Tuesday, November 20, 2012

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Google Android News Android Forums

New Galaxy Note 10.1 set to launch in Korea with Jelly Bean and VoLTE

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:18 PM PST

 Samsung has recently decided to revamp its Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet for Korean markets to include VoLTE, or voice-over-LTE. That will give users fast data speeds, as well as the ability to make voice calls. I can’t imagine too many people holding that monster up to their ear, but speaker phone always works.

Not only will it include these new radios, but this version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 runs Jelly Bean out of the box, as well as some of the additions added by Samsung’s software as seen in the Galaxy Note 2. A wider variety of apps can take advantage of the multitasking features, and the AirView feature that allows you to hover the stylus over the screen to see information at a glance are all baked in. To top that off, Samsung did state that the update would be coming to WiFi and 3G models “throughout the year.” I’m sure we all wish that was a little more specific, but I can’t imagine it’s going to take too much longer.

[Deal] LG Optimus G only $99 for upgrades and new accounts on AT&T and Sprint

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:14 PM PST

Want a great phone at a great price? Amazon Wireless is offering LG’s new flagship phone, the Optimus G, for only $99 when you upgrade or open a new account with either AT&T or Sprint. That is $100 cheaper than what you would pay if you bought it from the carriers.

To review, the LG Optimus G sports a 4.7-inch (1280 x 768) IPS LCD display at 318ppi, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage (Sprint) /16GB of storage (AT&T), microSD slot (AT&T), 13MP rear camera (Sprint) / 8MP rear camera (AT&T), 1.3MP front camera, 2100mAh battery, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich. That is a lot of bang that you’re getting for your buck.

We don’t know how long this sale will last, so if you’re in the running for a new phone on either AT&T or Sprint, you might want to act fast!

Is anyone planning on taking advantage of this deal?

 

Source: Amazon Wireless (AT&T), Amazon Wireless (Sprint)

CyanogenMod Apollo music player now available on Google Play in both free and paid capacities

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 03:06 PM PST

Earlier this year, the CyanogenMod team announced that Apollo would be replacing the stock music player to allow for a fully customizable and enthralling experience. When it was first announced, we were told to expect it to arrive in the Android Market within the next couple of weeks. Here we are nearly 10 months later, and the highly anticipated application has finally made its way to what we now call the Google Play Store.

It’s the same music player we’ve come to know and love, and now everybody can take part. Apollo comes in two different capacities: the regular free version and the paid Apollo+ version. Apollo+ costs just 99 cents, features quicker updates and removes pesky advertisements. Future updates are said to bring concert information, tablet optimization, personalized widgets and notifications, as well as support for Google’s Daydream service.

Be sure to scan the QR codes or hit the Play Store download links after the break to try out Apollo. Keep in mind you may need to disable your stock music player within the application settings menu. Also, let us know what you think of the CM team’s new third party music organization tool in the comments below.

Free

QRCode

Play Store Download Link

Paid

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Play Store Download Link 

 

Motorola prepares an update to its DROID RAZR HD line-up, probably Jelly Bean

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 02:59 PM PST

At Motorola’s announcement for the DROID RAZR HD and the DROID RAZR M a few months ago, the company promised that it would update its new handsets to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) sometime before the end of the year. Well, with only six weeks left until December 31st, Motorola appears to be making good on its promise. Owners of the DROID RAZR HD who are signed up for Motorola’s Feedback Network are receiving invites to beta-test a new software build. Since the Motorola DROID RAZR M already received its taste of Jelly Bean, it makes sense that the DROID RAZR HD (and RAZR HD MAXX) will be next in line to receive Google’s latest offering. Even though there is no official word on what exactly the update contains, we are guessing that DROID RAZR HD (and HD MAXX) owners are in for a tasty treat!

Did any of you RAZR HD owners receive an invite? What feature are you looking forward to most in the newest update? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Droid-Life

Featured Android App Review: Top Recipes [Lifestyle]

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 12:20 PM PST

They say more and more people are eating out, but there is certainly no shortage of cooking shows and recipe apps. There’s still a lot of people that enjoy cooking at home and looking for new recipes. Top Recipes, from SplashPad Mobile is an app that features over 2,400 recipes for just about any category you can think of including appetizers, desserts, dinners, casseroles, dips, sides, etc.

The app itself is compatible with tablets and phones (currently not on the Nexus 7) and is very easy to navigate. Along the top you will find different sections, which consist of Favorites, Menus, Categories, My Shopping List, and the Weekly Bonbon. Favorites are pretty self explanatory. You can make any recipe a favorite so you can find it easily in the future. The menu feature is a pre-defined list of recipes that might include an appetizer, main course, dessert, etc. This is great for those planning a holiday dinner party. There are plenty of themes like football night, Halloween, Thanksgiving, appetizer only parties, etc. The categories section is where you will find the majority of the recipes. There are four main categories: Editor’s Choice, Quick & Easy, Entertaining, and Healthy. There are also 28 sub categories that consist of roughly 2,400 recipes. The “my shopping list” section will keep track of the items you need to pick up from the store. Within each recipe, you will find an “add to list” option. If you select it, it will open a popup in which you can select all or some of the ingredients to be added to your shopping list. Then when you’re at the store, just open the app and navigate to this section and you can quickly see what you need and check them off as you put them in your cart. The last section is the Weekly Bonbon and it’s like a magazine. In this section you will find articles related to cooking from various chefs. A new article comes out every week and they are sorted by month.

Each recipe features a really nice color photo of the finished product along with the list of ingredients, straightforward instructions, and prep times. If you have a certain ingredient you want to work with, like chicken, you can search for all recipes that include chicken. The search works for any keyword so instead of an ingredient, you can search for all recipes that have the word “Halloween” in it. The only issue I had with the search function is that it’s only visible on the main page, so if you decide you want to search for something after you have navigated deep into the app, it can be a pain to go all the way back. I have talked to the developer and a fix for this will be out shortly. Last but not least, if you want to share any of the recipes, you can do so easily via Gmail and Facebook.

Since Top Recipes is like a magazine, there is a subscription. It costs 99-cents per month, which is much cheaper than any cooking magazine. If you don’t want to subscribe, you will only have access to the editor’s choice section, which isn’t all that much. The good news is that they have a 30-day free trial that won’t cost you a dime.  30 days is plenty of time to see if this app is for you, but considering the price, it’s probably only going to cater to those that really like to cook and seek new recipes. The casual cook will probably find what they are looking for through other free apps or sites. For those that choose to subsribe, Top Recipes is still at its infancy and will continue to grow. They have big plans for 2013 including a contest for food bloggers to submit recipes and photos to find the best original recipes that will be published in the app. You can also look forward to these articles for December..

  • Decadent wine pairings for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's
  • Our favorite cookie recipe in honor of National Cookie Month
  • How to keep your pantry "well stocked" with key ingredients for your holiday cooking
  • Sensational Liquid whipped cream drink recipes made to celebrate and impress
  • Our "Chefs at Home" feature continues with this month's guest, Marcus Samuelsson
Give it a try, you have nothing to lose for the first 30-days and if you like it, you can thank me later. Hit one of the download links below to get started.

PREMIUM FEATURES & BENEFITS:

☆☆ —— More than 2,400 Recipes (Subscriber Feature) —— ☆☆

The typical recipe book includes 25, 50, 100 or sometimes, maybe even 500 or 1,000 recipes. We’ve compiled more than 2,400 of the best recipes from around the world all into just one app. Each recipe comes complete with detailed cooking instructions, estimated prep and cook times and a large, full-color photo.

☆☆ — Premium Recipe Collections (Subscriber Feature) — ☆☆

Three premium recipe collections make it easy for you to put together the perfect meal for any time of year – from family nights to holiday weekends. We’ve got your every day or special occasion breakfast, lunch and dinner all right here! The Quick & Easy Collection features delicious recipe with a cook and prep time of 30 minutes or less. The Healthy Collection includes low fat, low calorie classics like Lentil Soup or Grilled Chicken Salad to help you eat right, while the Entertaining Collection puts rich, elegant appetizers, hors d’oeuvres and desserts in the celebration spotlight.

☆☆ — NEW: The Bonbon (Subscriber Feature) — ☆☆

From family-style meals to holiday entertaining, this food and recipe magazine features a new, interesting article each week. The past articles are archived by month and can be easily accessed at any time.

☆☆ — NEW: Menus and Meals (Subscriber Feature) — ☆☆

Answer the question, “What’s for Dinner?” faster than ever. This new section features menus for every meal, season and occasion from everyday healthy dinners to an entertaining Sunday brunch. New menus are added monthly and past menus are always accessible. Find one you like? Easily share it via text, email, Facebook, Twitter and more.

FEATURES FOR ALL:

– Editor’s Choice Recipes: Try out the best Top Recipes has to offer for FREE with our Editor’s Choice recipe selections. These food finds are sure to bring a smile to everyone at your table.

– Share or Save Shopping List: Found a few recipes, but don’t have all the ingredients you need to start cooking? No problem! Add ingredients from multiple recipes to prepare a complete list for your entire meal. Save the missing ingredients to your in-app shopping list and open it at the grocery store. Or conveniently send the ingredients list to your contacts via text or email.

– Favorite Recipes Box: Add recipes to your list of favorites for easy access, anytime. Never lose a recipe you love again! It’s your personal recipe box for your phone or tablet.

– Voice Search & Cooking Tips: Use Voice Search or Text Search to find single ingredients, dishes or recipes quickly and easily. Avoid common kitchen mistakes by reading the latest helpful cooking tips on the home screen.

 

Top_Recipes_01 Top_Recipes_02 Top_Recipes_03 Top_Recipes_04 Top_Recipes_05 Top_Recipes_06 Top_Recipes_07 Top_Recipes_Splash_Banner

 

QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link

Samsung suing LG, claims infringement on OLED technologies

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:24 AM PST

The Samsung-LG rivalry is back at it again. Samsung is retaliating for LG’s September lawsuit with a suit of their own. This time, Samsung is seeking to have seven patents granted to LG rendered invalid based upon previous infringement with some of their own. Samsung has long been producing Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) displays, and many of their current gen Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode displays (AMOLED) are being used is products around the world. This type of screen is immensely popular because of its ability to function without a backlight that many other kinds of displays require.

While both LG and Samsung produce similar displays. The function of them is quite different; LG uses their screens mainly for TV’s while Samsung focuses mainly upon mobile devices. Recently, with LG’s Optimus G line of phones and Samsung’s latest line of TV’s both companies have been stepping into each other’s territories. This dispute could potentially setting the boundary between these two markets for display technology and grant Samsung a strong monopoly in the mobile display market.

Source: Yonhap News

Samsung to introduce 3 new colors for the Galaxy S III Mini and Note 2, as well as a La Fleur edition of the Galaxy S III

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:24 AM PST

There’s nothing better in life than variety, right? Samsung also seems to think so and is planning on doing just that to make their most successful device to date even better. Starting “around” January (just in time for Valentine’s day) Samsung is planning on releasing a La Fleur edition to the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Ace 2, Galaxy Ace DUOS and Galaxy S DUOS. These devices will essentially have a flower print on both the front and back of the device. Certainly a nice touch and gift to give to a girlfriend or wife.

In other news, Samsung also plans on release 3 new colors for the Galaxy S Mini and Galaxy Note 2. The new colors for the Galaxy S III mini are: Titan Gray, Garnet Red and Onyx Black. Samsung expects these new colors sometime in December. As for the Note 2: Amber Brown, Topaz Blue and Ruby Wine. These colors won’t be available till early 2013.

So what do you all think about these new colors and La Fleur edition of Samsung devices? Certainly, variety can’t hurt right?

source: SamMobile & SamMobile

Verizon’s Black Friday ad shows up with cranberry colored Droid RAZR, Galaxy Nexus, and LG Lucid free on contract

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:21 AM PST

As the big day gets closer, we’ve started covering more and more Black Friday deals. And today we’ve got more deals for those of you on Verizon or looking to make the switch to Verizon this year. Their Black Friday ad lists a unique cranberry colored Droid RAZR (not the RAZR HD) for free on a two-year contract. This is pretty similar to last year’s red Incredible 2 Black Friday offering. Not a bad deal if you want something to stand out and don’t need the latest, greatest tech.

Alongside the RAZR, Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus and LG’s Lucid are both also free. Not great deals, but it’s decent. The ad also lists a unique white Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 for $99. But like AT&T, last I had heard Verizon was no longer selling tablets on contract, so that’s a pretty strange deal. The ad also lists some deals on accessories, like 50% off some Jambox equipment if you buy a new phone. The Droid DNA also made an appearance as it releases on Wednesday.

So who’s going to stop by Verizon this Friday?

Box offering free 50GB’s of storage for any LG device, including the Google Nexus 4

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:08 AM PST

We already knew that Box was giving out free 50GB’s of storage to any LG user with an Android device of 2.1 and up, what we didn’t expect is that it applies to the LG Nexus 4 as well. Considering it is a Google made device, despite it being made from LG, it was assumed it wouldn’t be part of the deal. Surprisingly enough it is and it definitely goes a long way considering the Nexus 4 lacks expandable memory and only comes in two models, the 8GB and 16GB. Here’s Box’s official statement and instructions on how to claim your free storage:

Want to claim your Box 50GB? Just log into Box for Android on your device before December 31, 2012. If you don't have a Box account yet, be sure to download the app on your LG Android phone or tablet. You'll have 50GB of free, secure file storage and sharing for the life of your account.

Anyone planning on giving this promotion a go? Definitely can’t hurt, after all it’s free!

Enjoy guys! Links and a QR code will be provided after the break.

 QR Code generator

Play Store Download Link

Nexus 4 drop test proves that glass is breakable

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:08 AM PST

I’m surprised it took this long, but we do have our first Nexus 4 drop test. Seriously folks, the Nexus 4 (and the Optimus G) is a delicate phone since it pretty much has glass all over it. The front is made of Gorilla Glass 2, but the back is a glass-like substance that does not meet those standards. It would take a miracle for the the Nexus 4 to not get damaged upon a drop on any hard surface, but I guess the question is how much damage can one expect? The video is in German so you might not be able to tell what’s being said, but it’s a drop test, you don’t need to. Hit the break for two videos.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.
Posted by at 6:50 AM 0 comments

Android Community

Android Community

Samsung and LG going back to court over OLED displays

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:21 AM PST

You’d think that with all of the lawsuits Samsung has been a part of lately, the company would want to take a little breather. You’d be wrong, apparently, because Samsung announced today that its hitting LG Display with a lawsuit. As it turns out, Samsung wants a court to invalidate a number of LG Display patents relating to OLED technology, an area where both companies fiercely compete.


This appears to be a direct response to LG Display’s lawsuit against Samsung from September, when LG sued the Galaxy S III maker for infringing its OLED patents. The Galaxy S line up and the Galaxy Tab were included in that patent suit, so you can see why Samsung might be looking for a bit of revenge. In all, Samsung wants a total of seven patents invalidated, which presumably includes those that LG claims have been infringed.

Samsung says that these LG Display patents aren’t actually innovative, so therefore, LG Display shouldn’t have them. The two companies have a lot riding on their display divisions, with Samsung making displays for mobile phones and LG Display focusing more on TVs, among other things. They’re obviously both big players in the smartphone space, so expect to hear more about this lawsuit shortly.

Samsung is no stranger to the courtroom. Aside from the lawsuit with LG in September, Samsung and Apple went to court in what was one of the biggest lawsuits of the year. Samsung ended up getting the short end of the stick in that lawsuit, but its legal battle with Apple is far from over, as there’s another Samsung-Apple lawsuit that’s scheduled to go before a judge in 2014. Stay tuned, as we’ll have more information for you once it’s available.

[via Yonhap News]

CyanogenMod Music Player Apollo hits the Google Play Store

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:59 AM PST

The official music player and Google Music option for CyanogenMod since CM9, Apollo, is finally available for everyone, not just those running the popular Android custom ROM. The app is called Apollo and this weekend it finally arrived in the Google Play Store for all to enjoy. Their slogan is “illuminate your music” and their app will do just that for you.

Apollo offers everything and more that Google Music currently offers. It finds your album artwork for you (usually always accurate) has an awesome user interface that matches Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and beyond, and is just an awesome alternative for all the music fans out there. We first mentioned Apollo back in May, but now you can try it yourself.

Apollo is fast, functional and extremely customizable — just like CyanogenMod is — but sadly the market version comes with built-in ads. Apollo+ however is only $0.99 and gives you everything completely ad free. For now their initial launch is pretty awesome. It comes stock with the black color theme, but also has white and many other themes for those interested. They also state multiple updates will be coming soon.

The images below are just a few to give you an idea of the layout and user interface for Apollo, and once some updates arrive we can expect tablet specific features, new layouts, customizable widgets and more. For now you can pin an entire album or song to your homescreens, use their current and awesome widget, and they even support gapless playback. The new version in the Play Store is different from the current versions bundled with CM10, so we suggest giving them both a try and seeing what you like best. Enjoy that Apollo Music Player guys!

apollo Screen Shot 2012-11-19 at 10.53.16 AM Screenshot_2012-11-19-10-24-07 Screenshot_2012-11-19-10-23-38 Screenshot_2012-11-19-10-22-25 Screenshot_2012-11-19-10-23-58

[via Play Store]


Samsung planning three new colors for Galaxy S III Mini, Note II

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:31 AM PST

Samsung loves its variants, as evidenced by the fact that it has a total of six different colors available for the Galaxy S III. The Galaxy S III isn’t the only phone getting love though, as it appears that Samsung is gearing up to launch new colors for the Note II and the Galaxy S III Mini. Spotted by SamMobile, both phones should be getting three new colors soon, with Samsung set to show them all off at MWC 2013.


The Galaxy S III Mini will be getting new variants in Titan Gray, Onyx Black, and Garnet Red, while the Note II will be painted Amber Brown, Topaz Blue, and Ruby Wine. It’s worth pointing out that a few of these colors have already been featured on the Samsung Galaxy S III, so looking at those should give you a pretty good idea of what the Galaxy S III Mini and the Note II will look like with those hues.

According to SamMobile’s source, Samsung will begin shipping the new Galaxy S III Mini variants either next month or in early 2013, while the new Note II colors won’t ship until some undetermined date next year. As if that wasn’t enough, SamMobile has also uncovered La Fleur Editions of the Galaxy S III, the Galaxy S DUOS, the Galaxy Ace DUOS, and the Galaxy Ace II (pictured above). These feature a flower print design on the back for a lean that’s a little more feminine, and they should be available sometime in January.

Other than the flower print pattern on the back, these La Fleur phones will have the exact same innards as their standard counterparts, so the only changes you’ll be getting are cosmetic. So, it looks like a pretty wide array of Samsung devices will be getting new colors relatively soon, but unfortunately it sounds like most of them won’t be launching in time for the holiday season. Will you be picking up any of these new color variants?

Nexus 4 gets the inevitable drop test

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:47 AM PST

For some odd reason this has continued to be a growing trend with basically every smartphone or tablet that gets released. Drop tests are becoming the norm these days and now the brand new LG Nexus 4 has just received its share of drops. Spoiler: it doesn’t do too well, just like most phones. For those that enjoy these odd videos showing the obvious, take a peek below.

What it all comes down to is you probably shouldn’t drop your smartphone, ever. If the unlikely and sad moment happens where you indeed do drop your smartphone, pray that it isn’t cracked in some form or another as the screens are only getting bigger and bigger, and thus more fragile. I’m just going to go out on a limb here and recommend you buy a case.

Either way, users still seem to be uploading drop test videos for basically every new phone. So we might as well take a look at just how well the Nexus 4 handles being dropped from waist height, as well as about 6 ft from your ear. As usual we have multiple camera angles, slow-motion video recording, and absolute silence as the smartphone collides with the world of concrete. Enjoy the video even though it’s not in English.

We’ve been hearing various reports around the interwebs that LG and Google’s new Nexus 4 isn’t all that durable — even if the build quality is LG’s best yet. The problem isn’t with build quality, rather it’s the odd glass panel on the rear of the device. Didn’t they learn that lesson with the iPhone 4? XDA users are reporting little cracks and damage without even dropping their devices. We’ll be sure to monitor this as the device starts landing on more doorsteps, but so far it doesn’t look like the back is too durable. Keep a death grip on that smartphone guys, or just buy that official Nexus 4 bumper case from Google.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Nexus 4
    Manufactuer : LG
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : October 29, 2012
    Release Date : November 13, 2012
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.7 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x768
  • Screen Type : IPS LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.27 Inch
  • Width : 2.7 Inch
  • Depth : 0.36 Inch
  • Weight : 139 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2100 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 390 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : APQ8064
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 8 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

– Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Google Music signs deals with European music publishers

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:50 AM PST

Google has reached licensing deals with representatives of European music publishers, artists and composers. This deal will give Google Music access to 5.5 million musical works. These songs span a total of 35 countries, which opens up a ton of options for Google. The deal with Armonia, the alliance of French, Italian and Spanish licensing groups, is considered the broadest of its kind.



Google could leverage the power of this deal to open Google Music in many other countries. This could give them leverage in countries where its major competitors Apple and Amazon do not have a footing yet. The three companies are major players in the music game, and these deals could certainly help Google get a leg up in the cloud-based and digital music sales game.

This deal does not necessarily open cross-country licensing of music. Meaning, it does not necessarily mean Google can use the deal to sell Italian songs in the US, for example. Of course, we need more details about the deal to know exactly what kinds of ways Google can leverage it. Either way, this is a big deal in the music licensing world, and it could help Google a great deal.

The biggest difference between this and the way Apple and Amazon do similar deals is that those companies typically go country-by-country, and are not as sweeping as Google’s. Google also rounded up the British and American catalog of Universal Music Publishing and Sony’s Latin songs. Hopefully this deal opens up Google Music to a slew of countries where it was not available before. Only time will tell what comes from this.

[via BusinessWeek]

LG Optimus G for AT&T and Sprint successfully unlocked

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:51 AM PST

If you’ve been on the fence about grabbing an LG Optimus G because of concerns about the device being unlocked, you can stop worrying. The folks over at XDA-Developers have been hard at work, and they have figured out a method for unlocking both the AT&T and Sprint versions of the device. However, the unlock is a private beta, so for the time being, it is only being distributed to a selected group of testers.



So why the private beta? According to XDA user thecubed, who is the one distributing the unlock, they want to “limit the scope of damage that could be caused if this unlock goes awry.” If you are a member of the community, and are chosen to test the unlock, they will have already contacted you to inform you. For the rest of us, we will have to wait until they feel it is ready for prime time.

One thing that they make sure to point out is that once this goes live, it’s not recommended to update your device OTA. LG could choose to issue a patch that would cause the unlock to break, and it may not be something that could be broken through again. This could actually lead to your device being bricked, and no one wants that to happen.

mrcubed did not say when the final release will be made available. Presumably, they are going to want to test it extensively during the private beta, and go from there. Hopefully, they release it to the public soon, but we shall have to be patient for the time being. We will keep you posted.

[via XDA-Developers]

Motorola RAZR i MT788 announced for Chinese Market

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:31 AM PST

More and more smartphone creators are looking to break their way into the Chinese market. With the reports of Android’s complete and utter domination, it’s no surprise; clearly people in China love some Android. Reports came out that HTC was brining the DLX to market in China, and now, Motorla is following along with the RAZR i MT788.



On paper, the device is very similar to its western counterpart. It comes with a 2GHz Intel Atom Z2480 processor inside. It comes with the same 4.3-inch 960 x 540 AMOLED display, an eight-megapixel camera, a microSD slot, and Android Ice Cream Sandwich installed. But there are some very noticeable differences as well.

Of course, with a new market, there is bound to be some changes to the device, and Motorola has made some important ones to this particular phone. The most obvious is the chassis of the phone, which looks different from the western version. The battery is also smaller at only 1,735mAh instead of the RAZR i’s 2,000mAh. It also comes with only 4GB of built-in memory instead of 16GB.

The last notable change comes to the front-facing camera. It has actually been bumped from .3-megapixels to 1.3-megapixels. The price has not been announced for the device yet, but interested buyers in the Chinese markets will be able to grab one from China Mobile in mid-December.

[via Engadget]

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE gets Jelly Bean update plus VoLTE

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:20 AM PST

Samsung is bringing the most sought after software update to Samsung Galaxy 10.1 LTE devices. The update also adds simultaneous data and voice to the LTE toting devices. The new update is coming to South Korean carriers initially, and will hopefully spread out to other places from there.



Obviously, the update includes the awesome features that all Jelly Bean devices have. With this being a Samsung device, it also adds support for Multi-Window, which is one of the cooler features out there. This feature splits the screen in half and allows two apps to be run at the same time. With a 10-inch tablet, it seems like the feature could be a perfect fit. It’s like having two 5-inch phablets side by side.

The update also adds improved S Pen functionality such as the new Easy Clip that debuted on the Galaxy Note II. The update also adds Air-View, which grants a preview of photo and video galleries, message content, calendar entries, and other data when the pen is hovered over them. It also adds Quick Command, which triggers new emails, searches, and other features with an upward swipe.

VoLTE address a common concern for LTE devices. Now, if you need to make voice call from your tablet, you will be able to do so without losing your data. With a smartphone, not being able to call and use the Internet is acceptable, since often you will have the phone pressed to your ear, but a tablet, you are probably using a hands free device, and thus, may need to use Internet. VoLTE solves that, but it does require carrier support to work.

Samsung has not mentioned the actually rollout dates for the update.

[via SlashGear]

Android 4.2 deletes December events from People app

Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:50 AM PST

Android users with important dates to remember in December have an issue they need to know about. Android 4.2 has a weird bug that is causing a problem with the People app. The entire month of December has disappeared from the calendar in the app.



For most (possibly all) users, the calendar jumps right from November 2012 to January 2013. Clearly, December is a month filled with holidays and occasions that require gift buying, and while forgetting those major holidays seems unlikely, if you have a lot on your mind and are relying on your phone to remind you to buy people things, this issue could be a problem.

The good news is that other calendars within devices are not affected by the flaw, so you can store your important reminders for gifts there. Supposedly, this flaw exists in all Android 4.2 devices, so if you own a Galaxy 4 or Nexus 10 tablet, chances are you will see this problem. Looks like the Grinch is trying to steal Christmas via Android devices.

Google has not issued official word on the matter. However, this is Google we’re talking about, so you can assume that fix is in the works. In the meantime, just be aware that if you store dates in the People app, you could miss some important dates. As always, we will keep you posted and let you know when a fix for Android 4.2 comes along.

[via SlashGear]

ZTE Grand X Pro leaks on Twitter

Posted: 18 Nov 2012 12:18 PM PST

The image below is a new smartphone from the folks at ZTE being called the Grand X Pro. Those guys from the popular Twitter @evleaks have been quite busy this week, and now have released another image for us all to enjoy. This time around we sure don’t have any specs or details, but can clearly see a nice smartphone and on-screen navigation buttons.

The device is the ZTE Grand X Pro, but other than the crisp image that has leaked we have no additional details. No specs, carrier, or anything else for that matter. We do see a neat little volume rocker on the side and that’s about all. Looking at the image on-screen we’re guessing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but could possibly launch with Jelly Bean.

Earlier this year ZTE released the Grand X LTE (see our hands-on) coming with a 4.3-=inch qHD display, dual-core Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM and Android 4.0 ICS, so it was pretty mid-range. Being that they’ve named this new unknown device the “Pro” hints at an upgrade of some sort — but again the details aren’t clear at this point.

The guys from @evleaks have been pretty consistent with their awesome level of details and accurate leaks, so we’re assuming we’ll see and hear more about the Grand X Pro very soon. For now all we have to go on is the leaked press image, and will update as soon as we get more information.


Nexus 4 gets teardown by iFixit – looks pretty inside and out

Posted: 17 Nov 2012 01:04 PM PST

The brand spankin new LG Nexus 4 is certainly a pretty smartphone, but now we're getting a look at the inside and seeing it's just as pretty under the hood. The folks from iFixit just finished giving the Nexus 4 the usual teardown treatment and we get to see everything that makes this quad-core Android run. As usual we have a comprehensive breakdown of the hardware, as well as some neat photos of that wireless charging battery cover.

These teardowns are always neat to check out simply to see how everything's neatly packed into these smartphones we use daily. Not only that, but the new LG Nexus 4 isn't supposed to be opened up by the average consumer, even if there's little screws on the bottom teasing you with the idea. Under the hood you'll find the non-replaceable battery and LG's wireless charging parts.

As usual this is more than just for fun, iFixit rates the Nexus 4 in terms of "repairability" a 7 out of 10, which is actually a pretty good score considering the battery isn't replaceable. Just as a comparison, the Galaxy Nexus received a 6. Overall the Nexus 4 earned points for being easily opened and accessed with the simple T5 screws on bottom. It also lost points with the relatively hard to access and replace battery, as mentioned above.

iFixit mentions the display is fused together with the front protective glass and digitizer, as usual, but also glued to the actual display frame. This makes it extra durable and sturdy but makes replacement expensive as well as a task not meant for a first-timer. As usual iFixit has some excellent photography skills, so you can enjoy some awesome photos of the Nexus 4, as well as the Galaxy Nexus, iPhone 5 and a few others before they start the breakdown. Last but certainly not least, the LG Nexus 4 does indeed have a 4G LTE chip imbedded deep in the motherboard. While it isn't capable of 4G LTE at the moment, the hardware exists. Interesting factiod right there. Maybe we'll see it come to Verizon or AT&T in the future, but that's doubtful.

[via iFixit]
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