications and entertainment products. Founded in 1998, MIPS Technologies is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices worldwide. For more information, contact (408) 530-5000 or visit www.mips.com .

The MIPS Technologies, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11351

Follow MIPS on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, RSS, Twitter and MIPS Blog.

MIPS and MIPS-Based are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries of MIPS Technologies, Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. All other trademarks referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

Featured Play Store Newbie: Atom Launcher [Personalization]

Posted: 09 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT

Ah yes custom launchers— they offer a quick and easy way for Android owners to immediately personalize and jazz up the look of their homescreens. Ice Cream Sandwich welcomed a refreshing and exciting change to the overall look of the Android OS. But as sexy as the appearance of Android 4.0 is, there are plenty of Android users (myself included) who may get bored of something like the stock ICS UI very quickly and may see the appearance of the look of ICS as dare I say, boring. Well those of you who are looking to get some pizazz on an otherwise bland UI need to look no further and check out Atom Launcher for ICS 4.0.2 devices and above.

The launcher comes fully loaded with features too. For starters, users of the launchers have the option of selecting from a variety of types of launchers such as choosing a “light and easy launcher” or a full assortment of backgrounds, icons and even themes. In addition, there is complete support for widgets and menu, the option for Changing Display Settings on Hidden Dock: Emotional Filter Effect, Various Screen Switching, Opacity Adjustment as well as Setting Point Color Changes— like changing the color for the widgets, icons, menus or guides.

The launcher is free and currently at version 0.5.2 and is a small 5.6MB in size— though it needs 10MB of total space if you want to save theme resources. If you have an ICS device, there’s no reason to give it a shot today— it won’t hurt to add some simple creativity and uniqueness to your device. You can find the Play Store link and QR code once you hit past the break.

Play Store link

 
Posted by at 5:47 AM

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