Android Phone Fans |
- Microsoft is at it again, wants to hear your Android horror stories for a chance to win a free Windows Phone
- iOS still spanking Android in total web traffic despite Android’s leading market share
- Rayman Jungle Potpourri update adds 10 new levels
- T-Mobile’s smartphone insurance rates to increase in March, creates new tier for the Galaxy Note 2
- Gameloft: Modern Combat 4 is coming to Android “shortly after” Dec. 6 iOS release
- Google I/O 2013 scheduled for May 15-17
- Fun-filled “nabi Jr.” children’s tablet features dual-core Tegra for $100
- Verizon shutting down V Cast video December 15th, will promote Viewdini instead
- Samsung S Pebble coming to US as Muse music player, retails for $49
- Nexus 4 going back on sale in the UK today
- Facebook Messenger aims at ubiquity, opens to users without Facebook accounts
- Toshiba announces the $350 Excite 10 SE
- PhoneJoy Play transforms smartphone to handheld gaming console, fund it now
- Android Overload: AT&T LTE now available in 6 new markets, CM10 Nightlies now available for Nexus 10, and more
- AT&T Galaxy S3 now receiving Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update via Kies
| Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:29 PM PST It was almost this same time last year Microsoft launched their “Droid Rage” campaign in an attempt to convert disgruntled Android users “infected with malware” into switching over to Windows Phone. Apparently, they had over 3,200 submissions which left many scratching their heads (really, who could pass up a free phone?). Well, starting just a few minutes ago — they’re at it again. This time it’s the official Windows Phone Twitter account asking people to tweet them with the hashtag #DroidRage, accompanied by their Android malware “horror story.” Really? Adding insult to injury, @WindowsPhone gave a few helpful tips for those suffering from a virus ridden Android device, and they are as follows:
By now your blood is, no doubt, already boiling and you’re not the only one. Seems the relaunched campaign has already caused some backlash with Android fans all over Twitter rising to the occasion, defending their favorite mobile OS with witty sarcasm. Out of pure curiosity, anyone out there have a real Droid Rage story they’d care to share? We’re all friends here, right? While I, personally, have yet to experience malware “Droid Rage” (Android’s inconsistent back button is a whole ‘nother story), I will tell you about an experience I had yesterday with a family member of mine. Turns out my aunt was complaining her Android phone suddenly had a “mind of its own.” I decided to provide some tech support only to find that her entire homescreen was filled with spammy icons linking to external websites. While this was more or less adware, I would bet money that whatever could have been downloaded from those links would have been bonafide malware. The cause? Come to find out my little cousin — God, bless her soul — had been downloading any app with the title “Hello Kitty” onto my aunt’s device. I wiped the whole sucker clean and started her from scratch. #DroidRage. |
| iOS still spanking Android in total web traffic despite Android’s leading market share Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:55 PM PST We’ve all seen the stats, Android is outgrowing iOS by a ridiculous number, something like for every 4 smartphones shipped, 3 of those are running Android (albeit, Gingerbread — but that’s neither here, nor there). More recently, a study by Gartner showed that Android tablets reached 44% of the market last quarter, just 11% under iPad’s share. There’s no question — there are a lot of Android devices out there. So, can somebody please tell me why this new data from Chitika is showing that iOS web traffic is almost double that of Android’s? From May to November of this year, iOS tablets and smartphones accounted for 65% of total web traffic, where Android straggled behind at 35%. So, what gives? To be fair, it’s almost a dead heat when comparing smartphone web traffic alone, which shows us that this new number involves mostly iOS users on their iPads. I guess the simple explanation would be that iOS users really like surfing the web on their tablets. Meanwhile, Android users are just… I don’t know, watching Netflix or something? Another explanation is that the default view when surfing the web from an Android tablet is set to “desktop view,” which may have skewed those results a bit. As a man who has chosen to forgo Android tablets altogether, I’m curious. What kind of activities do you find yourself doing when on your tablet? Anyone ever crack that browser open for a good web surfing sesh? |
| Rayman Jungle Potpourri update adds 10 new levels Posted: 04 Dec 2012 02:06 PM PST You didn’t think Ubisoft was going to release Rayman Jungle Run and let it go untouched, did you? Of course not — that’s why you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the developer will soon be releasing a great new update for the game in the Google Play Store. Titled “Potpourri,” this update will add 10 new levels that all offer something a bit different from what’s already available. The jungle has gotten a bit cold in these winter months and snow has fallen upon its inhabitants. You’ll also make use of a new water slide ability to help you tackle those pesky waterfalls that stand in your way. The game already featured 40 great jungle-themed levels for its standard affair so a free upgrade with 10 extra levels is nothing to sneeze at. Let’s hope they keep rolling well into 2013, but we’ll enjoy this one for now. Unfortunately Android users will have to wait a bit later in the day to download it, but keep an eye on the Google Play Store as it’s sure to pop up any moment now. You can buy Rayman: Jungle Run for $3 at the source link ahead. |
| T-Mobile’s smartphone insurance rates to increase in March, creates new tier for the Galaxy Note 2 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 01:43 PM PST At $370 (after $50 mail-in rebate) with a 2-year agreement, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is far from wallet-friendly. But you know what stings more than that? Trying to pony up the $650-$700 and buying one full price (no contract). Now that is sure to break the bank. Given that the G-Note 2 is one of T-Mobile’s most expensive offerings ever, it seems they have to create a whole new tier for those wanting to make sure their investment is protected through Asurion. Starting March 17th, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 will cost a whopping $175 to replace, while paying anywhere from $6, to $12 a month to keep it insured. That’s not all. It looks like the standard deductible to insure any smartphone on T-Mobile will also go up an extra $20, jumping from $130 to $150 with the monthly charges remaining the same. Some quick math tells us that you could be paying upwards of $288 over the life of your contract (and that’s if nothing were to happen to your device). If your phone drops and breaks requiring a replacement — that’s around $463 total. While I could see it making sense to insure a brand new phone like the Note 2 upfront, I can’t see how it would be worthwhile after a year (phones depreciate quickly). A year from now you’ll most likely be able to find a Note 2 on Craigslist for around $200. Of course, there are always alternative insurance providers like SquareTrade who will insure a device for around $7 with a $100 deductible. Question: do any of you guys insure your Android devices? If so, for how long? Or perhaps you prefer to let fate decide when it comes to your smartphone’s future? |
| Gameloft: Modern Combat 4 is coming to Android “shortly after” Dec. 6 iOS release Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:54 AM PST I’ve got some good news, and some bad news for those of you who enjoy first-person military shooters. The good news is that Gameloft’s Modern Combat 4 is finally going to be launched for at least one platform December 6th. Great, right? Well, the bad news is that one platform isn’t Android. The game developer has confirmed that the title will release December 6th for iOS devices, but us Android folks will have to wait a tad longer than that to pick up our rifle and recite the famous rifleman’s creed. Gameloft didn’t say how long the wait would be, and also declined to give us a clear reason as to why it has been delayed. We assume Gameloft has more testing to do as testing for a multitude of Android devices can take a lot of time. If this is the cause for delay then put those pitchforks down because everyone should appreciate that extra QA to make sure the launch goes without fail. A less plausible scenario is that they’re giving Apple a timed exclusive in some sort of deal. While we’re almost certain that isn’t it, it has to be something to consider until we can get more concrete information from Gameloft itself. We’ve reached out to the Gameloft team to see if we can get a better idea of when to expect the Android version. The Modern Combat series has been lauded as the Call of Duty of mobile devices and has delivered exceptional shooter gameplay and cutting edge mobile graphics. Online multiplayer is another great achievement for the series even if people tend to abandon the servers after a week’s time (let’s hope the community is a bit more active this time around). We’ll be dying to get our hands on it whenever Gameloft decides to push it to the Play Store, but you can check the official trailer out above in the meantime. We’ll update this post with any information we can gather on the delay so be sure to check back periodically. |
| Google I/O 2013 scheduled for May 15-17 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:23 AM PST Google’s yearly developer conference will take place May 15th through 17th of next year. Google I/O, which is becoming an increasingly popular destination for Android devs and tech media personalities alike, features three days of keynote addresses, product announcements, and developer panels and sessions. The event typically sells out as quickly as a new batch of Nexus 4 smartphones, though Google won’t announce registration details until February of 2013. Last year’s event saw the introduction of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and the flagship Nexus 7 tablet (as well as the ill-fated Nexus Q), and this year promises even more. We should be getting our first look at Key Lime Pie as well as device refreshes, but we have plenty of time to speculate on what exactly to expect. It should go without saying that Phandroid will be there bringing back live coverage, a look at what’s new, and any giveaway goodies. As in previous years, Google will host offsite events and live streams of keynote addresses and developer sessions. Mark the date on your calendar now and start counting down the days. [via Google+] |
| Fun-filled “nabi Jr.” children’s tablet features dual-core Tegra for $100 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 10:05 AM PST Parents undecided on which tablet to get their children for Christmas may want to consider a new Tegra-enabled option by the folks from Fuhu, inc. The company has announced the nabi Jr, something they’re calling a “leap forward in the toy tablet category.” The proverbial leap will cost you just $99, and as a kid I’ve never gotten a “toy” as cool as this. The 5 inch WVGA features NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra chipset and will run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s not the latest version of Android but it’s modern enough so children won’t have to worry about compatibility issues with their favorite games and apps. And what child is really foaming at the mouth for Jelly Bean anyway? This device isn’t just going to be for gaming, though. Parents can breathe easy knowing that the nabi Jr’s software has been designed with education in mind just as much as it was designed to be fun. The Wings Education System is integrated with learning tools for children from kindergarten all the way through 6th grade. Books (with assignments), educational games and more will allow parents to feed the entertainment needs of their children while simultaneously improving basic reading, writing and mathematical skills. Parents can even assess their children’s education level to identify problem areas and suggest a learning track to improve the child’s understanding of a particular subject. Additional accessories and features, such as video baby monitoring, a karaoke setup, a cash register (with virtual currency) and a game controller will all be available to enhance the experience even further. And children can even get their own virtual pet to care for in case you want to start preparing them for the real deal whenever you decide to get them a cute dog or cat for Christmas. The device will be available in 4GB and 16GB models for $99 and $130, respectively, and you will start to see them retail in the middle of this month. Accessories will be available starting February 2013 at varying prices. Read on for full press details.
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| Verizon shutting down V Cast video December 15th, will promote Viewdini instead Posted: 04 Dec 2012 09:05 AM PST It looks like more V Cast-branded services are going the way of the dodo bird. Verizon has started notifying its customers about the shuttering of V Cast Video, a service for watching video clips that, 9 times out of 10, were of no interest to whoever was watching them. The deed will be fulfilled on December 15th.
The service was more relevant back when feature phones were still prominent and smartphones were just beginning to come out of the starting gate, but has since been antiquated in a few short years thanks to the likes of YouTube and mobile browsing in general. Verizon will only maintain one video subscription service from here on out, and if you guessed that it was NFL Mobile then you would be right. The carrier has an exclusive agreement to be the official mobile sponsor of the National Football League so you had to imagine that NFL Mobile wouldn’t be going anywhere. That service will remain $5 for the privilege of watching live NFL Network coverage — including Thursday Night Football — and all the news, stats, clips and photos you can handle. Verizon will focus on promoting Viewdini from here on out, a video discovery app that’ll point you to even more popular clips that V Cast never could. The app is already pre-installed on some of Verizon’s latest phones, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the HTC DROID DNA. The service has powerful backing as it’s powered by TV.com, though the app itself leaves a lot to be desired from the little bit I did use. Regardless, it’s there if you need it and hardly in the way if you don’t so take that for what you will. I’m personally curious to know how many of you out there actually used V Cast in any capacity — I can’t imagine the number in ranks is terribly large. If you are one of the folks who haven’t completely abandoned it, though, then prepare yourself as you will be forced onto greener pastures by the middle of this month. [via Verizon] |
| Samsung S Pebble coming to US as Muse music player, retails for $49 Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:15 AM PST Samsung will be selling a rebranded version of their S Pebble music player as the Muse in the US. The player, which is equal parts companion to popular Samsung smartphones such as the Galaxy S and Galaxy Note 2, can store up to 4GB of music. The idea behind the Muse is that it gains most of its functionality via its connection to a smartphone through the use of a sync app found in the Google Play Store. You can move music from your Galaxy phone to the Muse easily and rely on the small, ultra portable player to listen back to your tunes with enhanced SoundAlive technology. While it might not be chock full of features, the Muse makes up for it with its $49 price point and stylish looks. Still, most users will likely be left asking why they need an additional music player when they can skip the hassle of transferring songs and listen directly from their phone. [via SammyHub] |
| Nexus 4 going back on sale in the UK today Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:57 AM PST With all the Nexus 4 craziness going on here in the United States it’s easy to forget that our friends in other parts of the world are also having a tough time getting their Nexus 4 units from Google Play. The UK and Australian stores had just as many problems as the US store, and it looks like Google has finally gotten some more units in to help meet demand for our those across the pond. That’s right, UK consumers will have another opportunity to purchase the Nexus 4 later today. The sale will go live at 5pm GMT, and remember that there’s a chance things could go live early so give yourself enough time to get online and prepare. That means there’s just about an hour left so hurry to the Play Store and make sure your account is ready as you’ll want to do everything you can to shorten the checkout process. Set your cards up on Google Checkout, double check your billing and shipping addresses, and do whatever else you have to do to give yourself a better chance. Unfortunately a second sale doesn’t immediately guarantee units for all those who missed out the first time around. If the US relaunch is anything to go by then there’s a high chance that the Play Store could experience just as many problems, and there’s no telling how much stock Google has to meet demand. Be sure to circle back and let us know how everything goes as we’re interested to see if Google’s finally made strides in both server capacity and customer service to help facilitate this second launch. Any strays out there still looking for a Nexus 4? [Thanks Bladesman!] |
| Facebook Messenger aims at ubiquity, opens to users without Facebook accounts Posted: 04 Dec 2012 07:15 AM PST Facebook wants their Messenger app to be the default way people communicate, and they know the only way to accomplish that goal is to open the service to as many people as possible. That is why the social media giant has stripped the account requirement for Facebook Messenger from the app’s most recent Android version. Instead of having to log in to Facebook, users can sign into the app using only their name and phone number. From there, it’s as easy as drafting up a message and sending it off. It’s a curious approach from a company that at one point limited membership to only those with a college email address, but it’s all in the name of ubiquity. Just yesterday, as the SMS turned 20, we asked if the text message still holds a relevant place in the smartphone era. Over 50 percent of our readers say that the text is still their primary form of communication, but 35 percent say they rely at least in some part on other messaging services such as Facebook, GTalk, and email. SMS is still in heavy use largely thanks to the fact that it is compatible with all mobile phones. A messaging service won’t do much good if your friends and family aren’t also using it. In the end, removing an account requirement from the Messenger app is a win-win for Facebook. The service becomes more intriguing to those looking for a ubiquitous experience and should entice the few stragglers left to sign up for a full-fledged Facebook account. But there is still a ways to go. For starters, access for users without a Facebook account will be limited to India, Australia, Indonesia, Venezuela, and South Africa. The update will reach other countries (and the iOS version of the app) down the road. [via The Verge] |
| Toshiba announces the $350 Excite 10 SE Posted: 04 Dec 2012 06:51 AM PST It looks like Toshiba is still sticking it out in the Android tablet game as the OEM has announced a new device for those who want an affordable 10 inch tablet. The Toshiba Excite 10 SE is what they’re hoping will set the world ablaze this holiday season. It’s a 10.1 inch tablet that comes equipped with NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor and will cost just $350. Toshiba is proud of the device’s slim and light profile as it has been engineered to weight just 22.6 ounces and is only 10.16mm thin. The device will come out of the box with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and we imagine Android 4.2 will be on its roadmap at some point down the line. Other features of the Excite 10 SE include SRS-enabled stereo speakers for enhanced video chat and multimedia experiences. It also has a 3 megapixel rear camera accompanied by an HD front-facing camera. For connectivity, you’re looking at Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi N, a microSD port and a micro USB port (which will be used for both data and charging, thankfully). We’re only a couple of days away from launch as Toshiba tells us the Excite 10 SE will be available starting December 6th at the Toshiba Direct store. Other “select” retailers will carry the device, as well, so be sure to look around at the likes of Best Buy and Wal-Mart if ordering straight from Toshiba isn’t your thing. Read on for full press details.
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| PhoneJoy Play transforms smartphone to handheld gaming console, fund it now Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:58 AM PST We’ve seen quite a few controller peripherals for Android devices, but we haven’t quite seen anything like the PhoneJoy Play. The latest accessory from PhoneJoy takes everything great about their previous wireless gamepad for Android and combines it with a simple, intuitive mounting system to create a handheld console experience using any smartphone. The PhoneJoy Play appears like a portable gamepad at first glance, but once you pull apart its two halves to reveal the proprietary easy slider mechanism it becomes much more. The Play can accept any smartphone in portrait or landscape mode, including big boys like the Galaxy Note 2. Once docked your handset takes on a second life as a powerful gaming machine. What about the games? The PhoneJoy crew is providing an SDK for developers to directly integrate Play controls into their upcoming and available titles. For everything else, an app included with the Play allows for quick and easy configuration of controls. It seems like they thought of everything. The PhoneJoy pay looks to be one of the most intuitive and unique gamepad experience we have ever seen for Android, and you can be a part of making it a reality. Kickstarter funding just went live, giving all the option to pick up the Play for as little as $50. Provided enough people contribute, the controller ships in April.
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| Posted: 03 Dec 2012 11:00 PM PST
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| AT&T Galaxy S3 now receiving Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update via Kies Posted: 03 Dec 2012 08:39 PM PST After months and months of waiting and watching smaller carriers like T-Mobile push out their Jelly Beans, Samsung Galaxy S3 users on AT&T can finally get in on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. The update, which should start rolling out over-the-air any minute now, is currently available via Samsung Kies and weighs around 738MB. I wont even pretend I’ve ever updated using that method, but just be prepared to install some extra software on your computer. Here’s some of the goodies you can look forward to in Samsung’s TouchWiz’d Jelly Bean:
Give us a shout if you are prompted for an over-the-air update on your device. In the meantime, crack open Samsung Kies! Godspeed. [XDA] |
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