Android Phone Fans |
- There are now 700,000 Android apps in the Google Play Store
- Galaxy Nexus no longer available for sale in the Play Store, Nexus Q removed from device lineup
- Google Now update brings more cards, voice actions and more
- Google backpedals on LTE with Nexus 4, but was it the right choice?
- T-Mobile drives the price up on Nexus 4; offering Nexus 7 plans
- Here is Android 4.2′s 360-degree Photo Sphere camera
- Google Nexus event won’t be rescheduled
- Google details Android 4.2: Photo Sphere, Gesture Typing, and multiple users included
- Google announces 32GB Nexus 7 with mobile data for $299, available unlocked Nov. 13
- Google and Samsung announce the Nexus 10; November 13th for $400
- Google, LG officially announce the Nexus 4; coming November 13th for $300
- CyanogenMod to include ability to hide on-screen navigation
- Huawei Honor 2 looks to blow your socks off
- Nexus 4 makes video debut, Android 4.2 quick settings shown off
- Android 4.1 arrives for HTC One X in Europe and Asia
| There are now 700,000 Android apps in the Google Play Store Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:31 PM PDT With the news of shiny new Google devices bombarding your your favorite media outlets today, I think it’s safe to say today was a huge day for Android. But, besides a slue of new Nexus devices soon making their way to your doorsteps, there’s still a few stories left unsung. Apparently, the Google Play Store has officially reached its 700,000 apps milestone. This, according to Bloomberg, and while we await an official announcement/blog post from Google HQ, this is still another big milestone for company who at one time was ridiculed for having a less than robust app market place. By comparison, the Apple App Store hit the same 700K mark back in September of this year, at which time there were 675,000 apps in the Play Store. And while this sounds great on paper, rummaging through that many apps is a daunting task for anyone, with many quality apps getting lost in the shuffle. Don’t worry, we’ll continue letting you guys know whenever a good one comes our way. Pinky promise.
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| Galaxy Nexus no longer available for sale in the Play Store, Nexus Q removed from device lineup Posted: 29 Oct 2012 06:19 PM PDT Looking to score a deal on last year’s shiny new Galaxy Nexus? Well, don’t expect to pick one up from Google’s virtual store shelves as the device has been yanked, and most likely for good. No longer even listed along side Google’s device portfolio, even jumping onto the old listing for the device has it listed as, “no longer available for sale.” Dang, Google. Just like that, huh? But don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll see this little guy popping up in fire sale from various daily deal sites in no time, so there could still be hope. Question is, how much lower can they mark down an absurdly low $350? We’ll have to wait and see. Another device removed from Google’s Nexus portfolio in the Play Store is the Nexus Q. One time sharing a spot next to the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7, the Q was actually removed from the landing page last week, replaced by the Chromebook. While the Q hasn’t been completely removed from the Play Store just yet — we still fear the worst for Google’s magic 8 ball. Not that anyone will really miss it.
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| Google Now update brings more cards, voice actions and more Posted: 29 Oct 2012 02:04 PM PDT Google has been busy today, it seems, as it has had to launch three new devices despite Hurricane Sandy limiting their ability to do so at a live unveiling event. Now the efforts have been taken to the Google Play Store where Google Now is seeing an upgrade. A lot of new changes have been made with this new version. For starters, we’ve got new voice actions that will allow you to set a meeting entry in your calendar, pull up your next meeting/appointment at any given time, and launch apps. There are also new cards for nearby attractions and photo spots, movies opening in nearby theaters, concerts going on, and more. Even more, Google Now now works with Gmail (but it’s English only for now), supports flights, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations, events, packages scheduled to be shipped to you and more. Personally I’ve only gotten the new calendar features, Gmail and the package tracking to work. I have WWE 13 headed my way tomorrow morning via Amazon and Google Now sent me a notification as soon as I updated the Google Search app letting me know its status. I’m not sure if the status updates are real time yet so I’ll have to wait for it to change in the wee hours of the morning to see how that goes. Finally, the Gmail integration allowed me to send an email to a contact without having to type a word. As for the rest I haven’t been able to get them going just yet but I’ll see what I can do to trigger some of these new cards and automatic notifications. In the meantime be sure to get your upgrade from the Google Play Store and let us know which new features you were able to use and see.
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| Google backpedals on LTE with Nexus 4, but was it the right choice? Posted: 29 Oct 2012 12:23 PM PDT Despite a list of features that reads like it was pulled from a smartphone buyer’s wet dream, there is a glaring absence from the LG Nexus 4 spec sheet. While its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, launched with 4G LTE connectivity, the latest member of Google’s pure Android line is a 3G-only device. In an interview with The Verge, Google’s Andy Rubin explained that the Galaxy Nexus came off as more of a failed experiment and example of why LTE is not quite consumer-ready, but it seems like a poor excuse for a feature that was touted as a prime selling point when that handset launched. Yes, there are some real reasons why sticking with HSPA+ speeds and a 3G GSM radio makes sense. A single cellular radio drives down the upfront device cost and proven 3G technology will cut down on some of the excessive battery drain that Galaxy Nexus users experienced, but plenty of manufacturers have put out 4G devices in the past year and have managed to address these issues. Pricing might still be a factor, but it’s nothing that couldn’t be solved by working with carrier partners. Google, however, has a bit of an apprehension about working with carriers due to the delays involved with providing updates to Nexus devices. They also have an apprehension to the supposedly tiny market size of LTE subscribers. Did they miss the memo that nary a major handset release is announced these days without LTE as a prime feature? LTE is quickly becoming the standard, not some future-proof feature, but Google is content to insist that the technology has not matured enough at this point. Bluntly, Google’s explanation for no LTE in the Nexus 4 comes across as a cop out more than anything else. It’s a step back for a company that has prided itself on taking on new and untested technologies, and it comes just days after I lauded Google’s work to become a market trend setter. This was the company that forced Apple’s hand with the Nexus 7, making the iPad Mini a necessity. Now the iPhone 5 has LTE support and timely updates to boot while Google has scaled back for the sake of volume. It’s a mixed message. Let’s develop a set of futuristic eyeglasses with a computer interface built in, but let’s not release a flagship smartphone with LTE. A flagship smartphone that follows our last flagship smartphone that did launch with LTE. Google is banking on enticing customers with a low-cost, off-contract smartphone, but in doing so they have violated what I feel has been a core tenant of the Nexus brand. Nexus has always meant cutting-edge, developer friendly devices that push the boundaries of smartphone technology. And while Google successfully demonstrated with the Nexus 7 that proper pricing can equal huge gains, the Nexus 4 misses the mark.
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| T-Mobile drives the price up on Nexus 4; offering Nexus 7 plans Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:46 AM PDT When Google announced the Nexus 4 and the mobile data-enabled 32GB Nexus 7 we assumed GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T would only be supported through the Google Play Store, but it looks like the former will actually carry this as if it were a normal device. T-Mobile is going to be offering the Nexus 4 starting November 14th for $200 after signing a new two-year contract. The carrier doesn’t mention which storage configuration this pricing is for, but we’ve pinged them to find out. For now, it’s best to set your expectations for the 8GB version to avoid disappointment until we can find out more info. T-Mobile is also offering the device on its value plans, which means you’ll pay a $200 month down payment on the full price of the phone with $20 installments each month for 20 months after that. Doing a bit of math that comes out to about $600 for the device overall, a far cry from the $300-350 Google is asking for. We’re not sure what compelled T-Mobile to price this thing significantly higher than the Google Play version. The upfront cost is cheaper, sure, but at the end of the day you’re paying a lot more than you should. This means either T-Mobile drove the MSRP up or Google simply is willing to sell the device at a loss, something we’ve seen the company do with the Nexus 7 and recent price drops to the Galaxy Nexus. We’d venture to guess T-Mobile’s pricing is closest to MSRP, though, and if they had to buy these at full resale then it’s no wonder they are going to ask for that much. Oh, and just in case you were wondering — T-Mobile’s press shot didn’t have any carrier branding on the front, but we’ll have to wait for back shots to see if it’s sporting any unwanted tattoos. In related news, T-Mobile will offer plans for the new data-enabled 32GB Nexus 7. Our press release states it will be offered via the Google Play Store with T-Mobile service, so it sounds like you might be able to buy the device at the price point Google wants to offer it for without signing a contract. Data will likely be charged on a month-to-month basis at that point, but until the plans go live in the Play Store it’s tough to say for sure. We’ll be seeking more details from magenta, but let us know how you feel about the pricing of the Nexus 4 compared to what Google’s offering in the Play Store. Just hit the comments section below! PS: you can sign up to be notified about its T-Mobile arrival at this link. [Update]: we’ve confirmed that it’s the 16GB version of the Nexus 4. You might also want to know that T-Mobile’s version supports HSPA+ 42mbps, while the Google Play Store offering goes up to 21mbps.
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| Here is Android 4.2′s 360-degree Photo Sphere camera Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:27 AM PDT Wondering exactly how that snazzy new Photo Sphere camera mode in Android 4.2 will work? Here’s a quick video demo showcasing just that. Instead of your traditional side-to-side panorama sweep, Photo Sphere asks the user to align the camera with a blue guide dot to capture up to a full 360-degree view. After the photo is stitched together, the image can be panned, rotated, and zoomed to get a full look. It’s sort of like having a street view camera, but it’s in your phone. For that matter, the captured images can be pinned to a location in Google Maps to add your own look at the world around you for others exploring the digital atlas. [via DroidLife]
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| Google Nexus event won’t be rescheduled Posted: 29 Oct 2012 10:07 AM PDT Hurricane Sandy pretty much ruined any chance for us to get our hands on the new Nexus devices Google has coming. As you may have already noticed Google has gone ahead and announced the devices anyway. Our first question was whether or not they’d be rescheduling the event following the hurricane — after all, despite the horror of mother nature we still want to take an early look at these at some point. The unfortunate answer is no — the Nexus event that would have been will no longer be, and that’s that. There’s no telling what to expect in terms of product demos from Google. We imagine they’ll want to release quick video promos for the new tablets and smartphones, and an Android 4.2 walkthrough wouldn’t go unappreciated. The most important thing is that everyone on the east coast threatened by this storm do everything they can to remain safe, though, so we know Google has a very, VERY good reason and we aren’t too bummed as a result. Stay tuned to Phandroid as we look to bring you continued coverage on all things Nexus. Be sure to read the announcement posts for the 32GB Nexus 7, the new Nexus 4, and the new Nexus 10 tablet. As for Android 4.2, you can read more about that here.
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| Google details Android 4.2: Photo Sphere, Gesture Typing, and multiple users included Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:52 AM PDT Google has officially announced Android 4.2, the next update to their mobile operating system. The new software version, which retains the Jelly Bean name introduced with Android 4.1, brings about several new features, including Photo Sphere, a 360-degree panorama mode that captures “larger than life” images stitching together a complete view of a users surroundings.
Android 4.2 will ship with the LG Nexus 4 and Samsung’s Nexus 10 tablet, but plans for the new version of Jelly Bean to reach other devices have not been announced. The Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus are presumably next in line. [via Google]
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| Google announces 32GB Nexus 7 with mobile data for $299, available unlocked Nov. 13 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:37 AM PDT
Google has announced a series of updates to their Nexus 7 lineup to coincide with the launch of the LG Nexus 4 and Samsung Nexus 10. The biggest addition is the introduction of a mobile data-enabled version of the slate with 32GB of internal storage. The HSPA+ Nexus 7, which is compatible with over 200 service providers worldwide (including AT&T in the US) will launch on November 13th and will retail unlocked for $299. Additionally, Google has announced a WiFi-only 32GB version of the Nexus 7, which will replace the 16GB model at the $249 price point. The 16GB model will see a price cut to $199, taking over for the 8GB model. As has been seen on numerous retailer websites, the new WiFi models should be available as of today. To join the discussion on the latest updates to the Nexus 7 line, head on over to the Nexus 7 section of our very own Android Forums. For more info on Google’s latest tablets, including the Nexus 10, as well as the newly launched Nexus 4, head on over to Google’s official announcement post.
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| Google and Samsung announce the Nexus 10; November 13th for $400 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:28 AM PDT Following the official announcement of the Nexus 4, Google has announced its Nexus 10 in conjunction with Samsung. This would mark the first 10 inch Nexus tablet, and it’ll come with a ridiculous 2,560 x 1,600 display which translates into 300 pixels per inch. The biggest hardware feature is its ARM Cortex-A15-based Exynos 5250 processor, a 1.7GHz dual core beast that is seemingly uncontested by any competitor to date. More specs include 2GB of RAM, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi, 500 hours of standby time (odd that they’d exclude information about video playback or browsing time) and a 5 megapixel camera. It’ll also run Android 4.2, but you can find all the current details on that right here. The device will be available starting November 13th for $400 (16GB) and $500 (32GB) in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, and Japan. Google’s currently taking email addresses for those who want to be notified of its arrival, but it doesn’t look like any pre-sale opportunities will pop up between now and its release. [via Google]
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| Google, LG officially announce the Nexus 4; coming November 13th for $300 Posted: 29 Oct 2012 09:13 AM PDT Along with the LG Nexus 4, today, Google also announced the Nexus 10, a new version of the Nexus 7 (with lower pricing), and the all new features of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Due to Hurricane Sandy, Google and LG couldn’t do a grand unveiling of the Nexus 4 at its New York City event this morning, but that hasn’t stopped them from issuing the sweet press release we’ve all been waiting for. The two companies have officially announced its existence, and it’s as much of a doozie as we heard it was going to be. It’s a 4.7 inch IPS device with 1280×768 resolution, and it also comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro, a quad-core beast of a chipset for those not in the know. It’s by far the best chipset we’ve seen inside a Nexus phone, and it should drive Android 4.2 and beyond with absolute ease (yup, that’s right — Android 4.2). The chipset comes coupled with 2GB of RAM, and we couldn’t be any more excited by that. It will also house an 8 megapixel camera with the ability to shoot 1080p HD video, and on the opposite side of that will be an HD front-facing camera for video calls. NFC support, wireless charging, a 2,100 mAh battery and more round out the rest of the technical specs. The device will be available in 8GB ($300) or 16GB ($350) configurations starting November 13th. Those in the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Australia can expect it on that date, while other regions will get it starting at the end of that month. For now Google has only promised GSM/HSPA+ version so those of you on Verizon or Sprint here in the UK will need to hope that those respective carriers will be readying announcements of their own sometime down the line. You can only sign up to be notified of its arrival in the Google Play Store right now, and it’s looking like Google won’t bother with a pre-sale for this device unless they announce something closer to launch. Read on for full press details, and be sure to discuss everything Nexus 4 over at AndroidForums.com!
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| CyanogenMod to include ability to hide on-screen navigation Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:52 AM PDT I know I’m not the only one who’s gotten into some heated moments in a game only to accidentally hit the home or back button. In many cases this can mean game over, death, lost time in a speed trial or what have you. It sucks, and it looks like those on CyanogenMod will finally be able to do something about it soon. The CyanogenMod team has announced it is borrowing a feature from the Paranoid Android ROM that will allow you to hide the on-screen navigation buttons found on the likes of the Nexus 7, Galaxy Nexus, Motorola’s latest phones, and more, as well as the status bar for those “not so full-screen” apps and games. It’ll be something like a simple toggle that is accessible when holding down the power button.
A specific gesture will apparently allow you to reintroduce the on-screen elements whenever you like, and we imagine these gestures will be just hard enough to execute to make sure it doesn’t happen accidentally. What would make this feature even better is if you could define apps that will automatically hide the on-screen elements, though that’s probably outside of the realm of possibility right now. Perhaps the two teams can come together and brainstorm on that one. ;) But all excessive requests aside, this will be a wonderful utility for those who simply don’t want or need the buttons and status bar to show at any given moment. With a little bit of know-how you can get this up and running in your current CM10 ROM, but we’d urge most users to wait until it has been included with the stable package. Is anyone excited to hear this news or do you have the hand-eye coordination and awareness to not need this altogether? [via Google+] Note: as you might have guessed, the full extent this news likely won’t apply to anyone using devices with hardware navigation buttons, though you’ll likely still appreciate the ability to hide the status bar.
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| Huawei Honor 2 looks to blow your socks off Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:24 AM PDT Huawei is continuing its efforts to become known as a high-end device manufacturer as the company has just announced the follow-up to the original Huawei Honor. This one is appropriately named the Huawei Honor 2, and it looks to pack some of the most promising set of specs we could ask for in smartphones in this day and age. It’s 4.5 inch smartphone with a 1280×720 display that makes for 326 pixels per inch. It’ll house one beautiful display going by those specs alone, though judgment on quality is always reserved until you see it yourself. For internals, we’re being promised a quad-core 1.4GHz processor of Huawei’s own creed. Specifically, it’s the K3V2 that features a 16-core GPU. Theoretically it’s supposed to be enough to best NVIDIA’s current Tegra 3 configuration found in phones, but that remains to be proven at a scientific level. It’s an ARM Cortex-A9 setup so it won’t come close to Samsung’s Exynos 5 series, but many believe that’s a bit overkill at this point in time. The chip was seen on Huawei’s D Quad series announced this past February, but our first look at the device didn’t do much to impress us when comparing it to comparable Samsung and NVIDIA-made SoCs. Regardless, we’re expecting some very respectable performance out of this chip. It’s also coupled with 2GB of RAM which currently matches the industry best (Samsung Galaxy Note 2). One of the more interesting claims is that the 2230mAh battery inside is supposed to garner a whopping 72 hours of something. Huawei’s site says it has a talk time of 13 hours and standby time of 23 days under its technical specifications, but Huawei’s banner for the phone and other outlets are saying 72. We’d wager to guess the 72 hours is for light-moderate use, but that can’t be verified at this time. Regardless, 13 hours of talk time on a battery of this capacity has our eyes peeled. Other specs include 8GB of internal storage with options for expansion, Bluetooth 3.0, an 8 megapixel camera with HD video camera, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, and more. Like usual those of us not in Asia will have to hope that this device eventually finds its way to a wide range of markets, but considering Huawei’s track record it’s wise not to hold your breath. [Huawei]
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| Nexus 4 makes video debut, Android 4.2 quick settings shown off Posted: 29 Oct 2012 08:03 AM PDT Any Swedish speakers out there? Swedroid has uncovered what appears to be our first look at the LG Nexus 4 in action despite the cancellation of a Google event today where the phone was expected to be unveiled. The YouTube video doesn’t provide much, but we do get to see the new Android 4.2 quick setting menu in action. The feature is accessed via the notifications pane and provides instant access to setting such as brightness, WiFi, airplane mode, and the like.
We’re still awaiting word from Google on plans to reschedule the event that would have introduced the world to LG’s first Nexus device. The phone’s coming out party was postponed in light of a Hurricane currently making its way across the North Eastern United States.
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| Android 4.1 arrives for HTC One X in Europe and Asia Posted: 29 Oct 2012 07:33 AM PDT The rollout of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the HTC One X commenced over the weekend in parts of Asia and Europe. The update first arrived in Taiwan but has since been reported in other regions. The new software brings the One X to Android 4.1.2 and includes HTC Sense 4+, the latest version of the Taiwanese smartphone maker’s custom user interface. New features include SMS forwarding, password protection for the message inbox, and an updated Gallery. In addition, Sense 4+ is said to bring a 10 percent performance boost in addition to the enhancements of Jelly Bean’s Project Butter. Users can also expect other Jelly Bean features, including Google Now and actionable notifications. For now the update is making its way to the Tegra 3-powered version of the handset with no exact timeline for the arrival of Jelly Bean for users in the US. Next up for HTC is getting Android 4.1 to the international version of their One S handset. [via Android and Me]
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