Android Central

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• Bluebox Security Scanner attempts to scare the living shit out of you
• Phone calls via Hangouts makes its triumphant return
• LG Optimus G2 shown off in clearest photos yet
• Yahoo! Mail adds seamless Dropbox attachments
• Kyocera Torque receiving Jelly Bean update starting today
• Take our Social Networking and Communication Survey for a chance to win a $100 Best Buy Gift Card!
• Verizon, AT&T Galaxy S4s also getting software upgrade [Updated]
• Vodafone UK changing pay-as-you-go price structure, will cost you more to talk
• Sprint completes its acquisition of Clearwire
• Google confirms fix for 'master key' vulnerability released to OEMs
• Deal of the Day: Mobi Products S-Line Case for HTC One
• SanDisk releases world's fastest 64GB microSDXC card
• ASUS Fonepad review
• Using the 7-inch ASUS Fonepad: A tale of convenience and looking ridiculous
• Grab a hot deal on a refurbished Nexus 7 via eBay UK
• Google Play edition phones now shipping
• How to get rid of the on-screen menu bar on the HTC One with Android 4.2
• Sony Smartwatch 2 not coming to the UK July 15
• Samsung Galaxy S4 Active now available SIM-free in the UK
• HTC Butterfly being upgraded to Android 4.2 and Sense 5
• ZTE U988S images appear, could be world's first Tegra 4 phone
• William Lynch resigns as Barnes & Noble CEO
• Facebook app gets an update, features from beta brought to build 3.4

Bluebox Security Scanner attempts to scare the living shit out of you Posted: 09 Jul 2013 04:36 PM PDT Somewhere, someone is going to make this a thing. Only, it's not really a thing. So let's just get out in front of it here. Bluebox — the group behind this "Master Key" scare — has an app that will tell you if the exploit is on your phone, or if it's been patched. Cool. But remember: We're really not all worried about this. Here's the long version of why we're not worried about it. It's an exploit that needs to be fixed, and it's being fixed. Google took care of things on the server side, in Google Play. Google is patching things in the code side and working with the manufacturers to get it pushed out. What we don't like to see is all of those scary "Unable to scan app xxxxxx, it may be trying to evade the scanner" lines. As if the apps themselves — apps we've been using for years — are to blame. That's bullshit. And a word of advice, folks: If you're going to try Bluebox's little scanner app here, make sure you download it directly from Google Play, so you know it's safe. It'd be bad if someone used the "Master Key" exploit to circulate a malware-laden version of the scanner app without breaking the signature. Us? We're uninstalling this thing ASAP. Via Android Central Forums

Phone calls via Hangouts makes its triumphant return Posted: 09 Jul 2013 02:38 PM PDT Fear not telecommuters -- phone calls via Hangouts are coming in the next few days If you decided to take the plunge and move to Hangouts in your Gmail account or install the new Chrome extension, you might have noticed that the ability to initiate a phone call was missing. Unlike the Chat feature that came before it, where you could make a voice call to any of your contacts, you only had two options -- a text Hangout or a full-fledged video-conferencing Hangout to another party with a camera. Plenty of us missed that feature. Now its back! Or it will be soon, according to the official Gmail blog. Included with today's news are a couple new features. Calls to the US and Canada are now free from all countries where Hangouts calling is available. And international rates remain "super, super low." Additionally, you can now add multiple voice and video participants to the same Hangout, and Google has a couple fun effects (like a laughing voice) you can use for a bit of added foolery. The change will be rolling out to users in the next couple of days. To check if you have it, or to use it when you do, simply look for the new phone icon in the new Hangout box in your Gmail, or the "Call a phone" entry in the Chrome extension menu. Nobody here at AC has the feature enabled just yet, but we're ready. Source: Official Gmail Blog

LG Optimus G2 shown off in clearest photos yet Posted: 09 Jul 2013 02:28 PM PDT Svelte design, thin bezels and on-screen buttons coming to future LG flagship A set of extremely clear photos has just leaked out of what is reportedly the LG Optimus G2, a successor flagship device to the original Optimus G from last year. The photos, obtained by Engadget, show a large plastic device with extremely small bezels all around the screen which is rumored to be a 5.2-inch 1080P panel. Helping the bezels remain small are on-screen navigation buttons, although it worries us a bit that a software "menu" key seems to be taking place of the traditional multitasking key. On the inside we're looking at the (previously confirmed) Snapdragon 800 processor at 2.3GHz, with 2GB of RAM alongside it. Around back we're looking at a 13MP camera sensor, along with an interesting volume button configuration underneath the camera pod on the back of the device. Stick around after the break for a couple more views of the front and back of the device, with a full picture gallery at the source link below. read more

Yahoo! Mail adds seamless Dropbox attachments Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:59 AM PDT New attachment functionality rivals Google's Gmail and Drive integration Dropbox and Yahoo! announced today that the companies will be integrating to offer seamless file attachments in the Yahoo! Mail Android app. Unveiled at its "DBX" developers conference, Dropbox and Yahoo! have now teamed up to challenge the added functionality Google offers with Gmail and Google Drive. Users that authenticate with their Dropbox account from within the Yahoo! Mail app will now be able to select either local or Dropbox files from the "attach" menu, and simply send out files that are stored in the cloud. This pretty much directly mirrors what Google currently offers for sending large file attachments with Google Drive, with the added bonus that Dropbox is still the de facto cloud storage solution for so many people. The update is set to be live in the Play Store today from the link above, but doesn't seem to be available just quite yet. Source: Yahoo!

Kyocera Torque receiving Jelly Bean update starting today Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:20 AM PDT The rugged device makes a necessary move up to a modern version of Android Sprint's latest rugged device offering, the Kyocera Torque, is making the jump from Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean today via an OTA update that is rolling out now. The update, which Sprint says will roll out to users "during the next few weeks", includes all of the expected Jelly Bean improvements such as Google Now, Project Butter and expandable notifications. We were relatively happy with the performance of the Torque when on ICS, so we expect things can only get better with the upgrade to Jelly Bean. It's nice to see a relatively timely update to Jelly Bean for a device that launched with ICS far beyond the window of acceptance for that software. As we have seen in recent Platform Version numbers, more and more devices are making that move up to Jelly Bean every month. Source: Sprint

Take our Social Networking and Communication Survey for a chance to win a $100 Best Buy Gift Card! Posted: 09 Jul 2013 10:30 AM PDT We're fans of numbers and quantifiable data here at Mobile Nations, and so following after the third week of Talk Mobile 2013, we're turning to our good friend the survey to help compile some data. Week three was focused on mobile social networking and communication. If you missed any of the content, be sure to click over to our Talk Mobile hub and check it out. The mobile social networking and communication survey will only take a minute or two to complete, and as an extra incentive (not that you guys and gals need it, but we like to give things away), by completing the survey you'll be entered for a chance to win a $100 Best Buy Gift Card. Hit the link below to take the survey! Click here to take the Talk Mobile State of Mobile Social Networking and Communication Survey!

Verizon, AT&T Galaxy S4s also getting software upgrade [Updated] Posted: 09 Jul 2013 10:02 AM PDT New firmware includes apps-to-SD, Samsung Knox Update: Looks like AT&T is pushing out a similar GS4 update over-the-air. Original story: Following the international and Sprint versions of the phone, Verizon's Galaxy S4 is today receiving a software update with a couple of significant new features. While a full changelog isn't yet available, the new "VRUAME7" firmware update seems to include apps-to-SD card support as well as Samsung's Knox security software for BYOD — both features found in the recent Sprint GS4 update. In addition, the same firmware update for the international GS4 brought improved performance, so that's something else to watch out for. Knox in particular might be of concern to rooted users wanting to maintain superuser access to their devices, so if you're rooted you might want to hold off applying this update for the moment. Right now it seems the new firmware is only going out through Samsung's Kies desktop app, rather than over-the-air, as a hefty 1.8GB download. Source: Android Central forums

Vodafone UK changing pay-as-you-go price structure, will cost you more to talk Posted: 09 Jul 2013 08:17 AM PDT UK carrier to start charging per minute rather than per second for voice calls on PAYG UK carrier Vodafone is set to change how they charge pay-as-you-go customers. Instead of charging per second as they currently do, they're going to charge per minute. So, even one second over a full minute will cost you for an entire minute extra, of which 59 seconds of it you're not even on the phone.  Vodafone claims the move is to simplify their charges for their customers, but it has been met with understandable criticism from some of their customers. Rival carriers Orange and T-Mobile already employ such pricing. Simpler or not, from August 1 the new prices will come into effect. Any Vodafone customers out there set to be affected by this? How do you feel about the new structure?  via BBC News

Sprint completes its acquisition of Clearwire Posted: 09 Jul 2013 08:11 AM PDT Third-place carrier gobbles up Clearwire for $5 per share Sprint has completed its acquisition of Clearwire, the U.S. carrier has announced. Sprint, which already held a majority stake in Clearwire, and is itself to be acquired by Japan's SoftBank, said in a press release today that it had purchased the company for $5 per share. As such, SoftBank will walk away with both Sprint and 100 percent of Clearwire when that transaction closes, something which is expected to occur tomorrow. Today's news follows an aborted attempt by Dish Network to buy both Sprint and Clearwire — Dish abandoned its acquisition plans in mid-June. Sprint will be looking to take advantage of Clearwire's spectrum holdings to further expand its LTE network. Source: Sprint

Google confirms fix for 'master key' vulnerability released to OEMs Posted: 09 Jul 2013 07:13 AM PDT No evidence that exploit has actually been used, Google spokeswoman tells ZDNet Last week it emerged that a security vulnerability affecting all current versions of Android could allow applications to be maliciously altered without affecting their cryptographic signatures. You might've heard it referred to as the Android "master key" vulnerability. At the time it was reported that Samsung's Galaxy S4 had already been patched to address the issue, and now we have further information from Google on the company's response to the incident. According to ZDNet, Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said that the company had already released a fix for the bug to OEMs, and that some manufacturers like Samsung were already shipping the fix in devices. Scigliano reiterated that Google had found no evidence that the vulnerability had actually been exploited in malware on Google Play or other app stores. As AC's Jerry Hildenbrand mentioned in his write-up of the issue last week, the bug, while potentially serious, is easy to avoid by sticking to official app stores and avoiding pirated apps. More: Making sense of the latest Android 'master key' security scare Source: ZDNet

Deal of the Day: Mobi Products S-Line Case for HTC One Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:58 AM PDT The July 9 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Mobi Products S-Line Case for HTC One. The S-Line Case is a slim, form-fitting TPU case that wraps around your HTC One to protect against drops and scratches while providing a better grip on your device. It sports a unique "S" design on the back, giving your HTC One a personalized look. Available in black, blue, red, purple, pink, clear, smoke and white. The Mobi Products S-Line Case is available for just $5.00, 67% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

SanDisk releases world's fastest 64GB microSDXC card Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:39 AM PDT SanDisk's new high-speed, high-capacity microSD cards were designed with the smart phone user in mind SanDisk has a new product in their popular line of microSD cards, the SanDisk Extreme microSDHC and microSDXC UHS-I cards. Designed for users who need fast storage for their smart phone, tablet or camera, the new microSD cards offer read and write speeds that are perfect for taking multi-shot high resolution pictures, as well as full HD high framerate video. In SanDisk's testing, the 64GB model reached read speeds of 80MB/second, and write speeds of 50MB/second. Speeds like this allow you to do things like take more shots in a row using your camera's burst mode, or take beautiful high-quality HD video. Of course, file transfer speeds are also greatly increased, letting you copy those images and videos, or music or ROMs from your computer even faster.  Ultra-fast, high capacity ​microSD cards are a perfect match for Android phones that support removable storage. Stuart Robinson, director of handset component technologies service at Strategy Analytics puts it succinctly: Most high-end smartphones are now driven by high-speed quad-core processors, which deliver Full HD content and applications to large, high-resolution external displays. Such applications require high memory bandwidth which is ideal for the SanDisk Extreme microSDXC card, the world's fastest microSDXC memory solution. We know you all like big, fast SD cards, and this one looks like a winner. To be sure, we had SanDisk send us the 64GB SDXC model and I'm going to see if it lives up to the hype. We'll run it through the benchmarks, but also try it in real-world situations like in an Android phone, a computer, and a DSLR. Look for the results soon! In the meantime, the full press release is after the break. Read through it, and discuss. read more

ASUS Fonepad review Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT Take a 7-inch ASUS Android tablet, add an earpiece and a dialer, and what comes out is the Fonepad.  The ASUS Fonepad — mainly tablet, but also part phone. And ASUS is definitely marketing this as something you would use to make phone calls — just check out their official marketing videos for proof. But it's also a 7-inch Android tablet, with Intel internals and a competitive price point. It's a device with a pretty specific use case, but for the kind of person who might put the Fonepad to good use, it could be invaluable. But is it any good as a phone, or a tablet, or either? Let's take a look.  read more

Using the 7-inch ASUS Fonepad: A tale of convenience and looking ridiculous Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT I used the ASUS Fonepad with my main SIM card — the one people call me on. So how did it go? For the past few weeks I've had in my possession an ASUS Fonepad. A 7-inch Jelly Bean tablet with Intel internals and, oh yes, an earpiece. For this is more than just a tablet — it has full phone capabilities. ASUS is even marketing the Fonepad as a phone, too. The manufacturer's first promotional videos clearly showed what they envisaged users doing with this device — holding it up to their head. So I put my main SIM card into it — the one my family calls me on — and tried it out. Is it really so ridiculous to use a 7-inch "phone" in this way? Read on to find out. read more

Grab a hot deal on a refurbished Nexus 7 via eBay UK Posted: 09 Jul 2013 05:56 AM PDT Deal of the day features 16GB Nexus 7 from Tesco for £119 while stocks last It may be a year old, but pound-for-pound the Nexus 7 is still arguably the best Android tablet money can buy. If you've still to pick one up, or you just want another one, and you're in the UK, then head on over to eBay for a great deal on a refurbished unit. Being sold by Tesco Outlet, a 16GB Nexus 7 can be yours for just £119, £40 below the usual retail price. Better yet, despite being a refurb, it still comes with a 12-month warranty from Tesco. They won't stick around for long at this price, so if you want one, hit up the source link below.  Source: eBay UK

Google Play edition phones now shipping Posted: 09 Jul 2013 04:18 AM PDT A quick heads up that, as promised, the Google Play edition Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One have begun shipping directly from Google.  In case you've been living under a rock the past couple weeks, these are the (mostly) "stock Android" versions of the phones. Same hardware, with the software as God and Google (HOLOYOLO) intended, for better or for worse. They're SIM-unlocked, with full LTE support here in the U.S., and with just a superficial control over the bootloader, so they're developer-friendly. Be sure to check out our full review if you haven't already. More: Order from Google Play read more

How to get rid of the on-screen menu bar on the HTC One with Android 4.2 Posted: 09 Jul 2013 03:44 AM PDT On the newest firmware, a simple setting change will banish one of this phone's major annoyances The HTC One's unsightly on-screen menu bar was never the most elegant way to handle apps that still use Android's legacy "menu" key. We said as much in our review of the phone back in March. Thankfully with the new Android 4.2 update that's now rolling out in some countries, it's now possible to get rid of it entirely, and use a long-press of the home key to access menu functionality instead. read more

Sony Smartwatch 2 not coming to the UK July 15 Posted: 09 Jul 2013 03:32 AM PDT Clove has updated information suggesting watch won't be available until September Announced on June 25 along with the Xperia Z Ultra, the new Sony Smartwatch 2 features NFC pairing support, as well as the ability to remote-control certain apps on supporting Android smartphones. UK retailer Clove had originally stated they would be selling the Smartwatch 2 from July 15, and has been accepting pre-orders based on this information. Now though, an updated release schedule suggests that it will not be available until September 9.  read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 Active now available SIM-free in the UK Posted: 09 Jul 2013 02:01 AM PDT Water-resistant, rugged S4 priced at £494.98 U.S. carrier AT&T was first to get hold of Samsung's ruggedized, waterproof Galaxy S4 Active late last month, but now the device is starting to appear in international markets. Independent retailer Unlocked-Mobiles which is stocking the Active in the U.K. today, priced at £494.98 — a little less than the average asking price for the regular GS4. Our own Phil Nickinson reviewed the U.S. Galaxy S4 Active yesterday, calling it "a fun, robust Android smartphone that is a serious contender for anyone looking for a high-end phone on AT&T." For more on the Active, be sure to check out the full review. Source: Unlocked-Mobiles

HTC Butterfly being upgraded to Android 4.2 and Sense 5 Posted: 09 Jul 2013 01:51 AM PDT Taiwanese devices have an update to the latest software waiting Big news for HTC Butterfly owners this morning, as Engadget sends word that the Taiwanese version of the device is receiving an update to Android 4.2.2 and HTC Sense 5. That brings the Butterfly in line with the HTC One, which shipped with Sense 5 and started to see its own Android 4.2 update in recent days. It's a significant update for the Butterfly, which has been on the older Sense 4+ since it launched late last year. While Engadget reports that not all of the HTC One's user experience has made it across, the core software — including the BlinkFeed home screen reader — is in place. Butterfly owners in Taiwan can expect an small, initial update to prep the phone, followed by a larger OTA containing the new firmware. No word yet on when the latest update will be hitting the U.S. version of the Butterfly, Verizon's Droid DNA — fingers crossed for a speedy turnaround on that one. Source: Engadget

ZTE U988S images appear, could be world's first Tegra 4 phone Posted: 08 Jul 2013 10:45 PM PDT Familiar ZTE styling with the latest internals from NVIDIA make good on previous promise If rumors and leaked images (shown above) are to be believed, ZTE is set to launch the U988S as the world's first Tegra 4-powered handset. While ZTE and NVIDIA announced a partnership to make the Chinese manufacturer the first to bring Tegra 4 phones to market this year, it was unclear up until this point what the phone would look like or what its final specs would be. We've got our hands on a bit more info now, with both leaked images and purported specs. The outside is clad in a solid plastic shell somewhat reminiscent of other 2013 ZTE devices, with capacitive buttons on the front and coming in at about 9mm thick. On the inside, we are expecting a 1.8GHz Tegra 4 processor accompanied by 2GB of RAM, a 1080P display, 13MP camera and SDcard support. Rumor has it that the device is running Android 4.2, which we would expect for a phone launching in mid-2013. We don't yet have any specifics on the final naming or availability of the device, but we don't have high hopes for it to hit U.S. shores any time soon, if ever. Source: PhoneArena

William Lynch resigns as Barnes & Noble CEO Posted: 08 Jul 2013 06:48 PM PDT General failure of Android-powered Nook tablet line accelerated executive's exit Following a slow and steady drumbeat of bad news associated with its Nook hardware division, William Lynch has resigned as CEO of Barnes & Noble, effective immediately. Lynch had been CEO of Barnes & Noble since March 2010, continuing a career of employment at various companies in the technology space prior to being chief executive of B&N. In the three years since taking the helm, B&N has seen the slight rise and sharp fall of its Nook hardware division, which failed to make much of a splash in the tablet market for a variety of reasons. As the company sees continual drops in sales from many parts of its business, B&N has indicated for some time now that it is done making its own hardware and would prefer another company buy out that division completely. The prices on remaining stock of its latest Nook HD and HD+ tablets continue to drop, and aside from the last-ditch addition of the Google Play Store on the tablets there is no indication of any further software development either. read more

Facebook app gets an update, features from beta brought to build 3.4 Posted: 08 Jul 2013 05:37 PM PDT If you decided to not join the beta track for Facebook's Android app, you have an update ready and waiting Folks using the release build of Facebook for Android have an update this evening, bringing all the features from the last beta to the current stable version (that'd be 3.4). The biggest forward-facing feature is for users of Facebook Home, and that would be folders. Just like you're able to do with most other home applications, dragging one app on top of another app will create a folder containing both applications. Unfortunately, Facebook Home is still only available for a few select phones: the Samsung Galaxy S3, the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the HTC One X and the HTC One X+. In addition to the new home screen features, here is the rest of the changes: Share News Feed stories in a private message Swipe left and right to open chat and bookmarks Based on feedback, you can now store the app on your phone's SD card (Android 2.3.7 and lower) Fix for a bug with data transfer on app start Now if only they would bother to fix the dreaded black bar. Grab your update from the Google Play link above.

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Google Android News Android Forums

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• Amazon to revamp Kindle Fire line with higher resolution displays and new design
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series of tablets now available nationwide
• Sony Smartwatch 2 UK availability pushed back until September
• T-Mobile could announce ‘Anytime Upgrades’ plan tomorrow
• Google releases patch to fix Bluebox security threat, users await OEMs and carriers for updates
• HTC Butterfly gets Android 4.2.2, Sense 5
• Latest Motorola X leak shows a dual-SIM variant is likely on the way
• Rumor: Motorola set to launch European variant of the X Smartphone in Q4, will give it Nexus-esque pricing in the process
• Latest Android distribution shows Jelly Bean up to 37.9%, Ice Cream Sandwich slides to 23%
• Moto X to incorporate clear pixel technology in camera hardware

Amazon to revamp Kindle Fire line with higher resolution displays and new design Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:35 AM PDT After the tablet craze started, Amazon jumped and and built a solid tablet lineup with the Kindle Fire, which is still one of the most dominant Android tablets in the market today, and according to BGR Amazon is going to make some major improvements to their tablets by the end of the year to stay competitive. There will be three new tablets to replace current models on the market, which includes the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, and Kindle Fire HD 8.9″. The biggest improvements will be the screen resolutions. The Kindle Fire is getting bumped up from a 1,024 x 600 screen to a 1,280 x 800 screen, the Kindle Fire HD is getting a new 1,920 x 1200 panel, and the 8.9″ version of the Kindle Fire is jumping from a 1,920 x 1200 resolution to a whopping 2,560 x 1,600, like what we’ve seen in the Nexus 10 tablets. The key difference here, though, is the Kindle Fire has a smaller screen than the Nexus 10, which makes it all the more impressive. In addition to the significantly better screens, the tablets are said to be receiving a design overhaul, including less rounded corners and a more angled aesthetic. The power and volume buttons are also supposedly moving to the back slope of the device as opposed to the sides of the tab. It’s definitely going to be a bold change for Amazon’s successful lineup, but hopefully the changes will be well received. Of course, Amazon didn’t sell tons of these tablets based on flagship specs. The biggest draw of the Kindle Fire tablets is the extremely affordable price tags, with the base Kindle Fire running $159 and the HD 8.9″ costing $269, or $399 with LTE. Amazon is supposedly working hard to keep the new tablets in those same price points to stay competitive, and I could definitely see some other specs (internal storage space, anyone?) getting axed to keep prices low. I’m sure it won’t be too much longer before we hear more details about these new devices, though. source: BGR Come comment on this article: Amazon to revamp Kindle Fire line with higher resolution displays and new design Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series of tablets now available nationwide Posted: 09 Jul 2013 10:39 AM PDT   In case you’ve forgotten— the latest additions to the Samsung Galaxy Tab family are officially here with the arrival of the full Galaxy Tab 3 series of tablets. While each tablet model bears an uncanny resemblance to the Galaxy S 4 per se, the new tablets come in 7-inch, 8-inch and 10.1-inch varieties— allowing for topnotch flexibility for a wide range of customers by including items such as a built-in IR blaster and expandable memory up to 64GB for each model. Oh and Sammy went ahead and tossed in some nice goodies for added measure: “In addition, each of the devices in the Galaxy Tab 3 family comes with added value through pre-loaded content and Galaxy Perks available at www.samsung.com/us/galaxyperks. Specifically, hundreds of dollars' worth of content, including a $10 voucher for the purchase of apps, books, movies and music in Google Play; one year of free access to the Boingo Wi-Fi network in North America, including more than 35,000 hotspots in the United States, Canada and Mexico; three months free Hulu Plus service; and two years free Dropbox Service with 50GB storage space.” Don’t think all of the cool content will cost you a pretty penny either. Samsung is offering some pretty competitive pricing too as the tablets are priced at $199, $299 and $399, respectively, so the Korean giant is placing a bet that all that nice content and freebies will be enough to woo in customers by the masses. More deets can be found once you hit the break and check out the full press release.   RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–  Now in stores, consumers can get their hands on the newly announced Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio from Samsung Electronics America, Inc., allowing shoppers to choose from three unique devices to find the tablet best suited for their personal lifestyle needs. Whether reading an e-book, engaging on social networks, or allowing the kids to play games, the Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio has something for everyone.   Research* shows that tablets are quickly becoming a central mobile device for consumers, as captured in a new infographic from Samsung. Parents, college students and $75K+ households are driving tablet usage, but the way individuals use tablets varies widely. Variety and personalized experiences for staying connected are in high demand and Samsung's new offerings deliver.   The 7-inch, 8-inch and 10.1-inch Galaxy tablets offer a range of screen sizes and a suite of experiences built for a broader set of individual and family preferences, making this lineup of tablets ideal for both home and on-the-go uses.  In addition, each of the devices in the Galaxy Tab 3 family comes with added value through pre-loaded content and Galaxy Perks available at www.samsung.com/us/galaxyperks. Specifically, hundreds of dollars' worth of content, including a $10 voucher for the purchase of apps, books, movies and music in Google Play; one year of free access to the Boingo Wi-Fi network in North America, including more than 35,000 hotspots in the United States, Canada and Mexico; three months free Hulu Plus service; and two years free Dropbox Service with 50GB storage space.  Familiar Galaxy Experience The Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio blends the familiar Galaxy family feel in sleek and slim designs with compelling content and services that consumers will want to use in their everyday lives. The Galaxy Tab 3 devices also give consumers a seamless transition of content and services between various Galaxy products. Similar to the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy smartphones, a physical home and capacitive buttons are included. Home Entertainment Hub Each Galaxy Tab 3 device's built-in IR blaster turns the tablets into a universal remote and can activate Samsung's innovative WatchONTM service. This service recommends TV shows and on-demand content, enabling the tablets to function as the hub of the living room and king of second screen consumption. Packed with Content  This newest portfolio allows consumers to discover, access and share new content, including more than 750,000 apps from Google Play and Samsung Apps, which makes the user interface even simpler. The Galaxy Tab 3 makes it convenient to stay connected while on-the-go, balancing any number of tasks such as emailing, managing your schedule, social networking, online shopping, reading, playing games and streaming content.   Children can study, research and enjoy a multitude of content from Google Play and Samsung Apps that can enhance their academic and learning experience from anywhere.   Parents can work even more efficiently with Samsung's Multi-Window functionality, allowing them to balance several tasks at once with ease. Following the popularity of the feature on Note devices,Multi-Window comes to the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, offering true PC-like multi-tasking letting consumers use two apps side-by-side. The Multi-Window functionality is available with 20 apps, including Polaris Office, Google Chrome and Facebook.  Share experiences with your friends through the Group Play feature, which makes it easier to connect. You can connect up to eight compatible devices allowing users to play games and share music, photos, and documents — no Wi-Fi necessary.  The latest Galaxy Tab family is also SAFE™ (Samsung for Enterprise), allowing users to work and play with confidence that their photos, emails and contacts are protected. The portfolio also includes expandable memory up to 64GB through a microSD card.  This newest family comes in two color options – White and a unique Gold Brown. The Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, 8.0 and 10.1 are available for purchase from nationwide major retailers such as Best Buy/Best Buy Mobile, Amazon, Wal-Mart, h.h. Gregg, Office Depot, Toys 'R' Us, P.C. Richard & Son, Fry's, Newegg, Sears and Samsung.com. The Galaxy Tab 3 portfolio will be priced at $199, $299 and $399, respectively. For multimedia content and more information, please visit www.samsung.com.  *Forrester Research, North American Technographics Consumer Technology Survey (Q2 2013)  Some Galaxy Tab 3 functions require Internet and may incur a fee. About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.  Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), is a recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology. A wholly owned subsidiary ofSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SEA delivers a broad range of digital consumer electronics, IT and home appliance products. Samsung is the market leader for HDTVs in the U.S. and America's fastest growing home appliance brand. To discover more of the award-winning products you love with Samsung, please visit www.samsung.com. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 236,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130709005982/en/ MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50666772&lang=en Contact: MWW Group for Samsung Carrie Gaffney, 646-381-9011 CGaffney@mww.com Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 series of tablets now available nationwide Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Sony Smartwatch 2 UK availability pushed back until September Posted: 09 Jul 2013 09:49 AM PDT Originally, Clove in the UK listed Sony’s brand new smartwatch with a July 15th availability despite Sony saying the smartwatch would be available later in the year. Now Clove has moved that July 15th date back a few weeks to September 9th, claiming the original information they received from Sony was incorrect. It’s kind of a “he said, she said” situation, but at least that gives everyone a little more time to preorder the device. And anyone on the fence about preordering one will definitely have a better look at the smartwatch at IFA, which is that same week that the device is slated to go on sale. source: Android Central Come comment on this article: Sony Smartwatch 2 UK availability pushed back until September Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

T-Mobile could announce ‘Anytime Upgrades’ plan tomorrow Posted: 09 Jul 2013 08:24 AM PDT T-Mobile has a little event tomorrow which is widely believed to be phase 2 of the UNCarrier plan as well as the Sony Xperia Z and Nokia Lumia 925.  What is phase 2 of the UNCarrier plan going to entail? Well TMONews uncovered a survey that T-Mobile conducted with some of their customers back in February and the goal was to find out if they would be interested in the ability to upgrade more often. This is actually something CNet also hinted at back in March. The plan would allow customers the ability to upgrade anytime with a possible limit of twice per year. It would also require a membership fee. If T-Mobile does in fact unveil something like this, it will sure give them yet another edge over Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Unfortunately their overall coverage is still lacking. It will be interesting to see what the fee will be and if this will end up more of a money maker for T-Mobile rather than an advantage for the consumer. How many people will actually sign up for it, but “forget” to upgrade. I know our readers won’t “forget”, but imagine T-Mobile sales associates pushing this plan on mainstream consumers. I can see a lot of people signing up, but never bothering with the upgrades. source: TMONews Come comment on this article: T-Mobile could announce ‘Anytime Upgrades’ plan tomorrow Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Google releases patch to fix Bluebox security threat, users await OEMs and carriers for updates Posted: 09 Jul 2013 07:41 AM PDT Last week we told you about a new security threat that was uncovered by Bluebox. It was actually uncovered several months ago and Google was informed about it in February. At the time of the posting, Google didn’t make a comment, but it appears Google did indeed patch the hole back in March. Gina Scigliano, Google’s Android Communications Manager, did “confirm that a patch has been provided to our partners – some OEMs, like Samsung, are already shipping the fix to the Android devices.” There is only one problem. The patch is in the hands of the OEMs and it’s up to them to update devices. Anyone want to take a guess as to how long it will take for all Android devices to receive the update? Have no fear because there hasn’t been one case of the exploit taking place. Google regularly scans the Play Store for such things and nothing has popped up. source: ZDNet Come comment on this article: Google releases patch to fix Bluebox security threat, users await OEMs and carriers for updates Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

HTC Butterfly gets Android 4.2.2, Sense 5 Posted: 09 Jul 2013 07:21 AM PDT Those who wanted to take the risk and flash the latest Sense 5 to their HTC Butterfly have had that option for a while, but now HTC is finally officially providing their older phones the latest operating system. The Taiwanese HTC Droid, also known as the HTC Butterfly, can now download Sense 5 and Android 4.2.2. It’s delivered in two packages – one for prep and then one for the actual upgrade. Earlier, HTC said that some of their features on Sense 5 would be exclusive to the HTC One, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for Blinkfeed, as it’s part of the Butterfly update. The update obviously isn’t yet available for the DNA, but the way things are going, don’t be surprised if it is soon. Source: Engadget   Come comment on this article: HTC Butterfly gets Android 4.2.2, Sense 5 Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Latest Motorola X leak shows a dual-SIM variant is likely on the way Posted: 09 Jul 2013 07:09 AM PDT   Boy oh boy— if we didn’t know any better, we’d think that Google is purposely trying to tease the public since we keep seeing all these different leaks of its upcoming X smartphone. As you can see in the photo above, the back and front plates of the X smartphone seems to indicate that there will be a dual-SIM set up, thanks to the SIM 1 and SIM 2 identifiers located at the top and bottom sections of the plates. In addition, it appears there are some cosmetic or physical differences with the dual-SIM model as well. A second leaked photo shows 3 different colors of the single-SIM X’s body, while highlighting the placement of the speaker on those three cases is on the opposite side of  than where the speaker is located on the dual SIM model. At this rate, Google might as well just go ahead and show us the final product already. Sheesh. source: NWE via: Android Community Come comment on this article: Latest Motorola X leak shows a dual-SIM variant is likely on the way Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Rumor: Motorola set to launch European variant of the X Smartphone in Q4, will give it Nexus-esque pricing in the process Posted: 09 Jul 2013 06:11 AM PDT   So you think Google’s Nexus line of smartphones are impressive in setting the bar for quality phones at affordable prices eh? Well you’re about to even more impressed at this tidbit of news from ADSL Zone: Google’s Motorola unit is rumored to bring a variation of its imminent X smartphone that will arrive in Europe for an astounding 250 Euros (roughly $250 here in the States). Moreover, Europe’s version of the X smartphone will have a different name than the U.S. version and will be completely subsidized— meaning European customers will be able to take advantage of the low price point without having to be locked under contract for a period of time. Of course this is all hearsay for now and there’s no word on when exactly the new version will arrive (all indications are pointing to a “Q4 release”), but if this is true— then Google is certainly positioning itself to take over the smartphone world… one country at a time. source: ADSL Zone via: Phone Arena Come comment on this article: Rumor: Motorola set to launch European variant of the X Smartphone in Q4, will give it Nexus-esque pricing in the process Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Latest Android distribution shows Jelly Bean up to 37.9%, Ice Cream Sandwich slides to 23% Posted: 08 Jul 2013 11:31 PM PDT It’s that time of the month when we get to see how well different versions of Android are doing, and the numbers look pretty good for Jelly Bean. Last month, Jelly Bean devices accounted for 33% of Android devices, which has improved about 5% to 38%. Ice Cream Sandwich devices slipped a bit over 2% to account for 23.3%, and Gingerbread devices are holding strong at 34.1%, although it’s worth mentioning that Gingerbread devices on API level 9 have disappeared completely. Overall, Google holding out on Android 4.3 is definitely helping Android manufactures slowly catch up their devices to current software, which I’m sure has been the intended effect. Hopefully we’ll see this trend continue next month, too. source: Android Developers Come comment on this article: Latest Android distribution shows Jelly Bean up to 37.9%, Ice Cream Sandwich slides to 23% Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

Moto X to incorporate clear pixel technology in camera hardware Posted: 08 Jul 2013 08:22 PM PDT According to Taylor Wimberly of Android and Me, the new Moto X Phone is going to come with some new technology to raise the stakes in terms of camera performance for a smartphone. The clear pixel technology the device is said to use is based on some technology patented by Kodak back in 2005. Although it has been around a few years, this appears to be the first known use in a smartphone. “Clear pixel” refers to a new method for sensing light by a camera. The traditional way for a camera to detect light is by using red, green and blue pixels in the sensor, with each pixel only capable of detecting light in its specific color range. Thus, only one-third of the light is detected for any given pixel. The clear pixel is a sensor that is capable of detecting light on all wavelengths. This makes it much better at detecting light, especially in low light conditions. This technology can be contrasted with the HTC One‘s UltraPixel technology that is also engineered to be more sensitive to light. However, where the UltraPixel is ultimately a 4MP camera, the Moto X clear pixel camera maintains an image resolution of 10MP. source: +Taylor Wimberly via: AusDroid Come comment on this article: Moto X to incorporate clear pixel technology in camera hardware Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

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