Android Phone Fans |
- Google Play Music Updated with Google TV Support and Jelly Bean Expanded Notifications
- Samsung Galaxy Reverb On Its Way To Virgin Mobile – Up For Pre-Order Aug 29th for $250
- Boost Mobile Announces Samsung Galaxy S2 4G Arriving In Sept For $370 – Samsung Galaxy Rush For $150
- Motorola says bringing device unlock tool for older devices “not currently in the plan”
- Archos 101 XS brings a tablet and keyboard case for $400
- LG Optimus Vu will be branded LG Intuition on Verizon, debut at $200
- Sprint Epic 4G maintenance update promises to improve battery life
- HTC One V headed to Cricket Wireless
- US Cellular announces Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G, available online today
- Vizio Co-Star teardown outs dual-core processor
- ZTE Blade III makes an appearance on Finnish retailer’s site
- HTC saying bye-bye to Beats in future handsets?
- Android 4.0.4 rolling out to HTC One S users in mainland Europe
- US Department of Justice cracks down on sites trafficking pirated Android apps
- Sony open sources Android sensor software, looks forward to community contributions
| Google Play Music Updated with Google TV Support and Jelly Bean Expanded Notifications Posted: 22 Aug 2012 06:36 PM PDT Just in time for the first wave of Vizio Co-Stars being shipped out, Google has just updated their Music app in the Play Store to version 4.3.609. So, what can you expect? Well, as I just alluded to, it finally brings official Google TV support for one. We can’t for the life of us figure out how this wasn’t taken care of sooner, but better late than never. Also new to this version is the inclusion of those expanded notifications for Jelly Bean users. For Play Music, this means expanded controls in the notification area. When collapsed, you can only pause and move forward a track. When expanded, you can now go back. Fancy. The newer, updated Google Music can be downloaded from the Play Store right now.
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| Samsung Galaxy Reverb On Its Way To Virgin Mobile – Up For Pre-Order Aug 29th for $250 Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:30 PM PDT Hot on the heels of Boost Mobile’s Samsung device announcement, we now have Sprint’s other subsidary, Virgin Mobile, announcing the all new Samsung Galaxy Reverb. The Galaxy Reverb features a design similar to the Droid Charge (shield) and will come with Android Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box. It will also feature a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor, 4-inch 800×480 resolution display, 5MP shooter and 1.3MP front facing cam, 4GB of internal memory, while running on Sprint’s 3G network (sorry, no WiMax or LTE here). At $250 contract-free, the Reverb will squeeze its way in between Virgin’s HTC EVO V ($300), and the HTC One V ($200). The Reverb goes up for pre-order on August 29th. Seems Samsung has been a busy boy, pumping out Android-powered smartphones like a popcorn machine, huh?
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| Boost Mobile Announces Samsung Galaxy S2 4G Arriving In Sept For $370 – Samsung Galaxy Rush For $150 Posted: 22 Aug 2012 04:24 PM PDT We’ve known for some time now that Sprint’s little sister, Boost Mobile, would soon be getting their hand-me-downs by way of the Samsung Galaxy S2 aka the Epic 4G Touch. Well, today Boost Mobile has finally let the cat out of the bag, announcing the “award winning” Samsung Galaxy S2 4G launching on September 6th for $370. Not bad considering this guy will come with Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box and if you factor in Boost’s low $40/month incredible shrinking bill — that’s quite a deal. The Galaxy S2 4G will also be available in black and white varieties and is one of the few devices in here in the states to carry with it Samsung’s dual-core Exynos. Also part of the announcement was a little something about the Samsung Galaxy Rush, a 1GHz, 768Mb of RAM packin’, 3.5-inch totin’, Android Ice Cream Sandwich munchin’ device for $150. While the rear camera is only a paltry 3MP, it does come equipped with a 1.3MP front facing cam for video chatting. Full press release below.
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| Motorola says bringing device unlock tool for older devices “not currently in the plan” Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:46 PM PDT When Motorola announced its long-awaited bootloader unlock tool we assumed most new devices would be supported. The bigger question, however, is if older devices — like the DROID 4 or the original Motorola Photon 4G — would be supported, as well. They were asked the very question on Twitter, and the news was far from good. The answer is not… not yet, anyway. Motorola says supporting older phones “is not currently in the plan,” and while that exact wording may leave room for them to eventually come around to bringing support it’s not wise to hold your breath for too long.
The best thing you can do is hope the community can somehow find their own way around Motorola’s encryption, and unless the unlock tool gives deep insight into bootloader encryption for older devices I’d say chances are that won’t be happening any time soon. So there’s the jig: you can buy a newer Motorola phone and hope to be able to unlock it (remember that support is subject to carrier approval), or you can pray to the development gods that they come up with a solution before too long. [Twitter via Droid-Life]
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| Archos 101 XS brings a tablet and keyboard case for $400 Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:18 PM PDT Talk about some unique packaging. Archos is looking to entice people with a new tablet they have coming to market called the Archos 101 XS. It’s a 10.1 inch tablet that will feature TI’s dual-core OMAP 4470 clocked at 1.5GHz, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, Android 4.0 (upgradeable to Jelly Bean later this year), and more. But for as ordinary as these specs sound, it’s the accessory coming bundled with it that’ll have people saying “ooooh,” and “aaaaah.” They’re calling it the Coverboard, and as its name implies it will run double duty not only as a case, but also a magnetic keyboard. The Coverboard and the XS 101 are kept together magnetically. When it’s in keyboard form you can stand the tablet up at a comfortable viewing angle. This is one of the most interesting and versatile keyboard “docks” we’ve seen, and we’re curious to see how intuitive this will be in the long run. But at the end of the day, that’s just a small part of the experience (albeit a very interesting one). The device is relatively unexciting compared to the likes of the ASUS Transformer Pad TF700 or the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, but the $400 asking price is one thing Archos can say they are able to enjoy. North Americans can expect its arrival in one of the busiest shopping months of the year — November.
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| LG Optimus Vu will be branded LG Intuition on Verizon, debut at $200 Posted: 22 Aug 2012 01:09 PM PDT While we’ve known Verizon would be carrying the LG Optimus Vu for quite some time, but as we know Verizon likes to get a hold on branding. According to materials received by Droid-Life, Big Red will bring the device to market as the LG Intuition. Not only that, but we should be seeing it come in at a $200 price point. We can also tell from the image that the on-contract price is only after a new two-year agreement, and that the full off-contract price is $549. That seems moderately reasonable for what’s being offered here. It’ll be a 5 inch, dual-core slate that comes with Android 4.0 and LG’s custom Optimus UI. The phone has caught a considerable amount of flak for its aspect ratio, but I suppose Verizon and LG believe there’s a market to cater to for them to be preparing a launch. While I’m not a huge fan of the aspect ratio at this size I can see where someone might appreciate a bigger phone. That said, we’re still not entirely sure when to expect the device. Verizon’s version passed the FCC a short while ago, and that means they’ve been given the green light to sell the device in the United States. That doesn’t mean the device is finished, but we’re closer than we can imagine for the time being. Is anyone looking to buy this phone once it hits retail?
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| Sprint Epic 4G maintenance update promises to improve battery life Posted: 22 Aug 2012 12:09 PM PDT A legion of Samsung Epic 4G owners have been dealing with battery life issues as of late, and it looks like Sprint is finally ready to rectify the issue. They’ve sent out a small bug-fixing update for the device that will improve battery life, and barring any updates to their post or some digging by developers there doesn’t seem to be anything else that’s different. The update will be rolled out in stages over-the-air, so you can either wait for the notification to appear or see if you can force the update through the settings menu. You’re looking for S:D710.10S.FH13 (MR 4). Let us know if Sprint lives up to their word. [Sprint]
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| HTC One V headed to Cricket Wireless Posted: 22 Aug 2012 10:58 AM PDT HTC has announced that it would be partnering up with Cricket to offer the regional carrier’s customers the HTC One V, one of the only 2011 phones to come absent with an S4 processor. Instead, the One V houses Qualcomm’s older S3 chip, a solution that is still capable of pumping out a nice Android experience. The 3.7 inch device features Beats Audio, ImageSense camera technology, and the latest and greatest of HTC Sense. Cricket was interested in dropping hints on a price, but we imagine it won’t be more than $200-300. We did get a date, though — September 2nd is the day you can walk in and buy one of these. It’s sure to be one of their finer options so if you’re with Cricket you’ll want to put it on your radar.
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| US Cellular announces Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G, available online today Posted: 22 Aug 2012 10:50 AM PDT US Cellular has announced a hot new option for those interested in taking advantage of their growing 4G LTE network. It’s the Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G, a device with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and radios to take advantage of super fast speeds wherever it’s available. The package includes a 1GHz processor, a 4 inch display, a 5 megapixel camera accompanied by a front-facing camera, and more. August 24th is its landing date in stores, but those who don’t mind buying it online can get it starting today. Folks interested in buying it can get it for a couple of different price points depending on where they live. If you’re living in a 4G coverage area (or if your area will become one by the end of this year) US Cellular’s enticing you with a $130 price tag. Unfortunately, those who won’t be in a position to take advantage of 4G will actually be charged more, with a price point of $179 to walk away with the device. It definitely seems a bit backwards on paper, but US Cellular is tackling this 4G thing aggressively and they need to do everything they can to get more users on board. Read on for full press details.
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| Vizio Co-Star teardown outs dual-core processor Posted: 22 Aug 2012 09:47 AM PDT The Vizio Co-Star, which we reported earlier is starting to arrive on the doorsteps of those who have pre-ordered the new Google TV box, has been given the teardown treatment by the folks over at iFixIt, finally revealing a few of the specs that the company has otherwise been rather tight-lipped about. Most notable for the $99 set-top box is the inclusion of a 1.2GHz dual-core processor accompanied by 1GB RAM and 4GB of internal storage. The hardware spec is pretty impressive considering the Co-Star features some of the better specs we have ever seen on a GTV box at a fraction of the cost. If Google had come out with such a device initially (or a better path that saw the internet TV concept delayed until features and pricing hit the sweet spot) Google TV could have been a hit from the start. The Co-Star, at the very least, should allow the platform to gain some much needed ground. [via iFixIt]
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| ZTE Blade III makes an appearance on Finnish retailer’s site Posted: 22 Aug 2012 08:19 AM PDT Finnish retailer Verkkokauppa.com has taken it upon themselves to do what ZTE hasn’t: out the next member of the manufacturer’s Blade series. The ZTE Blade III has appeared with images and a full spec sheet and claims that it will ship in 2-4 weeks, though there has been no formal announcement of the handset. The Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone garners mid-range specs with a 1GHz Quallcom Snapdragon CPU, 3.5-inch display, and 5MP camera. It also carries a meager 200MB of internal storage and 512MB RAM. Despite its refined styling (Galaxy Nexus copycat, anyone?), the Blade III likely won’t be worth much more than its €199 price tag. Whether or not the phone will actually be shipping over the next few weeks remains to be seen. [via AndroidCentral]
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| HTC saying bye-bye to Beats in future handsets? Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:56 AM PDT Perhaps the writing was on the wall when HTC decided to stop bundling Beats headphones with their devices. Maybe it was even more clear when HTC gave up its controlling stake in Beats, relinquishing the majority of ownership to the company’s founders. Taking both developments into account, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the latest industry whispers suggest that a complete divorce between HTC hardware and Beats software could be coming soon. According to insider sources, HTC has plans to strip Beats functionality from future handsets and remove the logo that has adorned their most recent generation of Android handsets. The development should garner a mixed reaction, with many buying into what Beats is selling while others remain skeptical. While we never found any reason to deride HTC’s decision to include Beats equalization software within HTC Sense, the feature was nothing to write home about in most aspects. Yes, you got a decent bass boost and improved quality of audio, but you probably didn’t need Beats to make that a reality. If and when HTC and Beats decide to go their separate ways it will be interesting to see if HTC sells off its small remaining hold in the company. HTC has been strapped for cash lately and is examining all avenues when it comes to padding the coffers. Selling their stake in Beats might be a quick and easy way to gain a little without sacrificing much. [via AndroidPolice]
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| Android 4.0.4 rolling out to HTC One S users in mainland Europe Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:24 AM PDT Owners of the HTC One S in Germany and the Netherlands are reporting the arrival of Android 4.0.4 for the handset, bringing the phone to Sense 4.1 in the process. The update fixes a fair amount of bugs and improves speed and performance while adding in a few new features such as EA’s Gamebox hub and a remote diagnostics tool. The arrival of the 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich build brings the software of the One S in line with that of its more powerful sibling the One X.With the rollout of the software in mainland Europe it is probably safe to assume other regions won’t be too far behind. [via The Verge]
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| US Department of Justice cracks down on sites trafficking pirated Android apps Posted: 22 Aug 2012 07:15 AM PDT The US Department of Justice announced today that they have seized several domains associated with the illegal distribution of pirated apps for Android smartphones. The three sites named were applanet.net, appbucket.net, and snappzmarket.com. The action is being touted as the first of its kind against the ever-growing black market for smartphone apps and games. In a statement released this morning, Lanny A Breur of the Justice Department’s criminal division recognized that “apps have become an increasingly essential part of our nation’s economy and creative culture,” and said the goal is to “protect the creators of these apps and other forms of intellectual property.” With the seizures, the sites in question ceased operation immediately and have had control handed over to the DoJ. [via DroidDog]
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| Sony open sources Android sensor software, looks forward to community contributions Posted: 22 Aug 2012 06:19 AM PDT Over the past few generations of Xperia devices Sony has worked hard to refine their Dynamic Android Sensor HAL (DASH), a software environment designed to easily interface the hardware sensors a handset with its Android ecosystem. The process of enabling sensors in older generations of Sony Android smartphones was a bit of a chore, but thanks to constant refinements to DASH it is now a matter of plug and play. Now Sony is open sourcing the software to not only make it easier for custom ROM developers to tinker with the sensors found in Xperia hardware but also in the hopes of growing DASH through community contributions. It’s not necessarily something for the average Android user, but it does continue to show Sony’s commitment to working with developers rather than against them. For more info head over to Sony’s developer blog. [via Sony]
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