Sunday, January 6, 2013

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Google Android News Android Forums

[Deal] Grab a T-Mobile Galaxy S III for $49.99 through Staples for today only

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:59 PM PST

If the Samsung Galaxy S III is still on your radar but missed out on all of the holiday deals, then today may be your chance to nab one. While the deal ends at the end of today, you can grab a 16GB Pebble Blue S III through Staples for just $49.99. What’s great is that this works for new customers and qualifying upgrades.

Let us know if you took advantage of this deal!

source: TMONEWS

Amber Brown Samsung Galaxy Note 2 photos surface

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:52 PM PST

An Amber Brown color of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 has finally been official confirmed through actual photos. While this color option is available for the Japanese carrier NTT Docomo, no word on whether it’ll make its way elsewhere.

Hopefully more color options for the Note 2 will make its way into some of US’s carriers.

source: GizChina

Google Play Magazines now offering “Free for Print Subscribers” option

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:44 PM PST

Google is now offering a “Free for print subscribers” option for certain magazines in the Play Store. If you subscribe to certain magazines that offer this, you’ll see a login screen asking for your email address and password to your magazine’s online account.  Once you see it, go ahead and select “subscribe”, then you will see an option called “free for print subscribers,” thus the magazine is available for free.

Note that this is only available on your Android phone or tablet and not in the Google Play web version on your computer.

source: Google Support

Samsung plans on releasing the Galaxy S IV on May 2013

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 03:38 PM PST

Samsung’s Lebanon Facebook page surprisingly wasn’t shy about announcing when Samsung expects to launch the Galaxy S IV. Of course, this news shouldn’t come too much of a surprise for us as we expected the S IV to be released around May-June considering that’s the usual timeline Samsung releases the S series. Here’s the exact words from Samsung’s PR:

"Hello guys,

What we said is only trivial since all Galaxy S series are released between late April and Early May, yet there's no way for anyone to know the exact release date :-) " – Samsung Lebanon

Considering the global hit the S III was, the S IV should be nothing short of spectacular. While rumors of what the S IV have already been floating around the web for months, no official specs have been announced just yet.

Anyone else excited for what the S IV has to offer?

source: Slashgear

Samsung Korea posts details about Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 01:35 PM PST

It seems Samsung hasn’t forgotten about its Galaxy S II users just yet. Today, Samsung Korea posted details to its website regarding an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S II (it seems to be for the Korean version only for now, but that means the international update should be just around the corner). The update will be available soon via Samsung’s Kies software and will take about an hour to complete. Since it’s such a large update, Samsung will need to reformat your phone’s memory and allocate an extra gigabyte for its “system” memory (where it keeps all the important files). This means you’ll end up with 11 gigabytes of internal memory for your apps, music, pictures an other media. Besides all the normal Jelly Bean goodies like “Google Now”, you’ll be getting Samsung’s “Smart Stay” (a feature that keeps your screen on by using your front facing camera to see if you’re eyes are looking at your phone), and some other stock Google apps like Books and Google+. No word yet on if and when the US variants of the phone will be getting an update, but we will keep you posted if we hear anything. For a full list of improvements, jump past the break.

Major Changes in the new Software Upgrade
1. Platform upgrade Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich → Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
- improved Home screens and improved scrolling performance
- Improved usability for some applications

2. Preloaded applications
- Add Help
- Add Google+
- Add +Talk
- Add Play Book
- Add Play Movie

3. Newly added/improved functions
- Add Easy mode, Block mode
- Improved Camera functions: function like Pause while recording and more
- Add Smart Stay
- New functions like Pop-up play and more
- Improved some functions & applications usability

Source: Samsung Korea

New HTC Sense Dialer and Keyboard spotted in leaked images

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 11:39 AM PST

We just reported that HTC will be updating its Sense UI to version 5.0 with the release of its next batch of flagship phones; namely, the yet to be confirmed M7. Sense 5.0 is rumored to have a cleaner and simpler UI, and we may be getting the first glimpse of it in these images from a Chinese website. There’s not much to see here, but it does look like HTC is working toward a more minimalistic design scheme, and we’re liking it a lot! Jump past the break to see the updated Keyboard.  What do you guys think? Are you liking HTC’s new design direction?

Source: Techorz

More Details Of Rumored HTC M7 Smartphone Leaked: Will Feature All-Black Design & Is Possibly Headed For Sprint

Posted: 05 Jan 2013 10:50 AM PST

 

HTC has had an incredibly successful year bringing in some hits here and there, but it appears that the Taiwanese manufacturer is looking to take things to another level in 2013. While we’ve heard whispers about a mysterious M7 smartphone in the works before, we are now starting to get an idea of what the device is capable of and its awesome features. According to the folks at HTC Source, the M7 is designed to be loosely based off the existing DROID DNA smartphone, having items like a black shell casing and a "very nice looking beveled edge" along the screen. In addition, the smartphone will feature a quad-core Snapdragon processor, a 4.7-inch 1,920 x 1080 display capable of 468ppi and 32GB of internal storage— all being operated by Jelly Bean topped off with Sense 5.0, which promises to to have a “simple and clean” UI.

As it stands, there are no additional hardware features to share for now— though it appears the smartphone is currently in testing on Sprint’s LTE network, giving NOW Network customers yet another device to possibly look forward to. Is it possible we may be looking at the latest addition to the HTC EVO series for Sprint? Perhaps we’ll see it at CES in just a few days…

source: HTC Source

Pebble smartwatch to debut at next week’s CES

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 10:35 PM PST

Well, well. What do we have here? It appears as though an invitation from Pebble has made its way to our inbox, notifying us of an event taking place at CES next week. Chief Executive Officer, Eric Migicovsky, will show off the final version of the long-awaited smartwatch in all of its Kickstarter-backed glory.

If you’re unfamiliar, the Pebble smartwatch managed to set a Kickstarter record last year. While it originally aimed to reach a $100,000 funding goal, the wrist-worn device attracted $10 million from eager backers around the world, leaving the company to deal with massive production demands. The watch connects via Bluetooth to your smartphone to offer notifications for calls and texts, with built-in support for third-party apps like Facebook.

The event kicks off at 9AM PST, and we’ll be there live to bring you the latest. Be sure to stay tuned to our CES 2013 hub as well, where we’ll be serving you up-to-the-second coverage straight from the show floor.

T-Mobile to offer unlimited data plans for Monthly4G users starting January 9th

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 10:32 PM PST

On January 9th, T-Mobile will begin offering a $70 unlimited data plan for its Monthly4G users. Monthly4G is T-Mobile’s no-contract plan, meaning you are free to jump on and off ship at any time you please. $70 will get you unlimited talk, text, and data…with no little asterisk anywhere informing you that you’ll be throttled after 5GB. Nope, this time it’s truly unlimited so you can stream songs, video chat and watch YouTube to your data-hungry heart’s content! If you are one of the lucky few who were able to snag the elusive Nexus 4, you might want to try pairing that bad boy up with T-Mobile’s 42Mbps HSPA+ network for a truly speedy experience.

Source: TmoNews

Sprint confirms ‘Sprint As You Go’ prepaid network to launch January 25th with unlimited, unthrottled data

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 10:14 PM PST

After rumors sprouted suggesting Sprint could be gearing up to launch its own prepaid network, the nation’s third largest wireless carrier has confirmed the news, noting the new service would launch January 25th. Users will be able to pick from two different plans with the top tier offering unlimited talk, text and data for $70 per month. Unlike it’s Boost and Virgin counterparts, Sprint As You Go will not throttle users’ data speeds.

Initially, four phones will be available: Two smartphones and two feature phones. The LG Optimus Elite and Samsung Victory will be sold off-contract for $150 and $250, respectively.

To explain where exactly the new service slots into Sprint’s current offerings, a spokesperson provided the following statement.

“This is essentially a retail initiative for Sprint-branded stores only, created for customers who have an affinity for the Sprint brand and have indicated they want a no-contract option. As for our prepaid brands, this actually allows us to strengthen the focus on our primary prepaid sales channels.”

Source: Fierce Wireless
Image Credit: Android Police

 
Posted by at 6:42 AM 0 comments

Android Community

Android Community

Android Community at CES 2013: What to expect!

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 03:45 PM PST

Well guys, it is finally that time of year again. The time where around 150,000 tech fans descend on my city of Las Vegas for the biggest tech trade show of the year. It’s CES time! As you all know this is where we’ll see the latest and greatest consumer electronics of all types, shapes and sizes. We’ll be focusing heavily on Android obviously, and we have a lot planned so get ready for some fun.

ACatCES1-540x304

We say get ready for fun, and that is because you guys will be enjoying hands-on pictures, videos, details, and interviews of all the upcoming gadgets we can’t wait to try. Samsung, LG, Toshiba, ASUS, HTC, Motorola, Sony, Huawei, drinks… yes please, and much more. We call it “hell week” but for you readers it’s all about the excitement of what’s coming. Another way to explain CES is by calling it a beautiful disaster — because that’s what it is.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say we love it too, because we do. Tomorrow we’ll be gathering the troops and flying across the country while getting ready to enjoy the warm Vegas desert, NFL playoffs, BCS games, and of course smartphones! It’s hard to get going after we just smashed tons of food and snacks for the holidays (read: food coma) but rest assured we are ready to rock with 4G LTE smartphones, hotspots, tethering apps, cameras, tripods and more. You name it, we’ve got it. Here’s what I’m bringing (kidding)

Screen Shot 2013-01-04 at 1.45.06 PM

The Las Vegas Convention Center and surroundings will be filled with all sorts of goodies. We’ll be focusing on smartphones, tablets, Android powered toys and devices, and of course a few TVs I’m sure. Not to mention flexible displays (hopefully), Octa-core processors, new battery technology and more. We’ll probably check out tons of cars with Android displays, and hopefully a few Android home automation items. The possibilities truly are endless at CES, and we’d be here forever trying to list them all out. I’ll be checking out that 150-inch LED TV for a few minutes, but that doesn’t concern you guys.

While we’re not expecting to see the Samsung Galaxy S IV or their rumored Note III, surely there will be tons of smartphones to grace your minds with excitement. Google won’t unveil the next Nexus, but surely they’ll have plenty of fun things to share. We already know this year will be all about large 1080p HD displays, powerhouse quad-core processors exceeding 2.0 GHz, 13 megapixel cameras, NFC controlled doors, cars, and so much more. Ahhh, are you excited?

We’ll be live on site with the entire crew, and surely be updating you guys daily with news, pictures, video, blogs, keynote details and more. Be sure to stay tuned right here at AC, or follow along for a broader spectrum at our sister site SlashGear. To make your CES week even easier, be sure to follow us on a number of the options available below.

Follow our CES 2013 Portal
Circle us on Google+
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or subscribe to our RSS Feed

Samsung Galaxy S IV tipped for May release

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 03:13 PM PST

While we all know Samsung is preparing their next generation smartphone, today the folks from Samsung Lebanon posted to their Facebook Page and revealed some information — of sorts. During some discussion the release date of the upcoming device was brought up, and was clearly detailed as May of 2013. For those expecting a CES reveal, sorry to let you down. More details are available after the cut.

samsung_galaxy_s_iii11

We probably won’t see it at MWC either as Samsung will hold their own event for the Galaxy S IV specifically, just as they did with their new flagship Galaxy S III. They want their own stage, and the smartphone rightfully deserves one. The actual comment on Facebook was "The Galaxy SIV won't be released before May 2013." Which not only confirms the name, but also confirms its existence — even though we all know it’s coming.

Their yearly release schedule shouldn’t really be a surprise to anyone. Samsung released the Galaxy S III around the same April time frame, followed by the exact same thing with their Galaxy S III. Just like many others, they will release a new flagship each year around the same time. So this only makes sense and is no way anything extremely exciting.

"Hello guys,

What we said is only trivial since all Galaxy S series are released between late April and Early May, yet there's no way for anyone to know the exact release date :-) " – Samsung Lebanon

Then after a few blogs went wild with the news, Samsung’s Facebook page updated with the comment you see above. Basically stating exactly what we all thought. That the comment wasn’t trivial and we should all relax. With that news, we’ll just let you check out the multiple links, details, and leaks below that we’ve gathered on Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S IV smartphone. Hopefully we see a few leaks soon and can all get excited.

[via SlashGear]

Acer Iconia Tab B1 leaks ahead of CES

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST

As you all should know, budget tablets are expected to be a huge part of 2013 after the success of Google’s Nexus 7. One in particular that we’ve heard about a few times is the upcoming arrivals from Acer. First spotted back in December the Acer B1 looks to rival Google and B&N, while offering a budget Jelly Bean tablet possibly for $99. Today some hands-on photos have appeared so check it out.

front-0-acer-iconia-b1

Since there’s been no official details or announcements, we aren’t fully sure what to expect yet from Acer and their B1, but rumors have it as a $99 slate. Today a Bulgarian tech site got their hands all over it a bit early, and they have confirmed all the specs as well as snapped tons of photos.

Like earlier leaks suggested, the Acer B1 will be a 7-inch 1026 x 600 resolution packing budget friendly tablet. Coming with a MediaTek dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of storage and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It certainly isn’t the strongest, but for $99 you can’t really complain. Sounds like the only downside is the 512MB of RAM and a TN panel that isn’t as vibrant as the Nexus 7.

So far we’ve heard this particular slate will be hitting India and a few other regions, and possibly won’t make its way to the US. Either way we can expect a similar device to arrive in the US from Acer, along with the budget friendly ASUS we’ve been hearing about and more. This will be a year of powerful yet fair priced tablets, that’s for sure. Stay tuned for more details and we’ll probably get some hands-on at CES so be ready to check it out.

front-0-acer-iconia-b1 front-2-acer-iconia-b1 front-3-acer-iconia-b1

[via Tablet.bg]

HTC CEO Peter Chou seems positive on what 2013 will bring

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 01:55 PM PST

Things were not all that great for HTC in 2012. In fact, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report, HTC had one of their worst years in 2012. It was said that the third quarter earning have them sitting at the lowest in about six years. Or to put that another way, the share price is down about 80 percent as compared to the record high that HTC saw in 2010. That being said though, it looks like HTC has been making some plans for a comeback.

HTC_logo-540x300

Time will tell how well the plans work out for HTC, however CEO Peter Chou did discuss some of this in a recent interview. Perhaps most notable here, Chou believes that the worst has passed and that “2013 will not be too bad.” That doesn’t sound all that encouraging by itself, but Chou did go on to further note that they realize they haven’t done enough on the marketing front.

More to that point, Chou said that HTC did not do enough while their competitors were strong and resourceful and pouring lots of money into marketing. Despite recognizing that things were not going all that well, Chou did not mention anything specific in terms of plans and instead stayed a bit more general saying that he believes “the most important thing is to have unique products that appeal to consumers.”

It does seem as if many want to see HTC rise back. The Droid DNA captured quite a bit in terms of praise. And looking forward, it is getting harder to look away from the rumors of the HTC M7. Specific devices aside though, HTC still has a bit more to report for 2012. In fact, their preliminary fourth-quarter results are expected Monday which means we may see a bit more bad news before the good news arrives.

Evernote Skitch app update brings a handful of notable improvements

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 01:25 PM PST

Evernote rolled-out the 2.0 update for the Skitch app back in late-October. That update was rather nice and included goodies such as deeper integration with Evernote. And well, it looks like another Skitch related update has come available in Google Play. This latest isn’t full of new features, however it does include a handful of notable updates and improvements.

skitch-banner

Simply put, this is an update that current Skitch users will want to grab. It may also be enough for those who stopped using Skitch to give it another look. That being said, this update brings Skitch up to version 2.0.5.63 where it remains available for free and for devices running Android 2.0 or later.

The folks at Evernote are touting this release as having better, smarter tools. And by that, the pen tool and the move/pan tool have both been improved. Skitch also got a new hold and lock feature which will allow users to prevent the app from auto-switching tools. The pen tool is now faster and smoother and the move/pan tool change deals with a new behavior that makes it become active when you select an object and then revert back to the previous tool when you delete, deselect, or swipe your finger elsewhere.

Otherwise, the remaining goodies in this update include easier access to settings with a new icon on the home view, new tool tips, an improved Move tool and “numerous other improvements make the app smoother to use and more stable.” Those looking for Skitch can fire up the Play Store on their device or use this link to head on over to the Play Store.

[via Evernote]

Vuzix releases the M100 Smart Glasses SDK emulator for app testing

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 12:39 PM PST

Vuzix began showing off their Google Glass competitor back in November. At the time they offered some details in terms of the glasses, mainly covering the specs and the fact that they would eventually be opening them up for developers. Simply put, Vuzix was planning to release an SDK that allowed to developers to create apps for the glasses. And well, Vuzix has released the beginning stages of the SDK today.

M100-in-use-white-540x379

According to details coming from Vuzix, this release is Phase 1 and it will provide developers with the software required to start writing code using the PC emulator for Android. With this bit of the SDK available, developers will be able to begin writing as well as testing their apps.

The SDK will be available for new developers as well as those who were pre-registered and can be found in the Vuzix developer center at developer.vuzix.com. As part of the developer program, those involved will be able to get support, technical advice and regular updates as well as early access to the M100 smart glasses. Further details from Vuzix notes that the M100 SDK will be available in a Gold and Silver version and that these will be delivered in stages and include frequent updates.

Otherwise, developers and the SDK aside, the M100 smart glasses will be running Android and feature a built-in color display, integrated head tracker and GPS as well as a camera that will allow for the capture of still images and video. When the M100 smart glasses were originally announced, Vuzix had said that they would feature a WQVGA display with a 16:9 aspect ratio that gave the impression looking at a 4-inch display from 14-inches.

And while we have yet to see any public release date for the M100 smart glasses, Vuzix will have them on display during CES.

Google Play Magazines adds ‘Free for print subscribers’ option

Posted: 04 Jan 2013 11:38 AM PST

Google has recently added a new subscription option for Play Magazines. And nicely done, this is an update that those with print subscriptions should be happy to see arrive. In short, a ‘free for print subscribers’ option is now available in the Magazines section of the Google Play Store.

play-magazine-screencapture

This of course comes with the catch that not all magazines have this option available. This will vary over time but for now includes (but is not limited to) Conde Nast magazines such as Wired and GQ as well as others such as People. If you happen to be a print subscriber to a magazine that also has a digital version, you may want to fire up Google Play and subscribe.

In order to subscribe you will need to pull up the listing for the magazine, click the Subscribe button and then pick the ‘Free for print subscribers’ option (the last of the three available). This should say free for the price. From this point, click Continue and then begin to verify your account. For example, in the case of Wired (Conde Nast) you will need to enter your email address and password.

That all being taken care of, you will now have one additional way of reading new issues. And for those who still prefer the print copies as opposed to digital, you may want to subscribe anyway — because you never know when you may be in a situation where you have your phone (or tablet) and some downtime.

[via Android Police]
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