Friday, August 3, 2012

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

More Sony Xperia Photos Surface

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:22 PM PDT

 Also yesterday we found out about the additional color choices that will be available for the upcoming Sony Xperia SL.  Today, we’ve got some more photos of the silver version.

The phone features an overclocked processor (from 1.5 ghz to 1.7 ghz), but most of the specs look unchanged from the slightly older but still good-looking Xperia S.  More pics after the break.

source: GSMArena

More Motorola Droid RAZR HD Photos Surface

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:11 PM PDT

Yesterday we showed you some leaked photos of the Droid RAZR HD, and today we’ve got a couple more.  You can see more clearly the texture on the back, which is slightly different than what we saw yesterday.

More important than the fancy carbon-fiber-esque look, is the fact that there’s a nice big Verizon LTE logo there.  One more screenshot below as well, showing the Android version that the HD is sporting.

 

It’s not Jelly Bean.  Not yet anyway, I’d put money on the Google-rola holding release until Jelly Bean can be included.

The build day states May 25th, so this is an old build which I’m sure will be updated by launch.

source: DroidForums

Featured Play Store Newbie: Sudo QuickLaunch for Jelly Bean devices [Productivity]

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:14 AM PDT

Jelly Bean brought us a new gesture in that you can swipe up from the Home button to open Google Now. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could customize it so that you could quickly choose from a few of your most used apps instead? Well Sudo QuickLaunch does just that. You can set it up for whatever apps you want and when you swipe up, instead of going directly to Google Now, you will get a pop up with those chosen apps. All you have to do is touch whatever app you want to open.

This works great for devices without hardware buttons, but for those with hardware buttons, you can access it directly from the lock screen.

It’s priced at $1.49, but it’s only for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean devices. Below is quick video showing you how it works.

 

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

QR Code generator
Play Store Download Link

 

Samsung starts mass production of super fast NAND flash memory for mobile devices

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:43 AM PDT

Your Android phone or tablet is only as fast as its slowest component. It can never hurt to have extra cores, higher clock speeds and copious amounts of RAM but it’s only worth so much if the rest of your device’s specifications aren’t on a par. As ever, Samsung is looking to keep ahead of  the competition by switching on the conveyor belts to begin production of the Pro Class 1500; the world’s fastest high-speed embedded memory (eMMC) flash memory. The Pro Class 1500 is capable of read speeds of 140MB per second and write speeds of 50MB per second, it will also come in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB size variations.

With at least one new Nexus phone expected before the end of the year, here’s hoping we see this high-speed flash memory make a welcome appearance. Check out the full press release after the break.

Samsung Offers Industry’s First 64-gigabit MLC NAND Flash, Using Toggle DDR 2.0 interface

SEOUL–(Korea Newswire) May 12, 2011 — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has started the industry’s first production of a high-performance toggle DDR 2.0 multi-level-cell (MLC) memory chip. The new NAND flash chip features a 64 gigabit (Gb) density, made possible by using an advanced 20 nanometer (nm) class* process technology. The chip is designed to support the high-performance requirements of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and solid state drives (SSDs).

Equipped with a toggle DDR (Double Data Rate) 2.0 interface, the new 64Gb MLC chip can transmit data at a bandwidth of up to 400 megabit per second (Mbps). This provides a 10-fold increase over the 40Mbps Single Data Rate (SDR) NAND flash memory in widespread use today, and a three-fold boost over 133Mbps toggle DDR 1.0, 32Gb NAND flash memory, which Samsung was first to produce in 2009.

“With this 20nm-class, 64Gb, toggle DDR 2.0 NAND, Samsung is leading the market, which is evolving to fourth-generation smartphones and SATA 6Gbps SSDs,” said Wanhoon Hong, executive vice president, memory sales & marketing, Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to aggressively develop the world’s most advanced toggle DDR NAND flash solutions with higher performance and density, since we see them as vital to enabling a greater diversity of services for mobile phone users worldwide.”

The high-speed 400Mbps bandwidth of toggle DDR 2.0 is expected to better support the ongoing shift toward advanced interfaces, as more mobile and consumer electronics devices requiring added performance and higher densities adopt new interfaces such as USB 3.0 and SATA 6.0Gbps,

Further, the new 64Gb MLC NAND chip offers an approximate 50-percent increase in productivity over 20nm-class 32Gb MLC NAND chips with a toggle DDR 1.0 interface (which Samsung started producing in April last year) and more than doubles the productivity of 30nm-class 32Gb MLC NAND.

According to IHS iSuppli, the worldwide NAND flash memory market will continue to steadily grow from approximately 11 billion 1 Gigabyte (GB) equivalent unitsin 2010 to 94 billion 1GB equivalent units in 2015 with a CAGR of 54 percent. In addition, shipments of NAND flash memory with 64Gb or higher density are expected to account for approximately 70 percent of total NAND flash memory shipments in 2012, a huge increase from the three percent level in 2010.

Huawei Ascend Q now available from Cricket

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:34 AM PDT

Readers who prefer a pre-paid contract for their phone devices now have a new option available through Cricket. For $119.99 Cricket is making available the Huawei Ascend Q. The Ascend Q is an entry level smartphone running Android 2.3 on an 800 MHz processor. Sporting a 3.2 inch display, the phone includes a 3.2 megapixel camera for photos and video and can carry up to 32GB of microSD storage. In addition to the touchscreen, the Ascend Q has a full QWERTY keyboard. Head over to the Cricket store for more info or to place an order.

source: Cricket

Samsung Unpacked Invitations sent for August 29th at IFA, Most likely the unveiling of the Galaxy Note 2

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:46 AM PDT

As we expected, Samsung is holding an Unpacked Event on August 29th during the IFA Conference in Berlin. Germany. It’s been rumored that it will be the Galaxy Note 2 and I think those rumors will hold. The original Galaxy Note was pretty successful for such a big device (5.3-inch display) and the Note 2 promises to be even more successful. The Note 2 will most likely sport the same design as the Galaxy S III and incorporate a 5.5-inch display, while not increasing the size of the body of the original Note. We are seriously looking forward to this bad boy and we can only hope that it hits the U.S. a lot sooner than the Note did.

source: SamMobile

A Jelly Bean Tablet for $150? Sort of.

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:17 AM PDT

An Indian company called Karbonn Mobiles has introduced a 7-inch Android tablet named the Smart Tab 1 sporting Jelly Bean 4.1, and it’ll only cost the equivalent of US $150. There are a long line of catches though, which will probably mean this isn’t going to be your next tablet. Read on for more.

First, there’s the fact that the tablet will only be available in India. Second, the spec list is just not very impressive, as expected for a tablet this cheap.

For one thing, it sports a single-core MIPS processor (most tablets run ARM processors) leading to some incompatibilities when it comes to apps. It also has a relatively weak 2MP rear-facing camera. There are no details about the screen resolution, but you can go ahead and assume the screen isn’t going to wow your eyeballs.

When compared to the Nexus 7, which has a quad-core Tegra 3, a high-resolution display, and retails for only $50 more, this is going to be a hard sell even at this price-point.

source: Karbonn Mobile 
via: PC World

Ice Cream Sandwich is now ported to the Raspberry Pi

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:18 AM PDT

The credit card sized Raspberry Pi computer that sells for $25 now has a working version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich thanks to a port. The development community has been working towards getting Android on the Raspberry Pi with CyanogenMod 7.2 and CyanogenMod 9, but this is by far the most usable. This port even supports hardware-accelerated graphics, but unfortunately sound isn’t yet available.

This device is quite limited so this is pretty impressive. The Raspberry Pi sports a 700MHz single-core processor and only 256MB of RAM. Hit the break for a video showcasing it in action.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 

source: RaspberryPi
via: theverge

Samsung Leads Market Share With Over 50 Million Smartphone Shipments For Q2 2012

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:15 AM PDT

 

 

The International Data Corporation (IDC) has confirmed many of the things we already know about the Android platform. According to its latest report, Samsung as expected had the most number of smartphone shipments in Q2 2012 out of all major manufacturers— despite smartphone shipments falling as a whole. The IDC reiterated Sammy’s claim of 50 million over the last 3 months, compared to 26 million from Apple. Nokia finished a distant third and accounted for only 10 million phone shipments, while “others” (which presumably includes RIM) accounted for 50.7 million smartphones in total.

The report also provides a good indication of the overall growth of smartphones. Smartphones grew at a year-over-year rate of 42.1% in Q2 2012. In addition, the total number of smartphone shipments across all smartphone manufacturers grew to a whopping 153.9 million for Q2 2012, compared to 108 million in Q2 2011. And one shocking stat: Samsung has nearly doubled its market share (from 17 percent in Q2 2011 to 32.6 percent in Q2 2012), while Nokia is continuing its painful slide to the bottom of the totem pole (from 15.4 percent in Q2 2011 to 6.6 percent in Q2 2012).

Additional details can be found once you hit past the break.

Strong Demand for Smartphones in Second Quarter Continues to Drive the Worldwide Mobile Phone Market, According to IDC

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. July 26, 2012 – The worldwide mobile phone market grew 1% year over year in the second quarter of 2012 (2Q12), as Samsung and Apple shipped almost half of the world's smartphones. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped 406.0 million units in 2Q12 compared to 401.8 million units in the second quarter of 2011.

Samsung and Apple have more than doubled their combined market share over the past two years, which has created more distance between the companies and the competition. "Samsung and Apple have quickly become the global smartphone heavyweights though both employ somewhat different approaches to the market," said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "Samsung employs a 'shotgun' strategy wherein many models are created that cover a wide range of market segments. Apple, in contrast, offers a small number of high-profile models. While both companies have expanded their geographic presence in pursuit of market share, the two companies will inevitably come into greater conflict as both try to generate additional gains."

Market share gains will be harder to generate, however, if the worldwide smartphone market grows at rates similar to the 42.1% year-over-year rate at which the market increased in 2Q12. This was the lowest growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2009. Vendors shipped 153.9 million smartphones in 2Q12 compared to 108.3 million units in 2Q11. The 42.1% year-over-year growth was one percentage point lower than IDC's forecast of 43.1% for the quarter.

The spectre of further economic woes puts growth prospects for the mobile phone market at risk. "With half of 2012 behind us, vendors are looking ahead to 2013 and how key markets – particularly Europe and emerging markets – will play out," said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends team. "Despite recent maneuvers to shore up several countries within the Eurozone, the effectiveness of these efforts remains to be seen. Meanwhile, emerging markets will continue to be strong contributors due to their sheer size and growth trajectory, but how much they can offset potential declines in other countries is unclear."

Nonetheless, IDC expects long-term mobile phone and smartphone shipment demand to grow steadily in 2012 and through the years ahead due to the central role mobile phones play in people's lives. "For many users, the mobile phone has become the essential communications link to others and to the world," noted Llamas.

Smartphone Vendor Highlights

Samsung extended its lead over Apple during the second quarter, taking advantage of Apple's release schedule and launching its flagship Galaxy S III. In addition, Samsung experienced continued success of its smartphone/tablet hybrid device, the Galaxy Note. As a result, Samsung topped the 50 million unit mark and reached a new quarterly smartphone shipment record in a single quarter. What remains to be seen is how the company's smartphones will fare against Apple's next-generation iPhone expected later this year.

Apple posted an expected sequential decline last quarter, similar to years past. The quarter-over-quarter shipment decline came six months after it unveiled its latest iPhone. The decline is not unusual as iPhone shipment volume is highest in the first two quarters after its release. The company's once-a-year release cycle usually results in two quarters of lower volumes leading up to the next-generation model introduction. Nonetheless, Apple made significant inroads into new markets and segments, including smaller regional carriers and prepaid service providers.

Nokia smartphone business underwent another quarter of transition. Demand for Symbian and MeeGo units declined, reaching levels not seen since 2005 though the company almost doubled its Windows Phone shipments from the previous quarter. Nokia's Lumia sales were not terribly affected by Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 announcement, which will prevent current Lumia owners from upgrading to the new mobile operating system. However, Lumia sales have remained steady and key enhancements available on the new platform will eventually become available to current Lumia owners. Nokia, however, has a long path to travel before it can reclaim previous volume levels and challenge Apple and Samsung for smartphone supremacy.

HTC rebounded from its struggles in the two previous quarters to reclaim the number 4 spot in the smartphone vendor rankings. Its relatively strong performance in the Asia/Pacific region allowed it to climb back up the rank order as did the correction of its channel inventory issues. The company's streamlined portfolio means future share gains will be predicated upon the success of its One products.

ZTE climbed into the smartphone Top 5 for the first time thanks primarily to shipments of its lower-cost entry-level smartphones in China, where it's based. However, the vendor has also grown its international smartphone sales, particularly in the U.S. where its smartphones can be found under other brands. Latin America is another source of significant smartphone growth for the vendor. Despite impressive gains last quarter, brand equity may prove to be an issue for ZTE in future. Strong brand recognition is a necessity if high-growth smartphone sales abroad are a priority for the company.

Snapdragon S1 devices won’t get support for CyanogenMod 9 or CyanogenMod 10

Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:00 AM PDT

In a Google+ post yesterday, the CyanogenMod team announced that Ice Cream Sandwich (CM9) and Jelly Bean (CM10) won’t be supported for Snapdragon S1 devices. One such phone is the Nexus One and they stated that it would require a custom hboot to repartition the internal memory. The fact that there is only 512MB of RAM certainly doesn’t help the matter. On top of that, compromises to the CyanogenMod code would be necessary because of the proprietary libs available from 2.3.

They went on to say that “with enough time, effort, and hacks” it could be made to work, but they don’t feel the experience is worth all of that. Other main attraction phones that have the Snapdragon S1 are the HTC EVO 4G and the HTC Desire.

source: google+

 
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