Android Central

Sprint Galaxy S3 receiving large OTA update Posted: 13 Feb 2013 05:09 PM PST It looks like many users with the Samsung Galaxy SIII (S3) on Sprint are receiving a relatively large -- about 157MB -- OTA update on their devices. At this point we're not too sure what this update has in store for Galaxy S3 owners, but with the large file size we're going to assume it has something notable in it. Grant, who sent us the above screenshot, notes that this is a Samsung software update and not a regular firmware update, which is quite interesting. Sprint users have yet to see the update that would bring Samsung's premium suite to the device, and will likely have to wait a bit longer as this doesn't seem to be the one to bring it. Has your device pulled down the update yet? Let us know here and in the forums what changes you're seeing after the install. More: Sprint Galaxy S3 Forums; Thanks, Grant!

Android 4.2.2 OTA for the Nexus 4 is a go, and here's your download link Posted: 13 Feb 2013 04:40 PM PST The Android 4.2.2 update for the Nexus 4 is rolling out to users, bringing all the bug smashing goodness you can handle to the latest Nexus phone. It's build JDQ39, just like we saw for the other Nexus devices and checks in at about 54MB. If you're curious about what this update brings you can have a look here. If you don't feel like waiting, you can download the OTA package direct from Google right here and install is manually via a custom recovery or by sideloading. If you need a little help with that, I'm sure someone in the forums will be happy to give you a hand. Via: XDA

WeFi Pro: get the most out of public Wifi access Posted: 13 Feb 2013 04:23 PM PST Many of us are coming to the realization that mobile data limits are, well, limiting. At the same time, public Wifi access has been a major initiative in many large cities and private businesses alike. WeFi Pro, which was previously only available to Cricket customers, is hoping to help users take advantage of the vast amounts of public Wifi available today. Stick around after the break to see how WeFi Pro could help you cut down on the monthly data charges. read more

Archos releases free, ad-supported version of video player app Posted: 13 Feb 2013 03:02 PM PST One thing that Archos has traditionally done pretty well is video, and back in December they launched a standalone version of the video player app that ships on their Android tablets. With a lengthy feature list, and a well designed UI, the only thing preventing some from giving it a spin was the price. At $4.99 (£3.99) it carried a premium price along with the excellent feature set. Now though, Archos has released a free, ad supported version of the app into the Google Play Store. Above all, it gives you a perfect chance to test out the full version of the app without dropping down any green first. It promises to work on both smartphones and tablets, but will require Android 4.x to run. Grab yourselves a copy at the Play Store link above.

Slacker Radio hits v4.0 with a new UI Posted: 13 Feb 2013 02:41 PM PST Very popular streaming radio app Slacker Radio has just received a notable update to a completely new user interface. The new UI follows a stark blue and white contrasting design, with some holo-esque features to it such as use of the overflow menu button and clean transitions. Other than that, the new app is generally pretty simple and unique in its design. You still follow a simple design of a homescreen with search and four options -- genres, my music, specialty stations and news/talk/sports -- with the rest of the UI being just lists of stations when you dive deeper. This is a big step forward in design for Slacker, and it seems to perform as well as it looks. Not to mention that v4.0 slots it right in with the styling of its web interface, which is important. You can grab a free download of the app at the Play Store link above.

Android 4.2.2 rolling out to 'yakju' Galaxy Nexus, but here's a better idea Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:50 PM PST The Android 4.2.2 update has now started to roll out to the various "yakju" Galaxy Nexus phones. If you're not familiar with the term, yakju is a tag placed on the versions of the GSM Galaxy Nexus that were sold through channels other than Google Play. Phones sold from Google Play were labeled "takju," and on the software side the only difference is the inclusion of Google Wallet. The thing that matters here is that takju devices have historically received updates well before yakju devices -- today's news of a yakju OTA this close to the takju version is a rare sight. Why am I telling you all this? We now have manual download link for the yakju GNex, and people (maybe even you) are going to be digging out USB cables and manually updating. I have a better idea for folks who want to get their hands a little dirty at the command line -- flash your phone to the takju version so there's no wait for the next OTA. Any GSM Galaxy Nexus can run it, Google Wallet is baked right into the ROM (important if you're in the U.S.) and it puts you on the same software and update schedule as the phones from Google Play. It's also kind of fun. The down side is that you'll be starting from scratch, but a fresh install always feels good. The method is covered right here if you're interested, and I promise that if you're able to manually update your yakju phone, you can flash the takju software and manually update as well. If you don't feel like fooling with it, that's cool, too. Here's the manual download link for the yakju 4.2.2 OTA, and you can sideload it with one of the existing methods. Hit the forums if you run into trouble.

Lloyd Gear Flex Case for the Nexus 4! Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:06 PM PST They have arrived. Meet the Lloyd Gear Flex Case for the Nexus 4. More than a bumper but less than a strongbox, the Lloyd Gear Flex Case is made of a shock-absorbent and scratch-resistant thermoplastic polyurethane material that gives you great day-to-day protection. It's not a tank. But then again it's not a tank, ya know? Wireless charging still works with the case on, as does NFC. Plus, it's got Lloyd on the back. The Lloyd Gear Flex Case is available now at a special price of $14.95 (you're currently saving $5) and it comes in black, clear, smoke or green. And don't forget about ShopAndroid.com's 14 percent off Valentine's Day Sale, which runs through midnight Thursday. Use the coupon code vday13 at checkout to save even more! read more

Google Now officially gets widgets in latest Google Search update Posted: 13 Feb 2013 11:47 AM PST Seems like it was only a couple days ago that we were tipped to home screen and Android 4.2 lock screen widgets for Google Now, and today that update has come, along with a few other trinkets. First off is that widget. It works on a home screen or lock screen (the latter only if you've got Android 4.2). We not noticing any real customizable settings just yet -- sing out if you see any. But you can at least resize it on the home screen, and you might well need to if it tries to take up a full 4x4 spot by default. Then there's support for movie passes from Fandango, as well as ratings from Rotten Tomatoes. If you're searching for a home, you'll get real-estate listings from Zillo. In the United States, you'll now see a music button when a song is playing in voice mode. And, as some of you have already noticed this week, there's now support for college sports. (Just in time for March Madness!) Update: Google's got a blog post detailing the update here. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

10 great fitness accessories in 2 minutes Posted: 13 Feb 2013 11:34 AM PST February is Fitness Month here at Mobile Nations, and thanks to our Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS, and Windows phones and tablets, we have a host of new options for getting in shape and staying healthy. Regardless of your platform of choice, or whether you stick to one type of device or many, there are a ton of great options to choose from now. Georgia is spearheading Fitness Month for us this year, and she's going to show you just 10 of her favorites, and she's going to do it in just 2 minutes. Most of these will work for a variety of different phone and tablet sizes, running a variety of different operating systems and versions. I couldn't find alternatives for all of them, however, so if you know of some, tell us about them! read more

Brazil rules Apple doesn't have exclusive rights to iPhone trademark Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:25 AM PST It's a slightly bizarre feeling, but in Brazil, this Android smartphone is the iPhone. And, thanks to a ruling by Brazilian regulators, it can continue to be called the iPhone, as Apple has been ruled not to have exclusive rights to the trademark in the country. The key item involved in the dispute -- local company Gradiente registered the iPhone trademark there in 2000, some 7 years before the first Apple iPhone. Apple's argument centered on the fact that while the trademark may have been filed, Gradiente failed to release a handset under the moniker until 2012. Speaking to the BBC, the Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) said they expect an appeal to the decision from Apple. They also went on to declare that the decision only applies to handsets, and that Apple still has exclusive rights to the iPhone term on clothing, in publications and in software. Apple can still sell the iPhone in Brazil, but as it stands Gradiente has the option to sue for exclusivity. The iPhone Neo One is available for 599 reals ($304/£196.) Source: BBC

Alcatel unveils mid range One Touch Star, and it's available in pink Posted: 13 Feb 2013 10:05 AM PST Fresh from CES where they announced a whole raft of new Android devices, Alcatel has announced yet another smartphone. The latest in the company's One Touch line, the One Touch Star is a distinctly mid-range flavored device that will likely be on display at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Oh, and it comes in a pretty fetching shade of pink. There is also an all white version, along with a black fronted, silver backed variety too. Beneath the colorful exterior, the One Touch Star houses a dual-core 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of on board storage and a microSD card slot. The 4-inch device houses a 480x800 resolution AMOLED display, and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The One Touch Star is powered by a modest, yet likely fit for purpose 1500mAh battery, and houses a 5MP rear camera along with a VGA resolution front facer. So, not likely to set the world on fire, but could still offer a solid enough Jelly Bean experience to those hunting for a more budget-oriented device. Source: Alcatel

Motorola RAZR HD now in stock SIM-free in the UK from Expansys Posted: 13 Feb 2013 09:42 AM PST The Motorola RAZR HD may of been rocking the U.S. for some time now, but it's only today that the Android device has become available SIM-free in the UK. If you are after a high-end Android handset with a meaty battery then the RAZR HD is well worth considering. The 4G (pentaband) ready device sports a glorious 4.7 inch Super AMOLED HD display, 1.5 GHz Dual-core chip and 1GB of RAM, and ships with Android Ice Cream Sandwich (v4.0.4) although upgradeable to Jelly Bean (4.1). In addition, Expansys are offering the chance to win a Virgin Experiance Day if you order in February. They have five pairs of tickets to give away each worth £125 - not to be sniffed at. The Motorola RAZR HD will set you back £419.99 SIM free. You can order it here.

Sprint pushing out security fix update to Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:52 AM PST Sprint Galaxy Note 2 owners should be looking for an update notification sometime soon, as the carrier has begun to push out a security fix update which bumps the device to version L900VPAMA7. While not particularly exciting, security fixes are important so you'll be wanting to grab it as soon as it becomes available. The update is rolling out in stages OTA and Sprint says all users should receive it within 5 days. To check for the update manually, head into Settings>System Update>Update Samsung Software>Check Now. If there's anything else you notice post update, be sure to jump into the comments below, or the forums, and let us know what you've found. Source: Sprint via Android Central Forums

Opera hits 300 million users, confirms switch to WebKit and MWC showing of new Android browser Posted: 13 Feb 2013 08:36 AM PST We first heard of Opera's intentions to switch to WebKit back in January, following the release of a leaked internal video which made mention of the 'Ice' browser. Today, Opera has confirmed the move in a statement which also pins their user base now at 300 million. Whatever 'Ice' turns out to be will have to wait, but Opera's new browser for Android will be on show for the first time at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in a couple of weeks. That's not to say that 'Ice' isn't real though, Opera has confirmed its existence as one a series of R&D projects: Opera is also experimenting with WebKit in several research and development projects, and many of you got a peek of one of them, codenamed ‘ICE’, last month. As a leading innovator in browsers, we are very excited that ICE received such great buzz. We will provide more information about ICE and other exciting R&D projects in the future, but as we are also really proud of our new browser on Android and our Opera Web Pass operator offering, those products will be the main focus at MWC In addition to WebKit, Opera also intends to make use of the Chromium Project too in future releases of its browsers for both computers and mobile devices. Of course, we'll be on the ground in Barcelona as everything unfolds starting in little under 2 weeks. Source: Opera

Gotta catch 'em all, with Pokemon TV for Android Posted: 13 Feb 2013 07:51 AM PST Here's one for all the kids -- and big kids-- out there. Pokemon TV has been released into the Google Play Store bringing with it hours upon hours of cartoon battling fun. We've all come across Pokemon at some point, be it on the old Nintendo Game Boy's, or the cartoons, or the trading cards, and there's probably a good few of you guys out there that will be secretly -- or not so secretly -- delighted by this. Pokemon TV is an official application, completely free of charge, and promises fresh episodes every week. It's good for both phones and tablets, we've had no problems installing it on a range of devices, and only requires Gingerbread and above. Grab yourselves a copy at the Play Store link above, and go ahead and pretend you downloaded it for the kids. We won't tell. read more

Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for HTC Droid DNA Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:55 AM PST The Feb. 13 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case for HTC Droid DNA. These gel cases are made from shock absorbent and scratch resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). They are slim-fitting, and provide great protection for the Droid DNA from day to day use and accidental bumps and spills. Each case features an Andy the Android print and comes in a variety of colors to choose from. The Cruzerlite Androidified A2 TPU Case is available for just $7.00, 65% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

Three UK pushing out Jelly Bean update for HTC One S Posted: 13 Feb 2013 06:35 AM PST HTC started pushing out the Android 4.1.1 update to eager owners of the unlocked, international One S back on Christmas Eve. Fast forward just over a month and Three UK has today announced that they have begun to push out the Jelly Bean update to their own, carrier branded HTC One S owners. To snag the update for yourselves, head into Settings>About>Software Updates and start hammering on the check now option. As ever with these things though, it won't hit all of the people straight away, so a healthy dose of patience may be also be required. The update to Jelly Bean on the HTC One S brings with it the latest version of Sense, Sense 4+. It's a hefty download though, weighing in at over 600MB so you're likely going to want to tackle it on WiFi. If you've already managed to snag it, be sure to jump into the comments below and share with us how you're finding it. Source: Three UK

Red Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE arrives in time for Valentine's Day Posted: 13 Feb 2013 04:10 AM PST Samsung likes to release funky colored versions of its devices, particularly when it ties in with a holiday like Valentine's Day. This year it's the Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE that's getting a fresh coat of paint, appearing for the first time in "garnet red" this Feb. 14. The blood-red, 4G-equipped version of Samsung's pen-toting tablet launches today in Korea, and will be heading to other territories shortly thereafter -- according to Samsung it's aimed at young women and couples, like the happy duo you see in the shot above. As for internals, we're expecting the same hardware we reviewed late last year -- a 1280x800 screen, 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos chip and 2GB of RAM, in addition to a bundled Wacom-based S Pen stylus. There's no word on pricing just yet, but if it matches up with the other flavors of Note 10.1 LTE, you're probably looking at around €600-700. Source: Samsung via: Pocket-Lint

Korean press reports Samsung Galaxy S4 to emerge in March with S3-style buttons and design language Posted: 13 Feb 2013 03:48 AM PST Latest round of pre-release rumors says no S Pen, but "contactless gestures" are likely As it's prone to do in the weeks ahead of a major Samsung announcement, the Korean press is starting to report details of Samsung's next major smartphone, presumed to go by the name Galaxy S4. Citing "industry insiders," Korean newpaper DDaily is today claiming to have a few interesting bits of info about the upcoming Samsung flagship, for which it says Samsung is starting to ramp up component production. First up, DDaily reports that the S4 won't stray too far form the design of the Galaxy S3. The "human-centric," "organic" look and feel will return in the new handset, along with the (somewhat controversial) three button-setup. Samsung experimented with a buttonless arrangement, it's alleged, but in the end decided to stick with the familiar home, back and menu layout. read more

Three UK to carry Samsung Galaxy Fame - Jelly Bean on budget hardware Posted: 13 Feb 2013 03:08 AM PST Three UK has announced that it'll offer the Samsung Galaxy Fame for sale in the near future. The Galaxy Fame was one of two devices recently announced by the Korean manufacturer, which expects to start shipping it starting next month. Like all Samsung's entry-level offerings, the Galaxy Fame looks like a shrunken Galaxy S3, complete with curved chassis and prominent clicky home button. The internals are pretty basic, though -- the Fame is powered by a 1GHz CPU with 512MB of RAM, a 3.5-inch HVGA screen and a 5MP rear camera. There's 4 gigabytes of storage included, along with a microSD slot. Despite its relatively basic innards, the Galaxy Fame is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box, which should be able to eke  as much performance as possible out of the phone's hardware. There's no word on Three-specific availability or pricing, but we imagine this kind of device will be free on most contracts, and relatively inexpensive to buy outright. Source: Three UK

HTC 'One' teaser clips offer brief close-ups, gratuitous lens flare Posted: 13 Feb 2013 01:55 AM PST With less than a week to go until we see what's next from HTC, the company's hype machine has kicked into high gear. Along with a countdown clock over on HTC.com, the manufacturer's displaying brief cuts of footage showing what seems to be the rumored HTC One -- formerly known by its codename "M7." Fortunately YouTube user guarav2328 has pulled down and spliced together the various clips (we pointed the way on Google+ plus), and we've embedded the resulting footage after the break. There're presumably plenty of super-close-up shots of the device itself, along with generous helpings of lens flare. Among the parts we can clearly make out are the back panel with HTC's logo, the camera assembly, some kind of metal trim and an unusual curve around the back of the phone. All in all, it's a close (though not quite exact) match to the leaked press render that cropped up on Monday morning. With its official Twitter and Facebook pages now emblazoned with references to next Tuesday's announcement events in London and New York, we suspect there may be a couple more HTC teasers ahead. That said, the manufacturer's not likely to give too much away before the big day. We'll be live from both sides of the Atlantic next Tuesday morning to bring you full coverage HTC's new hotness. In the meantime, head past the break to see today's teaser clips. Source: HTC; YouTube via PhoneArena read more

LG makes Korean Optimus G Pro with 5.5-inch display officially official Posted: 12 Feb 2013 06:09 PM PST Some official information was released just earlier today on the larger Optimus G Pro headed to Korea, and now LG has spilled the beans on the new version of the device. This Optimus G Pro, which from the press images has quite a striking design, will come with the aforementioned 5.5-inch 1080x1920 display on the front and a slightly redesigned back. The back plate is using a similar square pattern from the original Optimus G, but with a curved glass covering that LG says creates a "2.5D" effect. As for the internals, we're a little low on specifics at this point. LG is saying that device will have a quad-core processor along with the new, larger HD display and doesn't give much more information beyond that. LG is giving a release window of late February for the device in Korea, and until then we can at least drool over these great press images. We'd expect to get a look at the device come MWC in a couple weeks as well. Source: LG (Translated); Via: Engadget