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Saturday, August 18, 2012

AndroidGuys

Five for Friday: Android apps based on summer blockbuster movies
Motorola holding press event on September 5
Behind the Curtain: A conversation with Wifarer
Next Samsung Galaxy Player waits to be announced
Kaspersky Labs: Android malware attacks triple over previous quarter
Samsung officially announces Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition
WWE releases official app with on-demand video, second-screen viewing
Seemingly legitimate Galaxy Note II
ASUS TF500T hits FCC as potential Transformer Pad successor
Motorola XT907 passes through FCC en route to Verizon
Delta updates go live in Google Play Store
First round of speakers announced for Big Android BBQ 2012

Five for Friday: Android apps based on summer blockbuster movies

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 02:43 PM PDT

With the summer coming to an end in the next few weeks, it’s that time of the year where movie theaters start to empty out a bit. With school starting and the eventual end of the blockbuster season, we thought we’d put together a list of apps to remind you of your favorite popcorn flicks. This way you can relive some of the best moments and films of 2012 without forking over a chunk of change.

We’ve come up with five Android apps based around movies that were pretty popular this summer. As is the case with all lists of these types, we are going to leave a few things off the table. Try as we might, we cannot possibly get everyone’s favorites. That’s where you come in, at the end.

Be sure to let us know which movie-based apps and games you enjoy the most. Was it one of these five or is it something else altogether?

This week: Android apps based on summer blockbuster movies

The Dark Knight Rises | Gameloft

Become Batman and save Gotham City from the biggest threat it’s ever faced. The epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy arrives on Android in the exclusive video game inspired by the movie.

The Dark Knight Rises (Google Play)

The Amazing Spider-Man AR | Sony Pictures

See Spider-Man in action.Scan movie-themed images to watch exclusive 3D content. Imagine seeing Spider-Man come to life right before your very eyes. The Amazing Spider-Man Augmented Reality App allows you to discover Spider-Man in the world around you. Just locate special movie-themed AR images and scan them to unlock exclusive 3D Spider-Man interactive animations.

The Amazing Spider-Man AR

Talking Ted Uncensored | NBC Universal, Inc.

Talking Ted is a soundboard mobile application that has animated video along with your favorite lines from the movie. You can control Ted’s actions and record a video of his actions to share with your friends!

Talking Ted Uncensored

Bourne Legacy: Operation Intel | NBC Universal, Inc.

Use the app to embark on real-world missions that unlock exclusive audio clips from The Bourne Legacy and reveal more about the mysterious Intel program. Missions can be played anywhere with Google map coverage. There are ten missions to complete with a global leader board profiling the top players.

Bourne Legacy: Operation Intel

Total Recall | Jump Games

Plunge into fast-paced, First Person Shooter action that follows the same mind-bending storyline as the new Sony Pictures' sci-fi thriller. It is the year 2084, and you suddenly find yourself on the run from mysterious assailants after a trip to the memory implant center Rekall goes horribly wrong. The Fate of the World hangs in the balance, as the line between Fantasy and Reality dissolves into a Paranoid Dream.

Total Recall

But wait, there’s more!

Here’s another four titles to toss in just for fun. These are considered live wallpaper apps for your home screen. It’s only because we like you so much!

ParaNorman

Amazing Spider-Man 3D Live WP

Ted

Bourne Legacy Live Wallpaper

Header image courtesy DeviantArt

Five for Friday: Android apps based on summer blockbuster movies was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

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Current Caller ID from WhitePages, marries call and text ID with social status, local news and weather in a single app that makes it easy for people to instantaneously stay up-to-date with the people they communicate with the most.

Motorola holding press event on September 5

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Will this be the debut of the Droid Razr HD?

Motorola just tossed a Save the Date email our way, asking us to push aside some time on September 5. Without indicating whether it’s a phone or tablet announcement, we’re only teased with “Motorola. On Display.” Sounds to us like a Droid Razr HD announcement is in order, no? With the high definition display expected in the next iteration, it would certainly fit the bill.

Motorola holding press event on September 5 was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Behind the Curtain: A conversation with Wifarer

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 01:23 PM PDT

Location-based stuff has long been one of our favorite types of applications and features for Android. Having a GPS and Wi-Fi device in your pocket has presented us with a number of great services and apps for Android, each of which has its own selling points. One particular app that landed on our radar, Wifarer, seemed pretty darn cool to us so we reached out to the company. We had the opportunity to chat with Philip Stanger, co-founder and CEO of Wifarer, and learned what it is that they do, and what makes their app so cool.

Thanks for taking time to chat with us today. Please, tell us a bit about yourself and Wifarer
My name is Philip Stanger and I am the co-founder and CEO of Wifarer. I manage the company's strategic direction and work closely with our team of developers to further enhance and improve our high accuracy IPS technology. I have been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years in the technology industry and have served as a consulting systems architect for large organizations such as CIBC and the Ontario Provincial Government. I am also passionate about music and have composed award-winning scores for clients such as Paramount Entertainment, CBS and BBC. I earned my master's from Yale University and bachelor's from Johns Hopkins University.

Wifarer’s indoor navigation technology pinpoints a user’s smartphone within a few feet and offers real-time indoor “GPS” positioning, navigation, and location-aware content to users in large venues like shopping centers, museums, hospitals, stadia, and airports.

Sounds interesting to be sure, but how does it work? Do we need to download the app from Google Play?
Wifarer's proprietary and award-winning technology uses the venue’s existing WiFi to pinpoint the indoor location of a smartphone to within a few feet. We use a beacon on a map to identify the user’s location in real-time. As the user moves, the beacon moves too, so users always know exactly where they are. Since we know the smartphone's indoor location, we can deliver content about nearby locations – like a coupon in front of a store at a shopping center, or video in front of an exhibit at a museum, etc.

Wifarer is a free application that can be downloaded directly from Google Play. When launched, Wifarer automatically loads the maps and content of the venue the user is currently in (assuming it is Wifarer-enabled). Users can also browse the maps and content of any of Wifarer's partner venues from anywhere. So, for example, visitors can plan their visit to a museum before they leave home, and can revisit interesting multimedia after they leave the museum. Or they can check out coupons at a shopping center before they actually arrive, etc.

What sort of venues are using the service today? Any places you can specifically point to?
We are currently deploying our solution in a number of verticals including large shopping malls, sports stadia, airports, museums, hospitals and universities. Really, any large venue where patrons would normally rely on a map and whose visit would be improved by location-based information can find purpose in Wifarer's technology. One specific venue that we are thrilled to announce is our deployment in the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, BC, Canada. We will be launching new venues every month for the foreseeable future, so stay tuned for a venue near you.

We can deliver a coupon in front of a store at a shopping center… or video in front of an exhibit at a museum.
We noticed coupons and other items offered – care to elaborate on that experience?
Wifarer provides venue controlled location-based content. This means that when a user navigates to their destination, location-aware content icons for promotions, coupons or other information will pop up along the path. Tapping the icon opens the content. So for example, at a shopping center, customers access coupons; at a museum, they access multimedia about exhibits, etc.

Wifarer's online CMS makes it easy for venues to edit content and maps. Since changes appear instantly on the app, it is always up-to-date and accurate.

Tell us a little more about how a museum might integrate Wifarer
As mentioned, we have recently launched in the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, BC, Canada. This prestigious natural history museum boasts a variety of exhibits and art spectacles including the visiting Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries. In addition to providing real-time wayfinding throughout the venue, Wifarer also provides location-based content for each of the exhibits, which is controlled and curated by the museum. With Wifarer as their free "audio guide on steroids" visitors can tour the museum based on their own passions, and dive as deeply as they want into a particular artifact or exhibit.

One great aspect of Wifarer is that it allows all members of a group or family to experience the museum on their own terms and in their own time, rather than having to follow a pre-set tour.

Would a user be receiving offers and coupons in the notification bar? Do they only appear within the app?

The coupons, information and offers appear within the app.

Privacy and anonymity is a huge concern with Android users. Is there any data collected by Wifarer or its partners?
Wifarer collects anonymous data on smartphone movements in order to provide analytics on visitor traffic to our venue clients. All data is anonymous and aggregated. The purpose of the analytics is to enable the venue to better understand group behavioral patterns and how their venue is used. For example, while museums know how many people purchase tickets and enter the museum, they don't know what visitors do once they are in the museum. Wifarer's aggregated anonymous data gives them insight into where visitors go and how long they stay, so they better understand which exhibits are popular, and which are rarely viewed, so they can optimize floorplans, signage, games and tours to ensure that overlooked exhibitions get the attention they deserve.

We do not provide data to any third parties. Our relationship to our users is of the highest value to us, so our privacy policies are very strict; they are discussed in detail on our website.

Thanks again for everything, Philip!

Behind the Curtain: A conversation with Wifarer was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Next Samsung Galaxy Player waits to be announced

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 12:50 PM PDT

At the 2012 IFA event we are expecting to get, among other things, an announcement for a new Samsung Galaxy Player. You can see from the image above that the design for the next model closely resembles Samsung’s current flagship, the Galaxy S III.

This Galaxy Player is shown as having a very big 5.8-inch display, a dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, and other bells and whistles designed to offer top-notch media performance. The unnamed device will come with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich as well as Samsung’s TouchWiz Motion UX. Look for these to arrive in either black or white at a retailer near you.

So what do you think about this exciting new media player? Is it gonna throw the iPod out the window or just be yet another Samsung Media Player? Let us know in the comments below!

Source PocketDroid

Next Samsung Galaxy Player waits to be announced was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Kaspersky Labs: Android malware attacks triple over previous quarter

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 10:40 AM PDT

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but Android devices are under a barrage of attacks and things are only going to get worse. Kaspersky Labs advises that number of malware attacks targeting our favorite devices has tripled over the previous quarter.

With nearly 15,000 new programs aimed at Android, almost half of them were deemed to be multi-functional Trojans that could steal data and/or download and install programs from remote servers.

About one quarter of the malware were found to be SMS Trojans which could send message to premium-rate numbers without user consent. Roughly 1/5th of the malware is consider a backdoor threat, or something that might allow hackers full control over your infected devices.

Arm yourself against the bad guys

Be safe and do your homework kids. Be sure to check the sources of your apps, read comments and reviews, and set permissions. Don’t go blindly installing apps from email links or sources that are less than trustworthy. If it seems a little shady, then error on the side of judgment.

Kaspersky Labs apps in Google Play →

Android Under Attack: Malware Levels for Google's OS Rise Threefold in Q2 2012

Below is a summary of the level of malicious programs targeting the Android platform during spring and early summer 2012. The number of new malicious programs targeting the Android platform has almost trebled in the second quarter of the year, according to figures from Kaspersky Lab's Q2 report on IT threat evolution. Over the three months in question, over 14,900 new malicious programs targeting this platform were added to Kaspersky Lab's database.

These statistics demonstrate that virus writers are increasingly focusing on developing malicious programs for mobile devices.

Classification of Android Trojans

Nearly half (49 per cent) of these malicious files targeting Android devices were multi-functional Trojans that steal data from telephones (contact names, email addresses, telephone numbers, etc.), and are also capable of downloading additional modules from servers run by malicious users.

A quarter of the detected Android malware was made up of SMS Trojans. These malicious programs steal money from victims' accounts by sending SMS messages to premium-rate numbers without the owner's knowledge or consent. A couple of years ago, these programs could be only found in the countries of the former USSR, South-East Asia, and China. Today, they are spreading around the world: in Q2 2012, Kaspersky Lab protected users in 47 countries against SMS threats.

18 per cent of Android threats detected in the second quarter this year are backdoors that give malicious users the ability to gain full control over an infected device. These programs are used to build botnets of mobile devices. For now, only a small number of all Android threats are Trojan Spy programs – just 2 per cent of the total. However, these are the malicious programs that pose the greatest threat to users. These programs are on the hunt for the most valuable data that give malicious users access to bank accounts.

"In the near future, we expect not only more malware, but more effective and dangerous malware targeting Android. Judging from existing trends, we should expect that cybercriminals will soon shift to more personalised attacks. This is primarily about malware hunting for confidential data with which to steal money from users' credit cards", said Yuri Namestnikov, Senior Malware Analyst at Kaspersky Lab.

Mobile threats of this kind can be handled with the help of dedicated mobile applications. Kaspersky Mobile Security and Kaspersky Tablet Security, in addition to reliable protection against information theft via malware, also ensure data stays safe even if the device is lost or stolen.

Kaspersky Labs: Android malware attacks triple over previous quarter was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Samsung officially announces Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 10:30 AM PDT

We’ve been hearing whispers about a student edition of the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, complete with a keyboard dock and USB adapter at no extra cost. While Samsung did make it official today, they noted that the deal is only available for a limited time. The student edition will hit shelves on Sunday, and you’ll only have two weeks to grab one. The keyboard dock and USB adapter make the bundle worth around $350, but Samsung is still selling it for $249. There’s no word on if the student edition will be available exclusively to students, but we imagine that it’ll be open to everyone.

The full press release can be found below, and be sure to stay tuned to AndroidGuys for all the latest on the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition.

So, is anyone planning on grabbing one of these bundles? Do you think the included accessories make it better than something like a Nexus 7? Sound off in the comments!

For Two Weeks Only Beginning 8/19, Bundle delivering $100 in added value to be available at participating retailers

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., Aug. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announces that its GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 device will be available in a special Student Edition, beginning 8/19 and for two weeks only. The Special Edition includes a GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 in a unique white color, a keyboard dock and USB adapter in the box – a retail value of $350 - for an SRP of just $249.99.

Students will realize substantial benefits from the bundle, which will add a physical keyboard to the device as well as a USB adapter that supports plugging in USB thumb drives as well as peripherals such USB mice. With these accessories and the preloaded Polaris Office, the GALAXY Tab 2 is perfect for typing research reports or even creating presentations. In addition, the multimedia features on the GALAXY Tab 2 are perfect for enjoying movies and music.

“The education market is a significant priority for Samsung, and we are very pleased to deliver a bundle that is sure to be appealing to just about any student at a very competitive price point,” explained Travis Merrill, Director of Marketing, GALAXY Tab, Samsung Electronics America. “A busy student can achieve a PC-like setup in the dorm room, yet still pop the GALAXY Tab 2 out of the dock and slip it into a pocket for usage while on the go. It truly is the smarter way to learn.”

The special packaging for the new bundle also includes an insert with a series of recommended cool educational apps from Google Play.

GALAXY Tab 2 – Powerful, Smart, Easy to Use

The GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 is a powerful dual-core tablet running Android 4.0. The devices features an integrated IR blaster for universal remote capabilities, as well as an easily accessible memory card slot for convenient loading of multimedia files in a range of supported file formats.

The tablet also offers endless content access in a sleek design that can maximize the home entertainment experience. The Smart Remote App and built-in IR Blaster turns the Tab 2 into a universal smart remote, helping users easily find their favorite shows. Users can choose from over 450,000 apps, surf millions of web pages with Adobe Flash™ support, and access favorite movies and TV shows from Google Play or Media Hub.

In addition, the GALAXY Tab 2 is fully Google certified for complete access to Google Play and is competitively priced at $249.99, so students don’t need to compromise when selecting a tablet.

The bundle will be available while supplies last, from 8/19 through 9/1. Participating retailers include Best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Costco and Fry’s.

Key Specs:

Screen & Resolution	7.0″ TFT (PLS) Display WSVGA (1024×600) Resolution
OS	Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
Size & Weight	0.41″ x 4.8″ x 7.6″Weight, Including Battery: 0.76 lbs
Memory	8GB Built-inmicroSD™ Slot: Up to 32GB
Connectivity	WiFi 802.11 b/g/nBluetooth V3.0USB 2.0 Host3.5mm Ear Jack 30 Pin IF Connector Integrated IR
Camera	3MP rear-facingVGA front-facing
Other Features	GPSStereo SpeakersVideo Playback at 1080p @ 30fps
SRP	$249.99

More information can be found at www.samsung.com.

About Samsung Electronics America
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for information.

Samsung officially announces Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

WWE releases official app with on-demand video, second-screen viewing

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 09:55 AM PDT

This one should make millions of ~~wrestling~~ sports entertainment fans happy. WWE (yes, they’re very much alive), one of the largest sports entertainment corporations in the world, has announced a mobile app that will appeal to the WWEaholics out there. Not only will the app give users access to videos and tons of other content, it’ll provide a nice second-screen experience. In layman’s terms, you can read about John Cena while you watch him lose to whoever is beating up on him these days. They’ve also throw in some social media functionality, so users can see what all the WWE superstars are tweeting about as well.

But wait, there’s more! The WWE team has even added the ability to purchase merchandise and event tickets from within the app. Users can also connect with other locals that share their WWE enthusiasm, and take part in live polls while events like Monday Night Raw are happening.

Ideally, WWE hopes this app will provide a centralized experience for fans to get all the information they need without going to multiple sources. But of course, only you can be the judge of that. So if you’re a big WWE fan, you can download the official app from the link below. Enjoy!

Download the official WWE app

For those of you that have already tried it out, what do you think? Are there any major bugs or missing features? Let us know in the comments!

Source TechCrunch

WWE releases official app with on-demand video, second-screen viewing was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Seemingly legitimate Galaxy Note II

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 09:03 AM PDT

A picture of a seemingly legitimate Samsung Galaxy Note II has surfaced online which looks to have the same design cues as the recently announced Galaxy Note 10.1.

The source of the image was not able to confirm any of the details other than the fact that it does have a 5.5-inch display. Samsung is expected to announce the gigantic phone at its pre-IFA 2012 event on August 29. so we’ll put all this stuff to rest soon enough. We can’t take many more mockups and leaked stuff.

What do you think about this phone? Let us know in the comments below. In my opinion it is too big for my hands…. I would much rather the HTC One X or GSIII!

Via PhoneArena

Seemingly legitimate Galaxy Note II was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

ASUS TF500T hits FCC as potential Transformer Pad successor

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 08:02 AM PDT

A new ASUS tablet has made its way into the FCC which may turn out to be a successor to last year’s Transformer Pad. Bearing the model number of TF500T, it stands to reason that it falls somewhere between the previous model (TF300T) and the recently released (TF700T) Transformer Infinity Pad.

As far as specifications go, there’s very little to share at this point. Things are that are officially known include the Wi-Fi (b/g/n), HDMI, and a microphone. Certainly not enough to whip us into a nerd frenzy yet, but we’re still optimistic.

FCC via Engadget

ASUS TF500T hits FCC as potential Transformer Pad successor was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Motorola XT907 passes through FCC en route to Verizon

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:16 AM PDT

A presumably mid-range Motorola smartphone has made a stop by the FCC on its way to Verizon, hinting at yet another Droid model on the horizon. Tapped with the model number of XT907, the handset looks to feature NFC, CDMA / EVDO, support for Verizon 4G LTE bands, Bluteooth, mobile hotspot, and more.

Without any details on the processor, memory, or storage, it’s hard to imagine exactly what kind of device this will be when it debuts. Given the fact that we’re talking FCC stuff now, it should not be long before we find out more.

FCC via Engadget

Motorola XT907 passes through FCC en route to Verizon was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

Delta updates go live in Google Play Store

Posted: 17 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT

What’s the point in downloading a new version of that big 20MB application if the only thing that is different is the addition of new language support? Why bother wasting the bandwidth and eating away at the limited data plan that you’ve got?

Delta updates, which were announced back at Google I/O in June, have gone live in the Google Play Store. Android Police, who seem to be first to notice, advise that things seem to be working for previous Google Play releases.

Now, instead of pulling down a full-sized app over and over, these smart updates only add or fix the stuff that has changed since the last release. This will be a blessing to batteries, data plans, and a user’s time.

The delta update stuff has not been officially announced in a blog post as of yet however several outlets are trying to get a statement from Google.

Delta updates go live in Google Play Store was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.

First round of speakers announced for Big Android BBQ 2012

Posted: 16 Aug 2012 09:25 PM PDT

Hey! You’re going to the Big Android BBQ, right? Of course you are! This year promises to be every bit as fun as the last two years, if not even more.

The first round of speakers for this year’s festivities has been announced and we’re seriously getting geeked up! If you’re a developer, or prospective developer, you’ll want to grab your ticket as soon as possible.

Big Android BBQ 2012 speakers (so far):

Matt Abdou
- Smartwatches and Android
Fernando Fonseca
- Marketing and Branding for Developers
John F Hancock
- App Engine, Android, In-App Billing: An End-to-end System
Jonas M Luster
- The Android and The Chef
Luke Wallace
- Custom UI Controls
Paul Scherf
- The Android Shell for Programmers
- Putting the Touch on Android: onTouchEvent vs onInterceptTouchEvent
Andy Dyer
- A taste of Ice Cream Sandwich in a Gingerbread World
Adam Outler
- Vulnerabilities, Exploits and Closed Source
Joe Bowser
- Apache Cordova on Android
Jeremy Meiss
- The Future of Android Development
- XDA – Past , Present & Future
Mark Murphy
- Making Money at Mobile: 60 Business Models
- Android 4.1: What You Need to Know
Tha Phlash
Cyanogen Team Members

The list of speakers, sponsors, and attendees is going to grow over the next few weeks so be sure to bookmark the site. While you’re at it, why don’t you download the app from Google Play?

Download the Big Android BBQ 2012 app!

Order your ticket to the Big Android BBQ for as low as $50 and we’ll see you in Dallas, Texas! Can’t make the trip but wanna get all the swag anyways? There’s a bundle for ya!

Via: AndroidCentral

First round of speakers announced for Big Android BBQ 2012 was written by the awesome dudes at AndroidGuys.