Android Community |
- RealPlayer launches on Android – Does a little of everything
- Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE confirmed for August 19 launch
- DROID 4 Ice Cream Sandwich update detailed by Verizon
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch “Student Edition” hits Best Buy already
- HTC Rezound update rolling out with global roaming support
- Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi finally getting Ice Cream Sandwich in the US
| RealPlayer launches on Android – Does a little of everything Posted: 14 Aug 2012 10:04 AM PDT The folks from RealNetworks have finally launched their popular and widely known RealPlayer app for Android. Being available for some time in a beta demo, today they’ve officially launched RealPlayer v1.0 and it’s the ultimate multimedia app. Whether you want to stream music, watch movies, or look through photo albums — RealPlayer does it all.
RealPlayer for Android is essentially an “all-in-one” media solution, and works rather well especially considering it’s a free download. The UI is extremely simple to understand, although some headers could use a little cleaning up. I was hoping for something more in line with Android 4.0+ interface wise, but certainly have enjoyed this simple and easy to use solution.    On first boot you’ll have to wait while it searches for content, but after you’ll be ready to go in seconds. Their main home screen is dead simple as you see above, and gives you access to everything in one convenient place. No additional apps or even menus are needed — it’s all right at the start. Sadly they don’t offer much when it comes to settings, options, and customization. While there is metadata and equalizer support, that is tucked away behind a premium $4.99 in-app purchase. Here’s what to expect with the free, and paid versions.
In general RealPlayer is geared towards audio and video, with photos just being a bonus. Music playback and controls were simple, as they should be, and album artwork was present for most artists. They’ve added a nice widget for those who like that option, and I’ve been using that all weekend. They’ve also added music controls to the lockscreen — sort of. If the screen locks when you unlock it you’re instantly brought to an unlock screen for RealPlayer too. Two unlock screens in a row is odd, but you can quickly change songs and then go back about your business.    My only complaint for the most part would have to be the photo viewer. It’s pretty generic and doesn’t even offer pinch-to-zoom. It is nice to be included, but would be fine without. As you see above in the premium suite screenshot, that is where the good features come. Their real selling point is .RAM and .RM support — which sadly requires users to buy the premium version for $4.99. All in all RealPlayer as a music and video player is another awesome option for Android. Here’s what the SVP of Real Networks had to say:
RealPlayer has been one of the most popular PC programs in its class for years and years, and the same continues strong here on Android. Their beta player alone has nearly 11 million downloads, and now with the official RealPlayer app that will only continue to grow. Those looking for an awesome yet simple all-in-one media player for Android, give RealPlayer a try today at the link below.   
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| Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE confirmed for August 19 launch Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:18 PM PDT We previously heard that the Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE might be launching on August 19, and today the company confirmed it. The Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE will be available starting on Sunday, August 19, and will set you back $200. Of course, that $200 price tag requires a two-year contract with your carrier, so be prepared to sign one of those if you want the PHOTON Q for that price.
If you prefer typing with actual keys over typing on a touchscreen, then the PHOTON Q might be the phone for you. It features a slide out QWERTY keyboard, so texting maniacs are will probably find some value in this handset. The smartphone also comes with Ice Cream Sandwich installed, but our friends at SlashGear warn that Motorola has made a few tweaks of its own to the operating system, so Android veterans should be prepared for some surprises. The rest of the phone doesn’t look too bad either. The PHOTON Q comes equipped with a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 8GB of on board memory with room for 32GB more through SD cards, 1GB of RAM, and an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording video in 1080p. All of this is packed away behind a 4.3-inch screen running at 960 x 540 resolution. Also worth noting is the phone’s LTE and NFC functionality, along with global roaming capabilities. Finally, the phone can take a hit or two, so if you’re a clumsy person you might want to give this a look before you opt for something more delicate. All in all, it isn’t too bad a handset, and if you want one, you’ve got less than a week to wait before you can bring one home. Device Info
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| DROID 4 Ice Cream Sandwich update detailed by Verizon Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:34 PM PDT Last week, we told you that Verizon was gearing up to bring Ice Cream Sandwich to the Motorola DROID 4. That much was reiterated today, as Verizon let loose a change log full of updates and new features DROID 4 users can expect when the upgrade arrives. It seems it won’t be long now before DROID 4 users on Verizon get their hands on Ice Cream Sandwich.
At the moment, it appears that Verizon is rolling out the update to those who are participating in the soak test. Barring unforeseen circumstances during that test, this suggests that all DROID 4 users will be getting the update shortly. One of the biggest updates this Android 4.0.4 upgrade brings with it is global roaming – after the update hits, all DROID 4 devices will have global roaming capabilities, which will allow you to access Verizon’s network in 205 countries. Also included in this update is support for Verizon remote diagnostics. With the permission of the user, this will allow Verizon customer support representatives to remotely view the device, for the purposes of “device training, application demonstrations and troubleshooting.” It should be a handy service to have at hand, as long as you can get comfortable with the idea of Verizon watching everything you do on your DROID 4 (we kid). Of course, there are other, smaller updates aside from the two detailed above, so click the thumbnail below to see the full change log for DROID 4′s incoming update to Ice Cream Sandwich.. Again, we still don’t have an exact date for when Verizon is planning to roll this update out to all users, but it’s going to be soon. Keep an ear to Android Community for more details!   Device Info
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[via Verizon Wireless]
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch “Student Edition” hits Best Buy already Posted: 13 Aug 2012 02:24 PM PDT Last week we reported on a rather impressive deal from the folks at Best Buy. This deal contained no less than a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich tablet, a USB adapter, and even a keyboard dock all for the low price of $249. Now it looks to be in stock, and some stores are already selling this excellent back to school deal. Check it out!
It’s being called the Galaxy Tab 2 Student Edition, and contains a Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch tablet, running a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, SD card, camera and Ice Cream Sandwich. Basically similar to the Nexus 7 only not as powerful, and a little behind the OS times. This is actually an excellent deal considering the tablet initially debuted for $249. Now you can get this entire bundle for the same price. It was supposed to be available on the 19th, but could be available starting today. According to Phandroid one lucky reader already found them “in stock” and for sale at Best Buy, and $249 got him the awesome Student Edition back-to-school bundle below. He was kind enough to do an unboxing video too. If you’re interested in this deal from Best Buy and Samsung, have a look. This is Samsung’s latest Android tablet, coming in at 7-inches. It doesn’t have Jelly Bean or a quad-core processor like the Nexus 7 but it’s super thin and has full micro-SD support and even a rear camera. The video above should have shown you all you needed to know. They’re offering this student edition with the tablet, and a 30-pin to USB adapter, as well as a Bluetooth keyboard dock and stand. Pretty good deal if you ask us. Full specs on the Galaxy Tab 2 7-inch can be seen below, as well as our previous coverage. Head down to your nearest Best Buy and pick this great deal up today. Enjoy! Device Info
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| HTC Rezound update rolling out with global roaming support Posted: 13 Aug 2012 01:24 PM PDT Verizon and HTC recently updated their popular Beats Audio inspired HTC Rezound smartphone to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but now today it’s getting another massive update. It looks like multiple users have received the update, although HTC and Verizon haven’t made a peep regarding it. More details are available after the break.
The update to Android 4.0 ICS was a little over 200MB in size, and this update is 103.7 according to Droid-Life. Pretty big update considering you’ll remain on 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, and the same Sense UI 3.6 version. According to multiple sources and the folks from XDA developers, this update could very well include those global roaming capabilities Verizon promised were coming this summer. We thought the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade would bring that, but sadly it didn’t. It makes perfect sense for it to be available after this however, so we’ll wait and see. If so, this update will allow users to use their Rezound and Verizon outside of the US while traveling, a great option indeed. We are still waiting for more details from Verizon, and will update and post the changelog as soon as it has been made available. For now expect an update to arrive shortly. Device Info
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| Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi finally getting Ice Cream Sandwich in the US Posted: 13 Aug 2012 12:27 PM PDT Good news from Samsung this afternoon folks. After the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi tablet started getting upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich last month in multiple parts of the world, it looks like they are finally rolling it out here in the US. They didn’t get it out in July as promised, but we’ll take it.
Back in June Samsung promised Ice Cream Sandwich updates for the majority of the Galaxy Tab family, and while a few got it, most here in the US are still waiting. This weekend however, Samsung gave the update the okay and users in the US are now getting the frozen treat. We’ve received word from several users here in the US that have received the update late last night and this afternoon, so it looks to be available in full. As usual you can accept an over the air update, or use Samsung’s Kies PC program to update manually with ease. Only takes but a minute or three. Sadly, we doubt the Verizon 4G LTE Galaxy Tab LTE will receive the same fate as they are usually rather slow on getting updates compared to some. Hopefully Verizon and Samsung have been working together with this device, but we’ll update once we know. For those enjoying the Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi tablet feel free to update and enjoy that Ice Cream Sandwich. Let us know if you like the new Touch Wiz UX changes. Personally I’m not a fan. Device Info
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– Thanks Nick and Ash!
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