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Sony Xperia Z to launch early in Berlin Posted: 15 Feb 2013 12:39 PM PST The Sony Xperia Z is scheduled to be launched as a general release at the end of February, but an announcement from Sony informs us that the phone will go on sale a little earlier than expected. The anticipated smartphone will debut at the Sony Store in Berlin, Germany on Thursday, February 21st, 2013. Those of you who want to get your hands on Sony’s newest release who do not live in Berlin or aren’t planning to travel there anytime soon, will have to wait for the general release scheduled on February 28th, 2013. Let us know if you’re going to be one of the lucky few who pick this phone up a week early. Source: Facebook Via: AndroidCentral Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia Z to launch early in Berlin Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Featured Android App Review: Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus [Tools] Posted: 15 Feb 2013 12:04 PM PST When it comes to malware and viruses regarding Android, a lot of people like to put fear in you. I am not here to do that, because I personally think it’s unlikely you will get anything serious as long as you’re dealing with the Google Play Store or Amazon Appstore. With that said, it doesn’t mean you should go without a mobile security app because they serve several purposes. Bitdefender has always been one of the leaders when it comes to PC security so it’s no surprise that they offer an Android app. It’s simply called Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus and it’s has a lot of features for the money. There is actually four parts to Bitdefender: Malware Scanning, Application Auditing, Web Security, and Anti-Theft Protection. Each area is highlighted by its own icon in the main page of the app, and they are very easy to setup and use. The Malware Scanner couldn’t be easier. Just choose if you want your microSD to be scanned or not and then hit “Start scanning”. It will scan your phone/tabet and your microSD card (if you selected yes) in quick fashion. Hopefully you will get “No malware was detected,” but if there is any issue, Bitdefender will alert you. Also, every time you install an app, Bitdefender will automatically scan it and alert you if there is any issue with it. Now as I mentioned, it’s unlikely you will get a malicious app from the Play Store, but there are still apps that push ads constantly or automatically install other apps that are a nuisance. These aren’t considered malicious and they won’t necessarily hurt you in anyway, but you may not want to deal with them either. Bitdefender will alert of you of these types of apps right after you have installed them to give you a chance to remove them right away. At the same time, if you install a lot of apps by sideloading APKs, you have a higher risk of something being malicious, so Bitdefender will help you stop trouble before it happens. Next up is Application Auditing. Each and every app installed on your device has permissions. Most of them are for good reason, but most people rarely look at the permissions before they install an app. At anytime you can tap on Application Audit, and Bitdefender will give you a quick glance of each app. You can quickly see which ones have internet access, privacy control, or could cost you money (in app purchases). If any app looks suspicious to you, you can tap on the app and be taken to the app info page where you can get a better look at exactly what permissions were granted. If you don’t like what you see, you can easily uninstall from this page. It should be noted that you can find this information in your basic settings in Android without Bitdefender by going to Settings/Apps/Downloaded. Just tap on whichever app you want, and it will take you to the same App info page. If you have a lot of apps though, Bitdefender does make it easier to get a quick glance of what apps have the general permissions I stated above. Web Security is the next section and it will make sure you don’t open websites that could be malicious. It’s just a matter of either turning Web Security on or off. If left on, it will run in the background and if a site you are trying to open is questionable, it will warn you. From what I can see, it will only work with the stock browser that came with your phone or tablet. Last but not least is Anti-Theft protection. For many of you, this just might be enough of a reason to install Bitdefender. We carry our phones/tablets with us everywhere, and since none of us are perfect, we can leave our prized possession somewhere by mistake. Someone could also steal it from us when we aren’t looking. Bitdefender’s Anti-Theft protection works like most other services in that it can track where your device is located and send you a SMS text message if the SIM card is replaced. You can also send commands to your lost phone via the Bitdefender website or by sending an SMS text message from any other phone. On the website, you can not only see the location of your device, but you can lock or wipe your phone. You can even send a written message to pop up on the device’s display. Did you ever misplace your phone in your house and can’t find it? You can also tell it to play an alarm so you can easily locate it. Lets say you don’t have access to a desktop, you can use a friend’s phone to send SMS text messages to your device to do most of the same things. You can wipe or lock you device, and you can send a message telling your lost or stolen phone to send a text back with the location. You can even tell your lost phone to call another number and turn on the speaker so you can hear the surroundings. As you can see, Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus offers a lot. Now lets talk price. You can use it for free, but you will only get the Malware Scanner, Application Auditor, and the ability to track the location of your device. For $9.95 per year, you also get Web security and complete Anti-Theft protection. That’s the same price as two Starbucks drinks. There are other apps similar to this, but I would say BitDefender is probably the best overall value. If you’re a first time user, you will get 15 days of the premium service to see what it’s like before you shell out your money. I would definitely recommend giving it a try since it won’t cost you a dime. So check out my hands on video below and hit one of the download links to get started. As always, let me know what you think. FREE Features: The NEW Malware Scanner Application Audit Remote Geolocation PAID Features, just $9.95/year: The NEW Malware Scanner Application Audit Web Security The NEW Anti‐Theft which inludes: Remotely locate, lock or wipe your device, Hear what’s happening around it, Send commands through SMS, SIM change alerts, and Password protected settings. Click here to view the embedded video. Play Store Download Link Come comment on this article: Featured Android App Review: Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus [Tools] Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Ubuntu preview (finally) arriving on February 21st Posted: 15 Feb 2013 11:18 AM PST If you’re like me and a lifelong Linux user— then you were probably stoked to hear that Ubuntu was coming to Android devices soon… very soon. As exciting as the news was– many of us were on edge because we didn’t have an exact idea of when the coveted port would arrive on select Android devices. Fortunately— the Ubuntu team has officially come out and given up the details of what we have been eager to hear about: the Ubuntu preview will be available from next week, February 21st. The developers behind the Android port are making all the files which includes the full images and source code available through their internal site— giving select users a chance to dabble and fool around with the cool OS before the masses can. As exciting as this is— the port is only limited to two devices as of this time: the Galaxy Nexus and venerable Nexus 4 smartphones— so if you don’t own either phone, you’re outta luck at this time. Here’s hoping other devices will eventually get to be treated to some of that GUI Linux goodness as well sooner than later. Hit the break to check out the full press release and try to contain yourselves in the meantime. Touch Developer Preview of Ubuntu to be published on 21 February 2013 Touch Developer Preview of Ubuntu for Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 will be available Daily update mechanism to follow progress in Ubuntu Canonical will flash phones at MWC for industry, developers and enthusiasts Preview SDK and App Design Guides already available for developers building touch apps for Ubuntu London, 14th February 2013: Images and open source code for the Touch Developer Preview of Ubuntu will be published on Thursday 21st February, supporting the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 smartphones. They are intended for enthusiasts and developers, to familiarise themselves with Ubuntu’s smartphone experience and develop applications on spare handsets. Tools that manage the flashing of the phone will be available on the same day in the Ubuntu archives, making it easy to keep a device up to date with the latest version of the Touch Developer Preview. Attendees of Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, 25th – 28th February can have their phones flashed to Ubuntu by Canonical team members at the Ubuntu stand, booth number 81D30, App Planet Hall 8.1, where Ubuntu will be shown on a range of devices. The code release is a milestone in the development program for Ubuntu’s phone experience, and enables developers to port the platform to other devices. “Our platform supports a wide range of screen sizes and resolutions. Developers who have experience bringing up phone environments will find it relatively easy to port Ubuntu to current handsets” said Pat McGowan, who leads the integration effort that produced the images being released. “We look forward to adding support for additional devices for everyday testing and experimentation.” The install process and supported device list are maintained at wiki.ubuntu.com/TouchInstallProcess and will be updated as new devices are added. The release also marks the start of a new era for Ubuntu, with true convergence between devices. When complete, the same Ubuntu code will deliver a mobile, tablet, desktop or TV experiences depending on the device it is installed on, or where it is docked. Ubuntu 13.10 (due in October) will include a complete entry-level smartphone experience. Canonical has published a Preview SDK and App Design Guides to allow developers to create applications for the full range of Ubuntu platforms. The toolkit provides a range of documented templates to enable native applications to be created quickly and easily. The App Design Guides explain how these templates can be used to design and build beautiful and usable apps. Blackberry Touch developers will be familiar with the Qt/QML environment, which supports rich native touch apps. Developers will not need to cross-compile or package applications differently for phone, tablet, PC and TV. One platform serves all four, a single application binary can do the same. On Ubuntu, native and web or HTML5 applications sit as equal citizens and so those developers already developing HTML5 applications will easily gain support for Ubuntu. “This release marks the threshold of wider engagement – both with industry and community.” says Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Ubuntu. “For developers, contributors and partners, there is now a coherent experience that warrants attention. The cleanest, most stylish mobile interface around.” Availability: Go to wiki.ubuntu.com/TouchInstallProcess to download Touch Developer Preview of Ubuntu from Thursday 21st February. Go to developer.ubuntu.com to download the SDK to develop applications for Ubuntu. Go to http://design.ubuntu.com/apps to read the Apps Design Guide giving advice about designing and building beautiful and usable apps for Ubuntu on the phone. Visit Canonical at Mobile World Congress: Booth Number: 81D30, App Planet Hall 8.1. About Canonical & Ubuntu Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu and the leading provider of services for Ubuntu deployments in the enterprise. With global teams of developers, support staff and engineering centres, Canonical is uniquely positioned to help partners and customers make the most of Ubuntu. It also operates Ubuntu One, a cross-platform personal cloud service for consumers. Canonical is a privately held company. Ubuntu is a free, open-source platform for client, server and cloud computing. It is the most widely used Linux on the top 1000 websites by traffic, the reference platform for OpenStack deployments, the most popular guest OS on public clouds, and ships on PCs from Dell, Lenovo, HP and other brands. Since its launch in 2004, it has become the preferred choice for open desktop and scale-out computing, from Fortune 500 companies to hardware makers, content providers, software developers and consumers. source: Engadget via: Droid Life Come comment on this article: Ubuntu preview (finally) arriving on February 21st Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Gamestick console now available for $79 preorder Posted: 15 Feb 2013 10:56 AM PST   Android gaming has been growing in popularity since the inception of the platform in 2008. Currently, the only drawback to Android gaming is the fact gaming is generally limited for use on Android smartphones and tablets at this time. Fortunately, a kickstarter project called the Gamestick was introduced which allows for Android gaming to be brought to your TV set via a small console and controller in one, giving Android a more traditional method of playing various Android games. Now the wait is almost over as preorder sales have finally begun, a full month ahead of their global retail launch. Preorders for the device are $79 which is amazing considering that for the same price, you can only buy a major or new released title of any current generation gaming console. Check out the press release below and let us know if you plan on buying one of the new Gamestick consoles. “GameStick launches pre-order service ahead of global retail launch. Santa Clara, CA, Las Vegas, NV and London. UK – Friday 15th February, 2013. Hot off the back of its recent Kickstarter success, PlayJam, the company behind GameStick – the world’s most portable TV games console – today launched a pre- order service via its website www.gamestick.tv. Powered by Amazon, the service enables anyone who missed out on the opportunity to get their hands on a GameStick during the Kickstarter campaign to jump the queue ahead of a global retail launch in a few months time. Pre-ordered devices will ship immediately after fulfillment of the initial Kickstarter run in April and will maintain the $79 price point. “January was a pivotal month for GameStick with the success of the campaign ensuring that we could bring the device to life.” Said Anthony Johnson, CMO PlayJam, “Since the campaign closed, we have received thousands of e-mails from individuals keen to ensure they remain one of the first to receive the product. By continuing to offer GameStick on pre-order, we will be able to maintain momentum ahead of our planned retail activity”. The standard GameStick bundle is listed at $79 with a case and dock supporting a wide range of peripheral devices are listed at $9.99 and $24.99 respectively.” Come comment on this article: Gamestick console now available for $79 preorder Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

eBay listing shows Nexus 7 bundle which includes earbuds and Visa gift card for $259.00 Posted: 15 Feb 2013 10:03 AM PST Let’s face it— we know that there’s more than a few of you who still haven’t gotten the awesome Nexus 7 tablet— but there’s a deal out there right now that’s really itching to grab your attention. There’s a eBay listing out there from user buydig that highlights a sweet little Nexus 7 bundle which includes the powerhouse tablet, some earphones, a $30 gift card and a $30 Visa gift card— all for $259 bucks. Oh and to top it all off— buydig is even going to toss in free shipping for those of you who want to save an extra buck or two. Pretty sweet, right? There are limited quantities of the bundle left, so interested parties will want to head on down to the source link and grab one for themselves ASAP. source: eBay via: Droid Life Come comment on this article: eBay listing shows Nexus 7 bundle which includes earbuds and Visa gift card for $259.00 Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Skype currently testing video voicemail functionality for users Posted: 15 Feb 2013 09:38 AM PST Skype has just gotten updated to include the testing of video voicemail functionality for its users. As it stands now, the new feature formally allows users to create and record video voicemails of up to 3 minutes in length that can be sent to individuals around the world. There is a noteworthy catch to this awesome feature though friends— it’s reported that the video voicemails is seemingly a paid feature because while pricing hasn't been announced, the Skype app all users are given 20 free video messages to begin, perhaps indicating that users of the premium Skype service will be able to send more video messages as opposed to a limited number. As mentioned before, the new feature is currently in testing— but should be available for most, if not all users— so all you Skype folk be sure to grab the latest update today in order to try out the cool feature. You’ll be glad you did. source: Engadget Come comment on this article: Skype currently testing video voicemail functionality for users Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

US Cellular announces a handful of new LTE markets Posted: 15 Feb 2013 07:06 AM PST US Cellular announced today that it will be covering a few more lucky markets in LTE coverage. Certain cities in California, Kansas and Nebraska will get their first taste of 4G LTE, and several cities in Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin will be getting expanded coverage. No details on exactly which cities they plan on covering or when they plan on launching the coverage, but since it plans on finishing its LTE rollout by the end of 2014, we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer. Any US Cellular customers excited about this news? U.S. Cellular Announces Next Markets To Receive 4G LTE Service In 2013 Millions more customers will have access to faster 4G LTE speeds CHICAGO (Feb. 14, 2013) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM), in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, announced the next markets that will receive high-speed 4G LTE services. By the end of 2013, customers in more than 3,800 additional cities and towns will have access to 4G LTE speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and similar to a cable Internet connection. Currently, 61 percent of U.S. Cellular customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and 87 percent are expected to be covered by the end of the year. New 4G LTE service will be launched in select cities in California, Kansas and Nebraska and existing 4G LTE service will be expanded to include additional cities in Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Some of the new cities that will receive 4G LTE include Lincoln, Neb., Omaha, Neb., Manhattan, Kan., Eureka, Calif. and Ukiah, Calif. 4G LTE speeds provide an enhanced wireless experience with fast web browsing, smooth video streaming, video chatting with no buffering and speedy app downloads. U.S. Cellular currently offers 10 4G LTE devices, including smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S® III and Samsung Galaxy Note® II, in addition to a tablet, hotspots and a wireless modem. "We're continuously improving our customer experience, so we're excited to offer 4G LTE speeds to nearly all of our customers by the end of 2013," said Michael S. Irizarry, executive vice president and chief technology officer. "This 4G LTE network expansion, along with our growing line-up of 4G LTE devices, will make customers' lives simpler and easier with quick access to important information and entertainment on their devices." The 4G LTE network builds on the 3G data services that U.S. Cellular customers have enjoyed on the carrier's nationwide network. U.S. Cellular has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier, along with a valuable rewards program that recognizes loyalty. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit uscellular.com/4G. 4G LTE not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/4G for detailed coverage info. 4G LTE service is provided in partnership with King Street Wireless. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.  About King Street Wireless, L.P. King Street Wireless, L.P. currently holds 700 MHz wireless spectrum in 27 states and is partnering with Chicago–based U.S. Cellular to deliver high–speed 4G LTE service to U.S. Cellular's customers in several of the carrier's markets. King Street Wireless is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia where it is recognized for its involvement in its community both through its economic development and philanthropic efforts. To learn more about King Street Wireless, visit www.kingstreetwireless.com. About U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular rewards its customers with unmatched benefits and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by its high-speed nationwide network that has the highest call quality of any national carrier. Currently, 61 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and 87 percent will have access by the end of 2013. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Champion in 2012 for the second year in a row. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp. Come comment on this article: US Cellular announces a handful of new LTE markets Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Zombie survival game Dead On Arrival 2 looks to push NVIDIA’s Project Shield Posted: 15 Feb 2013 06:58 AM PST NVIDIA is definitely looking to blur the line between console gaming and handheld gaming. The latest gameplay footage shows zombie survival Dead on Arrival 2, optimized and enhanced for the Tegra 4 in Project Shield, and it looks fantastic. A better physics engine and dynamic lighting are just a few of the improvements that are specific to the Tegra 4, and NVIDIA even hinted that Project Shield should be able to handle multiplayer in this game. Sound exciting? Hit the source below to check out the video. source: NVIDIA Come comment on this article: Zombie survival game Dead On Arrival 2 looks to push NVIDIA’s Project Shield Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Leaked screenshots of an alleged Samsung Galaxy smartwatch surfaces Posted: 15 Feb 2013 06:12 AM PST You know it’s funny, I was just talking to someone about how smartwatches really haven’t taken off, and I said it would take Samsung and/or Apple to make it happen. All of a sudden screenshots of an alleged Samsung Galaxy smartwatch surfaces. What’s interesting is that you see “Altius” in the screens, which we presume is a codename, but according to Sam Mobile, it’s the codename for the Galaxy S IV. What makes things even crazier is the fact that a couple of the images have “altios” (different spelling) in the top right in a smaller font. The last thing is the image above has a Windows Metro feel to it, which doesn’t make any sense. I honestly feel Samsung is working on a smartwatch, but it’s hard to believe these are real screenshots. Just like any other rumor, time will tell. Hit the break for all the screens and make your own conclusion. source: SamMobile Come comment on this article: Leaked screenshots of an alleged Samsung Galaxy smartwatch surfaces Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Say hello to the HTC One in black Posted: 15 Feb 2013 05:54 AM PST Earlier in the week we saw a leaked image of the HTC One in Silver/White, and today we get the black version. I would say from what we saw in the teaser video a couple of days ago, both of these leaks should be pretty darn close, if not exactly the same as what we will see this Tuesday in New York City and London. Of course we will be there live as it happens so stay tuned. source: @evleaks Come comment on this article: Say hello to the HTC One in black Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!