Amazon has tapped Foxconn to help build the rumored Kindle smartphone, according to the Taiwan Economic News. For what it’s worth, this matches up a previous rumor out of Digitimes who claimed the handset would arrive in mid-2013. Assumed to be an Android-based smartphone, the Kindle handset could have a custom skin and experience with access to Amazon’s apps and services.
While it certainly seems easy to scoff at the source of some of these rumors, Digitimes might be right on some of these details. It may not be something you would buy for yourself, it smells of one of those “seems too obvious not to happen” deals.
Facebook today announced new updates to the Nearby feature in the moble (Android and iOS) apps. Slated to go live later this afternoon, it makes it even easier than ever to discover new places that your friends are into. Details include:
Find New Places - From the app menu, open the tab to find local spots your friends have recommended, checked into, or liked. If you're looking for a place to eat, choose a category like Restaurants to see what's nearby. When you find a place that looks interesting, tap to see info like friends who've been there and business hours.
Share Places with Friends - In addition to discovering new places to visit, you can share what you think by rating or recommending places to your friends. Your own suggestions become more personalized the more you and your friends rate, recommend, and check into places.
Just the beginning - This is an early release and there's lots more to do. Results will get better the more people use Nearby, and we'll continue to improve it based on feedback. We also plan to add places info from third party services in the near future.
New details have surfaced today, adding more to the conversation surrounding the HTC M7.
The folks at Unwired View, and Twitter’s @evleaks, have a number of new details to share as it pertains to the 2013 HTC flagship “M7″ device. Should they prove to be accurate, we should fully expect a powerful and robust smartphone experience out of HTC.
If you thought the One X and One X+ were something to behold, wait until you hear what the M7 has in store for you. We’re talking a full HD display in a 4.7-inch screen size, a wonderful 13-megapixel camera, and 32GB internal storage
Sony today announced that it plans to issue Android updates to a number of its 2012 Xperia line. As you might expect, it’s a matter of newer and more robust devices getting preference over those that are not. Keep in mind that while Sony does have a general time frame, things can slip or move up. What’s more, your particular update will hinge upon you carrier’s willingness to play ball
Popular television game show Wheel of Fortune has a brand new Android app to help celebrate its 30 years anniversary. Available through the Amazon Appstore (Android devices, and Kindle Fire), the game has a number of new features. Details include a story-based career mode, Pass&Play gameplay, customized avatars, and a 3D Pat Sajak. Wheel of Fortune is available for $2.99 immediately on Amazon.com.
Key Features of Wheel of Fortune:
Meet Pat Sajak – For the first time, 3D Pat Sajak will guide players through an authentic Wheel of Fortune experience – watch his style change as he travels back through time in story mode
Single Player Solo Mode –A new story-based career mode takes players on a journey through the sets of Wheel of Fortune's rich 30-year history
Pass & Play – Challenge family and friends in person to step up to the wheel and take a spin in this head-to-head multiplayer mode
Avatar Personalization –Players can customize their in-game avatars with a full set of features – from hairstyles and eyewear to clothing items and other accessories
Achievements –Unlock achievements by completing various actions in the game, such as progressing through Solo Mode or winning the Jackpot
Universal App –Download the game once and play on other compatible devices
Themed Content –Themed puzzles and avatar items are now available for purchase for even more Wheel of Fortune fun (e.g. Monster Pack, School Time, Night on the Town, etc.)
U.S. Cellular is the latest carrier to announce plans for the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update on the Galaxy S III.
The software update for the Samsung Galaxy S III will be available from Friday, December 21 where it will be offered in an over-the-air and USB manner. Starting Friday, those with the U.S. Cellular smartphone can visit http://www.uscellular.com/android/software.html#GS3 where they will find information that explains the process. As is the case with all other Android 4.1 updates of its kind, the Galaxy S III will benefit from Google Now, richer notifications, as well as smarter keyboard, speech-to-text, and widgets.
Samsung is prepping a next-generation audio docking station, according to a source close to SamMobile. Presumably making its debut at either CES or Mobile World Congress, the new stations look to connect via microUSB. Details are pretty much par for the course in a device such as this and include a charging port, 3.5mm audio input, Bluetooth 3.0, and power/volume buttons.
The top five European markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) have seen a modest surge in smartphone adoption over the last year, according to new a report from comScore. Overall smartphone penetration has reached 54.6 percent of mobile users, up 13 percent over last year.
As is the case with the United States, the growth comes on the back of Android and iOS. Android, as a platform, is up 12.4 percent over the previous year and now commands 46.6 percent of the market.
Here’s a quick note to let you prospective Sprint customers know that Amazon is holding a limited time sale on some of the top devices of the season. If you’re thinking of jumping to the Now Network then NOW would be the time to do so. There’s no indication as to how soon these deal will end so act fast. Note this is for new customers only.
A new set of images for the yet-announced Sony Yuga have come online, giving us pretty much the same look at the device as before. If you haven’t had a chance to see these yet, you’ll want to catch up quickly as this one is shaping up to be something special. Recent details, however outlandish they may be, tap the device with specs such as 3GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, and 16-megapixel camera. Yeah, we know. Nevertheless, this is one sleek and sophisticated-looking device that we can’t wait to see in Las Vegas.
Sprint today announced that it has officially entered into an agreement to acquire the roughly 50 percent stake in Clearwire that it currently does not own. At a rate of $2.97 per share, the price comes in at 128 percent value as compared to the closing price of shares on the day before the Sprint/Softbank deal was confirmed.
Speaking on how this affects the carrier’s LTE plans, CEO Dan Hesse said, "Today's transaction marks yet another significant step in Sprint's improved competitive position and ability to offer customers better products, more choices and better services."
We had previously heard some details about which of the Xperia branded devices that Sony was planning to update to Jelly Bean. In fact, Sony offered some details way back in October. But regardless of what happened in the past, they have returned today with another Jelly Bean related status update.
And similar to the October update, Sony has come forward with some details about devices that will, and will not be getting Jelly Bean. The first of the updates are set to begin in February. Sony has said that the plans for the Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V are “progressing as planned” and users with those devices can expect Jelly Bean in February and March.
Following up these three devices will be upgrades for an additional seven devices. Sony is expecting to offer Jelly Bean for the Xperia P, Xperia J and Xperia go at the end of March and then for the Xperia S, Xperia SL, Xperia ion and Xperia acro S “in the subsequent weeks.”
That wraps up the update news which means we can shift over to the not so good portion. You know, the devices that will not be getting Jelly Bean. Sony has said that the Xperia U, Xperia miro, Xperia tipo, and Xperia sola will stay with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
With hundreds of thousands of apps and games in the Google Play Store finding new and fresh content can sometimes be a challenge. While we’re sure many of you have dug around looking for a new game, the developers from Stream Media have updated their popular ‘recommendation app” to make finding games and apps even easier. If you’ve never tried Applorer before, today’s update is certainly another reason to check it out.
Applorer is a unique game recommendation and finding app that will help you find the best Android games to suit your needs and style. It offers personalized game recommendations and more, and now they’ve added multiple social network features to their app to make it even better. Oh and one more thing, all games recommended by Applorer are free games from the Google Play Store.
Essentially Applorer will see what you’ve already been enjoying, and thus recommend games based on your interests. Not only that, but today’s update allow you to integrate friends from Facebook for even more suggestions, as well as social gaming ‘circles’ you can join with like-minded interests for even more personalized results. Here’s what to expect:
The new and improved app, available today, added many new social features that make it easier to see what your friends and connections are playing, build game communities, and to share your recommendations, tips and screen shots. Everything can be done in-app, or to your favorite social network and more. With Applorer you can create your own game center, and get personalized recommendations daily, or weekly should you chose. Give Applorer a try today from the Google Play Store.
Similar to what we saw from Madfinger games around Halloween, the company has announced their Dead Trigger Christmas update. This update is already live in Google Play and includes new game play, new weapons and deals on weapons as well as the opportunity to win a Dead Trigger t-shirt.
And as we like to see, this update also came with some tweaks and bug fixes. The tweak deals with the mini-mortar which is said to have been improved and made “more deadly.” The bug fix dealt with memory optimizations, specifically for lower-end devices. Also worth noting, the Dead Trigger game was, and remains available for free.
With those smaller items out of the way, lets get into the Christmas update. Those looking for weapons can take advantage of the new special prices and those looking to get that shirt, you will have to solve the underground puzzle. Otherwise, the changelog for this update also notes a new weapon, a grenade launcher, as well as new story missions, an encounter with a new Christmas boss called Zanta and a new North Pole Christmas Arena.
All said and done, it looks like Madfinger has released this update in perfect time. After all, come this time next week we suspect more than a few of you will have some days off for the holiday and what better way to waste some time then battling some zombies.
Google‘s getting ready to enjoy the holiday season and new years cheer by launching their own little promotion. Tis the season right? Today Google is kicking off what they’re calling the surprise calendar countdown, where they’ll be offering deals on all sorts of goodies right from the Google Play Store from now until January 1st, 2013.
Google has always been one to offer some sort of awesome deals or freebies during the holidays, and we have a feeling they’ll be going even bigger this year. We can expect a week long list of deals during Christmas on apps and games and more, but that’s just the beginning. Today they’ve kicked off the first day of their calendar countdown by offering free $35 towards any participating hotel, directly to you from the Google Play Store elves.
Today’s deal is $35 towards any hotel reservation once you download the Hotel Tonight app from the Play Store. It might not be the best deal but for the thousands of people getting ready to travel for the holidays, this could save you a few dollars on a hotel. Just enter the redeem code Google35 at checkout within the app to enjoy the savings.
From what it sounds like, Google will be offering tons of awesome deals for the rest of the year as we finish out the calendar year and head into 2013. At least their calendar doesn’t end on the 21st right? We can expect new deals each and every day ranging from apps, games, books, music, movies, TV, hotels, and basically anything from the Google Play Store. Hopefully we get another $0.10 cent deal promotion — Because that was epic!
Jelly Bean arrived for Galaxy S3 users with Verizon Wireless on last Friday and it looks like US Cellular users will get the same update this Friday. And for those without a calendar handy, that is Friday, December 21. US Cellular has yet to offer all the specifics, however we do know there will be a few options to consider.
As we have seen with US Cellular device updates in the past, you will have the ability to upgrade over-the-air, using Kies and even by visiting a retail location. That last suggestion may be good for those who don’t feel entirely comfortable upgrading. Of course, the update process is fairly straight forward.
The Jelly Bean Galaxy S3 update details come by way of the Samsung Facebook page where they have stated that they will provide a link for the Jelly Bean update on Friday. Link aside, we suspect most of the Android Community readers will be one-step ahead and already checking for an update by the time that link goes live.
All said and done, it is nice to see the Jelly Bean update announced for US Cellular Galaxy S3 users. It is just a shame that they had to wait so long to get it. After all, even Verizon Wireless managed to beat them out. And Verizon tends to be slow with updates.
Just like that, the rumors of an Amazon smartphone have once again kicked off. Of course, this is far from the first time we have heard rumors about such a device coming from Amazon. And while we have yet to see anything official from Amazon, this latest round of rumors does involve the manufacturing side. Specifically, details coming out of Foxconn.
The report is based on a new article coming from the Taiwan Economic News who are reporting that Foxconn will be making the Amazon smartphone. According to details provided thus far, Foxconn is expected to ship 5 million units later in the year. We have yet to see much in terms of when this is expected for release, however rumors suggest somewhere in the second or third quarter of 2013.
Simply put, we likely still have some time before we learn anything official here. Other details coming from the report suggest that the handset will debut with a price somewhere between $100 and $200. Of course, speaking truthfully, that doesn’t tell us all that much. Foxconn is also said to be working with J Touch Corp. and Young Fast Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. Both of these companies are Taiwanese parts suppliers.
Finally, in addition to an Amazon branded smartphone, it was also said that the company has already begun working on the next-generation Kindle Fire which is expected to debut in the third quarter of 2013. Nothing much else in terms of the Kindle Fire details, other than that some of the parts are said to be coming from Quanta Computer Inc. and Compal Electronics Inc.
Assuming these leaked images and details prove to be accurate, it looks like Samsung is planning to roll-out an updated Galaxy Tab 2 in 2013. But before everyone gets super excited, we are talking about an updated color and not anything related to specs. But hey, maybe the color options (and the lack of red) was the reason that someone had held off on a Galaxy Tab 2 purchase.
That being the case, it looks like Samsung will be rolling-out a Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 7 in Garnet Red. There is a set of images, albeit blurry images showing both tablets in the new color. Otherwise, details from from SamMobile note that the new color is expected in early 2013. More to the point, sometime before Valentines Day, which for those who choose not to celebrate that — Valentines Day falls on February 14.
In addition, it was said that this will include the 3G and Wi-Fi models of the Galaxy Tab 2 7 and 10.1 tablets. So far nothing was mentioned in terms of where the new color would be available. In other words, which markets. Still, assuming the early January timeframe proves to be accurate, we suspect an official announcement should be coming sooner rather than later.
As to the color of red, Garnet Red is not something foreign to Samsung. We have previously seen the Galaxy S3 in that color and Samsung has also made some cases in red. In fact, Samsung has previously released a Garnet Red cover for both the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 and 10.1 tablets.
If you happen to be in the market for an Android tablet and living in the UK, you may want to check the recently updated sale page from Carphone Warehouse. Simply put, the retailer currently has discounts on several Android tablets including the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and the Galaxy Tab 2 7.
The complete list of the discounted tablets also includes the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Asus Transformer Pad TF300. The discounts vary for each, and all models are limited to two per customer. Beginning first with the deals on the Galaxy Tab tablets, the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is currently selling for £195 and the Galaxy Tab 2 7 is currently selling for £157. And just for comparison, those are down from the regular prices of £237 (10.1) and £199 (7).
The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is the Wi-Fi only model with 16GB of internal storage and the Galaxy Tab 2 7 is also for a Wi-Fi only device. The Tab 2 7 is sporting 8GB of internal storage. Both of the Samsung tablets are running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Moving over to the Kindle Fire and we have a tablet with a savings of £31. This brings the price down to just £98. Also worth noting, a note on the Carphone Warehouse site mentions that the Kindle Fire deal is only available over the phone and in retail stores. Last but not least, the Asus Transformer Pad TF300. This tablet brings a savings of £51, which means you will be paying £348.
Getting a good deal on a mobile phone from a third party retailer is not all that surprising of news at this point. Actually, it seems more often than not a smartphone can be purchased for less by using a third party. The excitement here comes for the Galaxy Note 2 having reached what we believe to be an all-time low.
The phablet is available by way of Amazon Wireless and the price is just $99.99. This price applies to both the Marble White and Titanium colors, however there is a small catch for both. Well actually, three catches. First, the handset is currently in backorder status with a note that it should ship in one to two weeks.
The second is that this price applies to new customers only. Those upgrading an existing line, or adding an additional line to a current account will have to shell out $199.99. Of course, as compared to the carrier pricing, the $199.99 price point is still a good deal. And third, this $99.99 price point is for just one carrier, the Now Network.
And in addition, those looking for a new Android device and not feeling like a handset with a 5.5-inch display — Amazon Wireless also has a good deal on the LG Optimus G. The Optimus G is currently priced at $49.99 for new customers and $149.99 for existing customers. Finally, all pricing mentioned in this post assumes a two-year agreement.
Another day and another Sony Yuga related leak has surfaced. This latest has arrived in the form of two images. And on top of the images, there is also word that we may be seeing a bit more in-depth coverage of the handset later this afternoon. Keep in mind though, even the promised in-depth coverage is not yet coming from Sony.
On that note, these latest images, as you can see are a bit blurry and grainy. That fact aside, they go give a decent look at the handset. Granted, that does not necessarily translate into anything super exciting given we are seeing nothing more than a slab of a phone with a touchscreen. But sometimes the shape can play a factor for some.
We have the image of the front along with one that shows the top half of the back. On the back we have a camera of unspecified megapixels along with a flash and the Xperia branding towards the middle. Previous leaks have suggested a 12 megapixel camera. Perhaps a bit more interesting as compared to the images though, there were a few details revealed about the processor.
For example, the handset is now expected to have a Snapdragon S4 Pro as opposed to the Samsung Exynos. Otherwise, we are still expecting a handset with a 1080p 5-inch display. Finally, as for that in-depth coverage later today. That promise comes by way of Eldar Murtazin, a person that has been responsible for leaking quite a few phones in the past.
LG is to blame for “scarce” Nexus 4 supplies, Google UK and Ireland managing director Dan Cobley claims, though the exec has apologized for Google’s poor communication to pre-order customers. “I know that what you are going through is unacceptable and we are all working through the nights and weekends to resolve this issue” Cobley insisted. “Supplies from the manufacturer are scarce, and our communication has been flawed. I can offer an unreserved apology for our service and communication failures in this process.”
Cobley had been challenged by frustrated Nexus 4 preorder customers on Google+, some pointing out that their orders – placed during the initial round of sales – were still to ship, whereas some who had bought the Android phone more recently had already received the device. Google has struggled to keep any stocks of the Nexus 4 on hand, with supplies generally selling out in under an hour.
According to Cobley, those who were originally notified of a 3-5 day shipping estimate can expect their orders to go into fulfillment imminently. Those, meanwhile, who had been told to expect a pre-Christmas deliver should have their orders processed by the end of this week; it’s unclear whether that means the deliveries themselves will occur before December 25th.
There’ll also be a round of shipping fee refunds, for those with 3-5 day estimates at least. As for the biggest question of all – when Google will have steady supplies of the Nexus 4 – that’s still a mystery. Earlier this month, LG would say only that the phone had been “extremely popular” hence its rarity.
Dear all
I know that what you are going through is unacceptable and we are all working through the nights and weekends to resolve this issue. Supplies from the manufacturer are scarce, and our communication has been flawed. I can offer an unreserved apology for our service and communication failures in this process.
For those that originally received a 3-5 days shipping estimate, your orders are now in process for fulfillment. You can expect an email notification early this week which will include tracking information. Although you will be initially charged in full, you will receive a credit for the shipping charge soon after. For others that received pre-Christmas shipping estimates, we anticipate processing your orders for fulfillment this week.
I realise that the people who ordered the Nexus 4 so early are among our most committed and loyal users and we are doing all we can to put things right.
It was another exciting and long week around these parts, but things are getting interesting in the world of Mobile just in time for the holiday season. Then we have CES coming up early next year that will surely ease many hearts and minds, as well as make a few new smartphone buyers envious of what’s coming soon. Below we’ll have a quick rundown on some of the important Android news from the past week.
It was another crazy week filled with leaks, rumors, devices with 1080p HD displays, and of course plenty from Google. The folks from Mountain View had a pretty big week this week with comments from Google’s Andy Rubin, Eric Schmidt had a few interviews with racy comments and more. It was an exciting week to be a DROID fan so lets dig in.
Samsung had a crazy fun week with all sorts of leaks, rumors, announcements, and updates. First off we’re hearing they won’t have any big news about their Galaxy S4 at CES, but a 6.3-inch Galaxy Note III is rumored for next year. Talk about too big. Motorola is attacking Samsung in some new ads, but they aren’t scared. The Galaxy Camera is available from Verizon with 4G LTE, and the biggest news of all — Verizon’s Galaxy S III got Jelly Bean this weekend. Hurray!
The Galaxy Note II from Verizon got a bootloader unlock, and we’re hearing a pretty massive exploit was found in Samsung’s Exynos kernel — but we’ll be talking more about that next week. Now for some random bits of news that was fun and important this past week. Motorola updated the Atrix HD to Jelly Bean, Falcon Pro received another awesome update making it the best Twitter app around, and then Facebook got a whole lot better. Facebook finally released their native app for Android, and Facebook for Android is now essentially twice as fast and a much better overall experience. About darn time!
Now to end on a few fun notes there’s a huge (and likely BS) rumor that Intel is looking to acquire NVIDIA, the official Nexus 7 dock from ASUS is hopefully coming soon, and even Apple legend Guy Kawasaki prefers Android. Nuff said! Read through Android Community to catch up on anything else that you might have missed. My Packers are champs, so I’m happy.
Some strange news has appeared this weekend from the folks at XDA Developers that have been digging around in some of Samsung’s Exynos kernels. It looks like a pretty big exploit has been found in the kernel for many of Samsung‘s Exynos powered devices. There’s both good and bad news with this exploit so head down below for more details on this new found glory.
First for the bad news. The developers have found a very simple exploit in Samsung Exynos kernels, specifically the Exynos 4 processor line. The exploit essentially effects most Samsung devices running their dual-core Exynos processors. Multiple Galaxy S II models, the international Galaxy S III (US uses Snapdragon) the Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II, and a few others are all a part of this problem.
The problem you ask? The exploit is a bug that easily gives developers (and potentially malware) access to the RAM of the device, all of it. Completely free to do as you please. This makes it extremely easy to now root all of these devices — even ones like the Verizon Galaxy Note II. So while that’s extremely good news that we can root all of these devices with a simple one-click APK, it leaves the same phones wide open to potential malware and problems as any malicious app could easily root your device, and have full access to do as it pleases.
The awesome developer Chainfire has already released a 1-click APK that will use the exploit to root all of these devices, so that’s awesome, but hopefully something gets done about this to protect users from the other possibilities. So while this is great for the modding community it isn’t a good thing for the rest of users. XDA has already contacted Samsung with the information so surely a fix will probably get under way as soon as possible. For now we’ll be able to easily root all these Exynos 4 based devices, but the average user should be cautious as to what they download from the Play Store. I’d be sticking to well known apps and games if I had any of the above devices. We’ll update once we know more, if Samsung comments, or once they get an update rolling out to solve this pretty large exploit. More details are available from the via below.
