Android Central |
- 4.2 update for the Sprint Galaxy Nexus is live on Google's servers, ripe for the picking
- AT&T's Atrix 4G is prepping for a software update
- HTC 'M7' render leaks out
- Inaugural 2013 has some curious app permissions
- T-Mobile now offering the Nexus 7 with SIM through Google Play; Nexus 4 in all retail stores soon
- Sony offering free PlayStation Mobile games for the next 6 weeks
- MediaFire launches file sharing app, includes 50 GB of cloud storage
- Sprint announces 28 more cities getting LTE 'in the coming months'
- Sony Xperia ZL gallery
- Sony Xperia ZL specs
- Android developers invited to take part in 'BlackBerry 10 Last Chance Port-a-thon' this weekend
- AT&T starting to push Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update OTA
- Updates start to push for Samsung's Exynos exploit
- Sony Xperia Z specs
- The best calendar apps for Android
- Deal of the Day: Incipio DualPro SHINE Hard Shell Case for Galaxy Note 2
- Google Now apparently giving the silent treatment this morning
- Sony highlights design and connectivity in Xperia Z promo video
- Huawei Ascend D2 now available on China Mobile
- 2 day hackathon for Google Glass developers planned in New York and San Francisco
- An easy to understand explanation of why data caps suck
| 4.2 update for the Sprint Galaxy Nexus is live on Google's servers, ripe for the picking Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:31 PM PST The Android 4.2 update (JOP40D) for the Sprint flavored Galaxy Nexus is now live and hosted by Google. We've not yet seen any reports of an OTA, but adventurous types can manually download the update and install it with one of the various methods you'll find in the Galaxy Nexus forums. To get the roughly 100 MB update package, just click this link and save it somewhere on your computer. As mentioned, this package is direct from Google and won't contain any funny business. Then visit the forums if you need help getting it installed. We have no idea when the OTA will start to roll out, but we've been watching for it for a few days since a leaked version was discovered at SXTP Developers. Since it's there for anyone to grab, we have to think that the OTA is close. If you see it, be sure to holler. Your move, Verizon. Via: XDA-Developers. Thanks, Charlie! 
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| AT&T's Atrix 4G is prepping for a software update Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:42 PM PST Motorola and AT&T are looking for a few people to soak test an unknown software update for the Atrix 4G. Here's where everyone get's excited and thinks OMG it has to be Ice Cream Sandwich, and we answer OMG no it doesn't have to be Ice Cream Sandwich. Let's not get our collective hope up just yet. We do know that invitations to participate in an early preview of a new software release are going out to folks with an AT&T branded Atrix 4G who also happen to be in good standing at the Motorola Owners' Forums. In the past, these tests (known as soak tests) have ran the gamut from full-on OS updates to minor bug fixes. All updates need testing, and this is how Motorola does it. If you meet the qualifications, and have expressed interest in testing updates, keep an eye on your inbox for the message. We'll know more when the test gets underway, and you guys will be the first ones we tell. The test of the email is after the break. Thanks, Anon! 
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| Posted: 16 Jan 2013 03:09 PM PST There’s rightfully some excitement online today about a newly leaked render claiming to show what’s next from HTC -- a high-end Android smartphone known by the codename “M7.” The image comes from UnwiredView via @evleaks, which has a good track record of bringing leaked images like this into public view. The shot seems to show the front face of a phone with rounded corners, the standard assortment of ports and sensors, and an unusual front-facing speaker setup -- or an even weirder earpiece and microphone arrangement. It looks more than a little odd. Yes, it looks a lot like an iPhone. But to understand what’s going on with this render, it’s worth underscoring where it actually came from, and looking briefly at the history surrounding these kinds of leaks. Unlike many leaked renders, it wasn’t created to show of the device to the public and press. Consider these sentences from the original post:
As an early leak, this is great stuff. But it's worth remembering that while this render might well come from an early version of the M7 ROM, it's not necessarily a lock for what the phone will look like. And there's precedent for this sort of thing, where early renders end up looking nothing like what's announced. Let's have a look back. 
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| Inaugural 2013 has some curious app permissions Posted: 16 Jan 2013 02:26 PM PST The Presidential Inauguration is next Monday, and I was all geared up to tell everyone about the Inaugural 2013 app from AT&T and PIC. It's a beautifully done application, has received rave reviews from the folks who have installed it and looks like it would be really helpful for anyone going to the festivities over the weekend as well as the Inauguration itself. But as Politico notes, there's a bit of a thing here -- according to the application's privacy policy it appears that the app is mining your data and sending it off to "candidates, organizations, groups or causes that we believe have similar political viewpoints, principles or objectives." The election's over. But make no mistake, this is not a nonpartisan inauguration application. That's not to say it's not a fine app -- it is. And that's not to say it's evil -- it's not. But it belongs to the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2013, and so does any data it collects from you. If you're cool with that, then cool. It's just something to be aware of. I'm not a big conspiracy nut. I understand why apps ask for permissions like reading contact data or your phone's wake state, and it's usually always for a good reason. But this is a bit over the top for me. It may be normal for political groups to share supporter data with like-minded people, but that's just not good practice in a smartphone application. The data that Inaugural 2013 needs to help you get around and make the most of a weekend in the nation's capital just doesn't need to be going anywhere else. So I'm going to advise everyone not to use the Inaugural 2013 app, and that's a shame. I'll keep looking for an alternative. 
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| T-Mobile now offering the Nexus 7 with SIM through Google Play; Nexus 4 in all retail stores soon Posted: 16 Jan 2013 01:10 PM PST T-Mobile just hit us up with some new info regarding the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. Here 'tis:
We still have absolutely no idea when you'll be able to buy an unlocked Nexus 4 through Google Play. Hopefully availability at T-Mobile's website next week points to general availability, but at this point who the hell knows ... 
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| Sony offering free PlayStation Mobile games for the next 6 weeks Posted: 16 Jan 2013 12:33 PM PST Sony is hoping to entice more users to take advantage of its PlayStation Mobile platform today by offering 6 weeks of free games from its PlayStation Store. Every 7 days for the next 6 weeks Sony will make one game from its PlayStation Store available for download free of charge, hoping that once the promotion ends more users will stick around and use its store. This promotion is only available in select countries -- Japan, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Australia to be exact -- leaving U.S. users out in the cold for now, but this at least shows that Sony is willing to put some marketing behind its storefront. This offer will only be useful if you have a PlayStation Certified device, which unfortunately doesn't encompass that many phones at this point. There's a full list of compatible devices at the second source link below, but it's primarily just a listing of Sony phones with a few recent HTC models thrown in. If you're interested in the first game that will be offered, Samurai Beatdown, you can see its game trailer after the break. Source: Sony Mobile; PlayStation Store 
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| MediaFire launches file sharing app, includes 50 GB of cloud storage Posted: 16 Jan 2013 11:26 AM PST
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| Sprint announces 28 more cities getting LTE 'in the coming months' Posted: 16 Jan 2013 10:56 AM PST Sprint has announced today that it is expanding its 4G LTE network to 28 more cities in the coming months. Work has already begun to bring the high speed network to these places, so hopefully the rollout can happen quickly. Here are the cities that will be getting the faster speeds:
If you live in any of these towns, sit tight as you'll soon be able to take advantage of 4G. Source: Sprint 
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| Android developers invited to take part in 'BlackBerry 10 Last Chance Port-a-thon' this weekend Posted: 16 Jan 2013 09:15 AM PST Porting and running Android applications on BlackBerry hardware is nothing new. Since the inclusion of an Android App Player in PlayBook OS 2.0, Android developers have had an additional outlet to which they can distribute their creations with minimal time and effort. Indeed, we first got our Android eye on things a little under a year ago at BlackBerry Devcon Europe. Things in the BlackBerry camp are starting to kick up through the gears of late -- they're having some kind of launch, if you hadn't heard -- and the final push to have apps on BlackBerry 10 at launch is upon us. Having held 2 previous "port-a-thons," the folks at RIM reached out to us with word of the final app-porting event before the big launch. All kinds of app developers are invited to take part, including of course Android developers. There's cash up for grabs for those taking part too, with no need to wait until users start buying your BlackBerry 10 apps after launch. Each approved app will net the developer a cool $100, up to a maximum of 20 apps. So, if you've a whole portfolio of Android apps to port across, by our math that's a cool $2000 you could make this weekend. Not bad. Not to mention the repeated promises of success for app vendors on the BlackBerry platform. Additionally, everyone who submits 5 or more approved apps will be entered into a random draw to stand a chance at receiving one of 250 limited edition BlackBerry 10 devices. One entry is received for the first 5 apps, with an additional entry for each subsequent approved app. To register for the "BlackBerry 10 Last Chance Port-a-thon" hit up the link below where you'll find everything you need to know. There's a few steps to take ahead of time, such as requesting signing keys and register as a vendor for BlackBerry World. BlackBerry 10 will launch to the world on Jan. 30. Our sister site, Crackberry, is all over it as only they can -- to the point they have a launch campaign headquarters -- so you're going to want to keep it locked there in the coming weeks. More: Register for BlackBerry 10 Port-a-thon, Crackberry 
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| AT&T starting to push Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update OTA Posted: 16 Jan 2013 09:12 AM PST After 6 weeks of availability only through Samsung Kies desktop software, the Jelly Bean update for AT&T's version of the Galaxy S3 is finally available over the air, as noted by the folks in our forums and confirmed to us by AT&T. (Engadget also has received separate confirmation.) Users were pretty confused as to why AT&T chose to only offer the Android 4.1 update via its desktop-based Kies program when it came out at the start of December, but the carrier has finally decided to make an OTA available for users that haven't updated -- and our guess would be a majority of users haven't. The update is still only available for download via a Wifi connection, but this is still a far better way to push out the update than with Kies. We're still scratching our heads wondering what AT&T was thinking the first time around. Has your phone notified you of the update yet? Head to the forums and join in on the discussions with other users who woke up to a software update notification this morning. Source: AT&T Galaxy S3 Forums 
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| Updates start to push for Samsung's Exynos exploit Posted: 16 Jan 2013 08:50 AM PST Sprint Epic 4G Touch, T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2 getting fixes so farWhen word dropped in December about an exploit to the kernel used with some Samsung Exynos chipsets, Sasmung promised an update "as quickly as possible" to plug the hole. Looks like fixes are starting to push out. Here's what we're seeing so far:
Other devices affected include the international Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note and Note 2, certain tablets using Exynos 4, Galaxy Player models, Galaxy Tab 2s and the Galaxy Note 10.1. 
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| Posted: 16 Jan 2013 08:46 AM PST
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| The best calendar apps for Android Posted: 16 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST For a lot of us, Android’s native calendar does the job - we can plonk in appointments, invite attendees, build different calendars, and have instant access to our schedule with home screen widgets. There are some mighty ambitious third-party apps that try to improve upon the built-in experience, though. In no particular order, here are a few that are worth taking a look at. 
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| Deal of the Day: Incipio DualPro SHINE Hard Shell Case for Galaxy Note 2 Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:18 AM PST
The Incipio DualPro SHINE Hard Shell Case is available for just $20.00, 43% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts 
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| Google Now apparently giving the silent treatment this morning Posted: 16 Jan 2013 06:02 AM PST We've heard from a few folks this morning saying that Google Now apparent has gone quiet, refusing to verbally answer any of the usual questions. We're seeing it, too. Asking "What's the weather like today?" produces results, but you don't get that sultry voice. Probably just a server-side thing (OK, obvious a server-side thing), and we'd expect it to be fixed. But, no, it's not just you that Google Now is giving the silent treatment to. More: Nexus 4 forums; Jelly Bean forums; Thanks, @cityhopper! 
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| Sony highlights design and connectivity in Xperia Z promo video Posted: 16 Jan 2013 05:21 AM PST Based on our impressions last week, we'd say the Xperia Z is the most promising Sony phone since the original Xperia Arc. It's a 5-inch, 1080p device packing Qualcomm's latest quad-core Snapdragon S4, 4G LTE data and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, contained within a sexy glass chassis. If you missed out on the recent CES unveiling, Sony's published a two-minute promotional video covering the major features of the phone -- from the usual Bravia Engine and HD Reality Display nonsense to more tangible stuff like the design, the 13MP camera and connectivity with other Sony gadgets. You'll find the video embedded above. When you're done, don't forget to check out our hands-on coverage of the Xperia Z from Las Vegas. 
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| Huawei Ascend D2 now available on China Mobile Posted: 16 Jan 2013 04:41 AM PST As was revealed at last week's CES unveiling in Las Vegas, the Huawei Ascend D2 is ready to go on sale in China. The China Mobile version of the 5-inch, 1080p-screened smartphone went on sale today for 3,990 yuan ($642) direct from Huawei's Vmall.com outlet, which is giving away a free 5200mAh external battery with each device. A word of warning to importers, though -- this is the dual-SIM CDMA (yes, CDMA with a SIM) version, so if you want to use it overseas you'll need to hold out for an unlocked GSM version. The Ascend D2 replaces last year's Ascend D Quad series, and packs a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage and a new stainless steel-based chassis that Huawei touted at great length at CES. What's more, it's water-resistant too, as Huawei boss Richard Yu demonstrated by pouring a jug of water over the thing at last week's presser. On the software side, you're dealing with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, skinned with Huawei's MIUI-like Emotion UI. For more on the Ascend D2, be sure to check out our hands-on coverage, and video, from CES 2013. 
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| 2 day hackathon for Google Glass developers planned in New York and San Francisco Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:52 PM PST Developers (and bloggers) who shelled out the $1500 for early access to a Google Glass unit are invited to a pair of hackathons dedicated to the wearable units at the end of the month. On January 28 and 29, things get underway at Google San Francisco office, and the festivities continue on February 1 and 2 at the Glass Foundry in New York. Registration starts January 18, and we're guessing that seats will sell out quickly. In addition to learning about the Google Glass Mirror API, Google engineers will be on site to assist and answer questions. Of course, devices will be on site for developers to use, although no word on when devs will receive units of their own, or when to expect any retail units. The full letter is after the break Via: All Things D 
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| An easy to understand explanation of why data caps suck Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:29 PM PST Data caps suck. They don't address the problems that exist in any meaningful way, and are simply a method to get money from your pocket into someone else's bigger, fancier, designer pants pockets. All of us know this on some level, but if you're curious why and how they aren't the safety net carriers and providers claim them to be, you'll want to watch this video. It does a fine job explaining TCP/IP network congestion, "power users" that hog bandwidth, streaming services, and why none of that is addressed by capping a users data. This won't likely change anything, but at least now we can be a bit better informed the next time someone on the other side of a counter tries to talk you into a higher priced data plan. Source: Blogphilo; via Gizmodo 
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