Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Google Glass hackathon event scheduled for later this month, devs to receive units on site

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:25 PM PST


It’s been awhile since we heard from ‘ol Googs regarding their plans for “Project Glass” but it turns out they haven’t forgotten about the project. Emails have gone out to “Glass Explorers,” developers who paid the exorbitant $1,500 entry fee for a chance to develop on the new hardware before anyone else.

Devs have until Friday, January 18th to pre-register for a 2-day hack-a-thon that will take place on either January 28th and 29th in San Francisco, or February 1st and 2nd in New York. During the first day, developers will be given their very own Glass hardware, learning the ins and outs of developing for the eyewear, with the second day dealing mostly with demos and even special guests.

Sounds like a lot of fun and since Phandroid’s own in-house developer will be attending the event, we’ll be bringing you the latest as it goes down (and most likely an early hands-on if you’re really good). Exciting stuff!

Instapaper update brings slew of new features

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:27 PM PST

Instapaper, the save-for-later app that lets you save web-pages for offline use in an easy-to-read format, has gotten an upgrade in the Google Play Store. You can expect more than your usual abundance of bug fixes and performance enhancements, however, as the “What’s New” list is chock full of goodness.

For starters, new pagination features allow you to scroll a web page by full pages. The Feature is, well, a feature that will recommend some articles for your viewing pleasure. You can now scroll through a page by tilting your device, apply a sepia tone to the background of the page, create in-line footnotes and more.

At $3 per download Instapaper isn’t the most popular Android app there is. It has only received 10k-50k downloads, and most users decide they either don’t need the functionality or would rather get it in free form elsewhere. Still, many will tell you that Instapaper is worth every penny, and if spotty connections and cluttered websites are an issue for you then I find it hard to disagree. Give it a shot in the Google Play Store and see if you can’t fall in love with a new way to read the content you love.

Qualcomm giving away 3 Snapdragon S4 Pro development tablets

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 01:09 PM PST

Our friends at Qualcomm have pinged us to let us know about a great opportunity for developers needing to test Android applications for tablets. The chipset vendor is giving away three of its Snapdragon S4 Pro development tablets which, as you might have guessed, are beasts of machines. They come outfitted with the aforementioned quad-core S4 Pro chipset as well as a 10.1 inch WXGA display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and Android 4.1 out of the box.

Developers can sideload their applications for testing as soon as they turn the device on so there’s no complicated setup to get going with development. Of course, Qualcomm’s chipsets aren’t the only chipsets in the world — you’ll be optimizing your code to run best on it, but you should be able to adapt your application to any device if you can get it up and going on one of these.

All you need to do to enter to win is follow Qualcomm on Twitter at @Qualcomm_Dev and tweet using the hashtag #QualcommDevs or Like QDevNet on Facebook and submit an entry form. You can submit one entry per week until February 1st, so you’ll be able to get your name into the hat a couple of different times before the deadline ends. Good luck everyone, and come back to let us know if you end up winning one!

[via Qualcomm]

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 receiving Android 4.1.2

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:35 PM PST

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 is getting a software refresh in the US. Yes, the wait is over as users are reporting the arrival of Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean for the stylus-ready slate. The update enables such lusted after features as multi-view for running apps in windowed mode, air view functionality allowing stylus interactions when hovering above the screen (no touch required), and more.

The push is going out far and wide it would appear. XDA’s forums contain plenty reports of successful updates to the new Android OS. Any readers out there with a Note 10.1 receive the update yet? Let us know what you think.

[Thanks to all who sent this in! Image via XDA]

Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus leaked

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:05 PM PST

Samsung looks to be bringing us another smallish Android handset for those not willing to jump on the “too big for comfort” wave. The device, which was leaked by SamMobile, is called the Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus, and at 2.8 inches it’s quite small.

The Pocket is said to have an 800MHz Broadcom processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 2 megapixel camera, a 1,200mAh battery and Android 4.0.4 with TouchWiz on top. Other hardware features will include Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, WiFi N, FM radio, USB 2.0, accelerometer support and more.

As a successor to the original Samsung Galaxy Pocket this device isn’t that much better, but the inclusion of Ice Cream Sandwich seems to merit a re-release. Of course, Samsung has shown it’s willing to do this even with one of its flagship devices. The Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus doesn’t add much over the original (in fact, some might argue that the original is better) but it does come with Jelly Bean out of the box.

Don’t expect the version of TouchWiz present on this device to be as fully-featured as it is on the Galaxy S3 — the size and limited hardware means some things will have to be sacrificed. Still, it should be fast and slim enough to keep most people happy while giving Samsung the edge it needs to set the Pocket Plus apart from others in this range.

You can expect the Samsung Galaxy Pocket Plus to launch starting in the first half of this year, but for the time being Latin America is the only region you might be able to find it. nothing’s official yet, though, so until Samsung has a say in any of it then we can’t be too sure about any of it. Have a quick peep above.

Rumors of Sony Xperia Tablet Z with 10.1-inch FHD display surface

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:37 AM PST

With Sony’s refresh of their handset lineup at CES, it’s fair to reason that new tablets could soon be on the way (especially considering Sony’s vision of connected entertainment in the home). While the Xperia Tablet S (pictured) provided the perfect match for last year’s flagship handset, new rumors have surfaced that see the recently announced Xperia Z getting its own tablet counterpart.

What likely will be called the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is said to be a 10.1-inch device featuring a resolution of 1920×1200, providing a Full HD experience befitting of the company known for high-end televisions. The Tablet Z could feature the now standard quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor (the same as found in the Xperia Z and ZL), 2GB RAM, and 32GB of internal storage.

The camera won’t be quite the 13MP shooter found on the Xperia Z handset. Instead the Tablet Z is said to sport an 8MP rear camera and 2MP front-facing camera. Toss in a 6,000mAh battery while keeping the slate to a mere 6.9mm thick and we have the makings of quite the compelling device.

All of this comes with a grain of salt, as reports on the Tablet Z are unverified at this point. Even if this exact set of specs doesn’t pan out, it still provides a good idea of what we might expect from Sony. Mobile World Congress would be a logical venue for the unveiling of such a tablet.

[via UnwiredView]

Demand for Samsung handsets reaches all-time high in early 2013

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:39 AM PST

According to a new report released by ChangeWave, demand for Samsung smartphones has reach an all-time high in the first quarter of 2013. Over the first 90 days of the year, 21 percent of potential smartphone buyers want Samsung device. That’s a growth of 8 percent from the previous quarter.

Of those buyers, the majority (69 percent) plan to purchase a Galaxy S3, though the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 came at 23 percent. Phablets (defined as a phone with a screen size larger than 5 inches) are growing in popularity, with 27 percent overall seeking a device of that class. Demand for phones with screen sizes of 4 to 4.9 inches was highest at 52 percent.

Apple, while still dominating consumer demand, saw a steep drop off from their post-iPhone 5 high. Following the launch of the latest iOS device and leading into the holiday season, 71 percent of smartphone buyers wanted an Apple handset. For Q1 of 2013, the number has dropped to 50 percent.

The trend isn’t new. Demand typically spikes for new device launches (see the Samsung Galaxy S3 as an example) and tapers off in the following quarters. The data clearly shows that the iPhone is keeping plenty of buyers interested, but don’t sleep on Samsung. Already winning the market share war in many regions, upcoming devices like the Galaxy S4 should only serve to push demand higher.

[via TechCrunch]

Gene Effect for Android now available

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:07 AM PST

A very popular space exploration game for iOS by the name of Gene Effect is now available for Android. The game takes place on the planet Kratoss, and the player’s job is to explore the ancient alien mines found on the planet for the purpose of gathering resources and other various objectives. Things aren’t as straightforward as you’d hope, of course, so expect resistance from the planet’s natural habitat.

It’s a side-scrolling action-adventure game that features combat, puzzles, hidden areas to discover, ship upgrades and more. 21 different missions will keep you busy as your expedition takes you to depths of the planet that have yet to be traversed. Different difficulty levels are provided to give anyone a challenge no matter what your skill level is. There are also six trophies to acquire, 25 music tracks to unlock real physics, randomly generated level content for a different playing experience every time and more.

The developers, Lightstorm3D, are asking for $3.50 for the privilege of playing, but it sounds like there will be no shortage of content and fun to be had for such a minuscule price. Give it a shot here in the Google Play Store, and don’t forget to watch the gameplay trailer above for an idea of what to expect ahead of time.

RadioShack, Target to end mobile partnership

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:09 AM PST

Target and RadioShack struck a deal a while back to take on the Blue and Yellow big ticket giant that is Best Buy Mobile, but it looks like that marriage is ending a tad early. The two parties have announced that a new agreement could not be reached, and that Target Mobile would no longer require the services of RadioShack.

RadioShack’s backing gave Target the ability to sell and manage post-paid contract customers at several of the nation’s biggest carriers, giving it the competitive edge it needed to keep up with the likes of Best Buy and Walmart. There were a lot of question marks associated with this deal when it was first inked, and it looks like we have our answer — it just didn’t make sense for either side.

Target, which specializes in clothing, consumer electronics, household wares and food, already headed up a modest pre-paid phone sales model, but the beast that is post-paid sales seems to have been too difficult to tackle.

RadioShack says in order for a deal to be reached it would have to be profitable for both sides, and when it couldn’t find the middle ground the two companies desired they agreed to part ways. RadioShack seems to have been on the lousier end of the deal as the company said it had no part of Target’s lucrative accessories sales business.

RadioShack will remain in Target stores (about 1,500 of them) until April 8th, 2013. Target Mobile employees are said to be able to keep their jobs, however, as Marketsource and Brightstar have inked deals with Target to keep the pre-paid side of Target Mobile afloat. Reports suggest Target Mobile employees will have the choice of either staying with Target or going to work for a RadioShack corporate store, but these reports are unconfirmed as of the time of this writing.

Many raved about Target Mobile’s competitive contract deals opposed to going to the carriers’ corporate stores, but it seems deals alone aren’t enough to drive the business required to make things work. Many felt Target’s approach of stuffing the mobile kiosk into the electronics section of its stores was to blame as this made for low visibility.

Compare this to Best Buy Mobile, which has an entire section for mobile at the front of most of its stores, and even some standalone stores. Of course, since Best Buy is a more specialized consumer electronics store it has the floor space to give its mobile business the visibility that it needs. Big marketing dollars doesn’t hurt, either — you’d probably be lying if you said you didn’t see at least one Best Buy Mobile ad somewhere throughout the holiday season.

You can still head to RadioShack corporate stores and RadioShack.com after this partnership ends if you prefer the way they do business as opposed to corporate carrier stores or Best Buy Mobile, but once August 8th hits you won’t be able to call Target your one-stop shop for everything if you preferred to carry out your cellular phone business in its stores. Read on for full press details.

RadioShack and Target Dissolve Target Mobile Partnership

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — RadioShack Corp. (NYSE: RSH), today announced the end of its relationship with Target, where it helps operate Target Mobile in 1,500 Target stores, effective April 8, 2013.

The RadioShack and Target partnership provided RadioShack access to manage Target’s post-paid mobility business, but RadioShack did not manage the prepaid mobility business or the wider range of accessories offered in Target stores.

Since October 2012, RadioShack had been renegotiating the terms of the relationship with Target to establish an agreement that would be profitable to both companies. At that time, RadioShack executed a termination notice that would allow the company to exit the Target business if an agreement could not be reached.

“In order for RadioShack to have continued this relationship, we needed to establish a new agreement that would be financially appealing to both companies,” said Telvin Jeffries , RadioShack executive vice president, chief human resources officer, and general manager of retail services “Ultimately, we amicably agreed to dissolve the relationship.”

The Pebble Blues: Samsung sheds light on the Galaxy S3 delay that could have been a catastrophe

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 08:27 AM PST

When the Galaxy S3 launched back in May, it seemed all too familiar to previous major Android releases. Production delays with the handset’s Pebble Blue variant seemed destined to cause stock shortages and shipping delays. But, as Samsung reveals in a recent post to their Tomorrow blog, the dedicated work of a team of product engineers and designers allowed the company to pump out a fix in only three days.

Samsung faced a tough decision when the first run of Pebble Blue battery covers came back. They didn’t replicate the initial design to the standards of Samsung, and the design with its reflective quality and hairline engravings was deemed a “core element of the Galaxy S3 design.”

The Korean company could either scrap plans for the alternative color, deliver a product that did not live up to the “promise” represented by pre-release models, or bust their tail to revamp the manufacturing process to produce a better result. Feeling a sense of duty to the customer, Samsung went with the latter option.

And so for nearly 72 hours straight, the design and development teams went to work, starting from scratch to create a method of reproducing the exact finish Samsung was going for without sacrificing productivity. An excess stock of Marble White devices afforded some leeway.

The end result was Samsung’s triumph over the shortcomings of their initial Pebble Blue design. It all amounted to the handset we see today, one that has recently surpassed 40 million in sales and is showing few signs of slowing down.

[via SamsungTomorrow]

Google Now boarding passes live for select airlines

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:59 AM PST

With the most recent update to Google Now, Google announced features that frequent flyers found quite useful. For starters, Google Now would pull information from any itineraries emailed to you by an airline to display you information like flight number, gate number, seat number departure times, weather in your city of arrival and more without you having to tell it to.

Google also promised boarding passes could be served up for select airlines, but the feature wasn’t yet live. Welp, the first crop of airlines have launched the feature with Google and should you have some travel plans soon your boarding pass should be included with the aforementioned wealth of information.

Word of advice, though: you shouldn’t completely bypass paper boarding passes if you happen to be able to use this feature. Despite accepting electronic boarding passes some airlines have difficulty getting you through the gate if you use your phone or tablet. Either they have problems scanning the pass (the hardware/software may differ from gate to gate and airport to airport) or they may require more time to validate the boarding pass.

Use it when you can, but it won’t hurt to have a paper-based backup sitting in your pocket in case things don’t go right. Having said all that, be sure to give it a try during your next trip if your airline of choice happens to be supported (Google’s not telling us which are and aren’t, so it’s a crap shoot until folks start leaving their impessions).

Write for Phandroid: we’re seeking Contributors!

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:30 AM PST

Many of you are familiar with the Phandroid writing team: myself, Chris Chavez, Quentyn Kennemer, Kevin Krause, Edgar Cervantes, and some others that have passed through. Even with a team of full-time writers and editors, keeping up with Android news is a tall order. Pile on the need for phone reviews, tablet reviews, app/game reviews, accessory reviews, tips/tricks, tutorials, editorials, and other types of featured content, and we’ve got quite the task at hand.

We continually strive to provide the best Android-focused coverage on the planet, but perhaps we’re not utilizing our best resource… YOU!

The Android community is filled with passionate, educated enthusiasts with loads of knowledge to share. Not everyone aspires to be a full-time writer, but we know many of you enjoy writing and have great ideas and article concepts that could make Phandroid even better. If you think you’ve got what it takes, we would like to invite you to apply as a Contributing Author on the Phandroid team.

What is a Contributing Author?

The contributor position is unpaid. It provides a great opportunity to be published on a reputable news source. It’s a resume builder, opportunity to “get your name out there”, and allows you to engage in an open dialogue with a vibrant Android-loving community.

What are the expectations of a Contributing Author?

Contributing Authors will be expected to publish a minimum of 1-3 articles each week. They’ll communicate closely with the editorial team via E-Mail and other means, passing back and forth story ideas that could be either time sensitive and open ended. But what we’re REALLY looking for are team members who can provide Phandroid readers another dimension by helping people get the most out of their phone through unique ideas and articles.

How can you apply?

  • Send an E-Mail to jobs[at]phandroid[dot]com
  • Copy and paste “Phandroid Contributing Author” in the subject line… without the quotes
  • Tell us your name, age, location and a little bit about yourself
  • Tell us why you would make a great Contributing Author
  • Tell us how much time each week you hope to dedicate to Phandroid
  • Copy/Paste/Link us (no attachments) to 1-3 related writing samples in the Phandroid style (minus the typos)
  • Give us an idea of what you’ll bring to the table by sharing a few unique article ideas you would enjoy writing
  • Convince us that you're the “go-getter” we're seeking!

TAKE YOUR TIME
We're looking for quality of applicants, not how quickly you can show your interest/urgency. We’re expecting a large number of inquiries and will be unable to respond to every person. If we’re interested, expect to hear back from us within 2 weeks, at which point we’ll narrow down the field of candidates with some follow up questions


Thanks and good luck!

Newly outed G250 shows Huawei hasn’t abandoned budget phones

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:28 AM PST

With all the high-end devices Huawei has revealed lately, it’s easy to forget the company’s core business has long revolved around low-cost handsets geared toward emerging markets. Even with such mammoth devices as the Huawei Ascend Mate and Huawei Ascend D2, we can still expect a share of phones targeted towards lower price tiers. With the newly outed Huawei G250, that doesn’t necessarily mean specs will be sacrificed.

The handset, which is destined for China, will be priced around $225 and carries a 1.2GHz quad-core Mediatek chip, the MT6589 to be exact. The display will measure in at 4.5 inches of unspecified resolution. A 5MP camera will handle the photo capture duties, while other hardware features have not been disclosed.

The phone will launch to decidedly less fanfare than it’s bigger brothers on January 21st around China. There don’t seem to be any plans at the moment, but the G250 could make an excellent candidate to be repackaged with different branding for an American carrier such as T-Mobile.

[via Engadget]

Sea Battle, a Battleship clone, launches exclusively for Samsung devices

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:27 AM PST

“You sank my battleship!” It was this line from Jim Carey (as The Riddler) in Batman Forever that made me fall in love with Battleship as a child. While the actual game wasn’t nearly as cool as the film made it out to seem, it still remains one of those age-old war games that can be played any time, anywhere and with anything. From video games and the plastic board game set, right down to an old sheet of paper, much like Paper Football it’s survived throughout the years because of its simplicity and adaptability.

Welp, one developer is looking to bring back that old feel of playing battleship with nothing but pen and paper in the form of a game for smartphones and tablets. Enterra Inc has announced its Sea Battle: Confrontation will be launching exclusively for Samsung devices in the Samsung Apps store.

The game’s stylish, classy “paper and pen” look is a perfect marriage for Samsung devices with the S Pen, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Note 10.1. They’re quite fine to play with fingers, though, so those without Note devices can have just as much fun. You can play the classic battleship experience here with either AI or a friend via Bluetooth or WiFi, and aside from the steady-paced, monotonous declaration of strategically placed strikes (“A1, F6, G3″) users can use power-ups to call in airstrikes, pull up a radar and even use sea mines.

The game’s “hall of fame” feature will bring achievements for those needing a sense of accomplishment after all the hours of gameplay that are sure to be sucked out of you. Sea Battle: Confrontation is available for most Samsung devices with Android 2.3.3 and higher, including the Samsung Galaxy Camera, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and more. Read on for full press details.

"Sea Battle: Confrontation" for Android

January 9, 2013, Barnaul – Russian IT company Enterra (enterra-inc.com), a software, mobile applications
and games developer, announces about a release of "Sea Battle: Confrontation" game for Android OS on
Samsung devices (according to an exclusive agreement between the two companies).

"Sea Battle: Confrontation" is a mobile version of classic well-known sea battle on the notebook sheet, but
which includes the opportunity of game play via Wi-Fi/Bluetooth network and management with S Pen or
finger.

One of the strengths of our game version is a simulation of the game battleground in the form of notebook
sheet and the ability to play with opponent via Wi-Fi/Bluetooth channels.

Developers about the game design:

"We didn't have other variants of visual design as the last time we played the sea battle was in the
university, and then it was just a piece of squared sheet from a notebook and a ballpoint pen".

Developers about the opportunity of game play via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth:

"We had to work hard that the invitations of opponents to the game and the game itself via network
wouldn't cause any troubles, would be fast, stable and without a single break".

Here is a full list of game features:

search of opponents and the ability to play via Wi-Fi/Bluetooth channels;
game with a virtual opponent in the single-user mode;
game battleground in the form of notebook squared sheet lined for the game;
placement of ships manually on outlined cells or line;
auto-placing of ships;

management of game play with S Pen or finger;
appropriate surroundings and sound;
the Hall of Fame for achievements;
and also additional weapons – radar, airstrike, mine.

"Sea Battle: Confrontation" game is offered for free via Samsung Apps online store (http://
www.samsungapps.com/venus/topApps/topAppsDetail.as?productId=000000529895). The game is
available for Samsung devices based on Android OS 2.3.3 and later.

Enterra is one of the leading Russian software development companies, provides high-end application
development and design and offers highly efficient and thought-out decisions for the needs of the up-to-
date businesses. Enterra representative offices are located in Russia, USA and Europe. Company's website -
www.enterra-inc.com.

Download Game: http://www.samsungapps.com/venus/topApps/topAppsDetail.as?
productId=000000529895

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Battle-Confrontation/471703899548356

AT&T offering $100 credit to Nexus 7 owners when signing up for two-year contract

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:38 AM PST

For those picking up the HSPA+-enabled Nexus 7 from the Google Play Store, AT&T is extending a special offer. Signing up for a two-year contract with the carrier will grant a $100 statement credit, effectively matching the $100 subsidy AT&T offers on tablets sold through their stores when coupled with a data plan.

To take advantage of the offer, one must first purchase the Nexus 7 from Google  and then activate service by calling a provided number or visiting an AT&T store. You still have to pay $299 up front, but after all is said and done you are getting the 32GB slate for $199. You can take advantage of the deal for as low as $10 per month by adding the tablet to a Mobile Share plan.

[via AndroidPolice]
Posted by at 10:16 AM 0 comments

Android Central

Android Central

Instapaper updated with pagination, tilt scrolling, and more

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:37 PM PST

Instapaper

Instapaper for Android has been updated to version 1.2, bringing bug fixes, performance enhancements, and a couple new features. We're not sure which bugs and performance issues were addressed, but we do know which features were added.

Pagination allows you to scroll an entire page versus line by line. If you're used to this type of scrolling, it's quite nice in any app that's built for reading. It's now available in the settings menu for those who want to give it a shot. In addition, you can enable tilt scrolling, which is just what it sounds like -- tilt your device to scroll the page. If you're the type who likes gestures and such, this one is for you.

On the visual side, Instapaper now supports in-line footnotes, and a new sepia mode that should prove easy on your tired eyes, 

Probably the biggest new feature is actually called The Feature -- a section of curated, editor recommended articles. While not for everyone, often times it's nice to have a place where quality content is the norm. 

Grab the update from Google Play, or install Instapaper ($2.99; Android 2.3.3 or higher) from the link above.

Dial directly from your home or lockscreen with Simple Dialer Widget

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:25 PM PST

Simple Dialer Widget

Here's a great time-saving tip and way to show off the power of Android all in one -- use a widget to dial contacts directly from your homescreen. Widgets are one of the most powerful and customizable parts of Android, but most people relegate them to simply displaying weather or offering music playback toggles. With Simple Dialer Widget, you can put that homescreen space to good use by having a fully functioning phone dialer front and center on the phone.

The dialer works just as the proper dialer does, with a full call log and favorites list (although some of us are having issues with favorites) accessible with tabs on the widget. There's a crazy amount of customization available when you make the widget -- from colors to date format and text sizes -- as well as the ability to resize it to your liking. It also works on the lockscreen of devices running Android 4.2, which is a nice plus.

Interested in taking a look? Head to the Google Play Store link at the top of this post to grab a download of Simple Dialer Widget -- it's free and certainly worth a try.

Via: ComputerWorld

AT&T Galaxy Rugby Pro Jelly Bean OTA rolling out now

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:55 PM PST

Android Central

AT&T is pushing out a Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy Rugby Pro (remember that one?) that should be hitting devices starting today. Running Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, this durable mid-range device usually wouldn't be considered for an update to Jelly Bean, so we're glad that Samsung and AT&T haven't forgotten about it. In addition to the regular host of Jelly Bean improvements -- like Google Now and Project Butter -- there are a couple of specific additions here. The update will bring a new camera UI with live filters and a pause/resume video recording option, a new "blocking mode" that lets you block calls, notifications and LED lights for a certain period of time, and new keyboard options with the inclusion of the Swype keyboard.

The update is rolling out OTA (Over The Air) starting today, but can only be downloaded over Wifi. If you're not near a Wifi connection, you can also sideload the update via Samsung Kies software if you're so inclined.

Source: AT&T

U.S. version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 getting its Android 4.1.2 update

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:01 PM PST

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 update

Good news for those of you with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Not only do you have a pretty good tablet with pretty great stylus (excuse us -- "S Pen) interaction, today you're getting an update to Android 4.1.2. Jelly Bean. New features should be in line with what we described in November -- the new "multiwindow" viewing and "air view" controls for the S Pen, "easy clip" for cutting out images, and updated applications to go along with it.

Folks in our forums are all over this one, so hit the link below and get your update on.

More: Android 4.1.2 for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

Of course there's a 'Lance Armstrong Doping' Android app

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:43 AM PST

Lance Armstrong doping app

Because think of all those AdSense dollars that would otherwise be going to waste if someone didn't aggregate this week's already overhyped Lance Armstrong news.

It's in Google Play if that's your thing.

HTC One SV now available from EE in the UK

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:34 AM PST

Android Central

Announced by EE shortly before the holidays, the HTC One SV is now available on the British 4G LTE carrier, with on-contract prices starting at £36 per month. That'll get you unlimited calls and texts, and 500MB of data per month. If you're after a more generous data allowance -- and on LTE, you really should be -- the alternatives include 1GB at £41 per month, 3GB for £46, 5GB for £51 or 8GB for £56.

As the only LTE carrier in the UK, EE's prices are considerably higher than the 3G competition, although the One SV does have the advantage of being free on all the network's price plans, whereas the higher-end One XL demands an up-front fee of between £30 and £150.

We've just reviewed the One SV on Cricket in the U.S., and found it to be an exquisitely-designed little device, albeit one packing mid-range hardware and lacking the latest version of Android. That means you'll have to make do with Ice Cream Sandwich for the foreseeable future if you pick up a One SV.

More info on pricing can be found over at EE's site, linked below. Also be sure to check out our full review for additional details on the phone itself.

More: EE.co.uk

In Darkness: A poor-man's Resident Evil for just $1

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 08:32 AM PST

Android Central

Like horror movies, zombies, puzzle games and first-person shooters? They're all rolled into "In Darkness" on Android. For $1 you're set loose in a dungeon sort of place, with a handgun, a submachine gun and a shotgun. First task: Find your way out of the first room. Only problem is that's when the zombies show up.

The graphics for In Darkness aren't the best in the world. The gameplay is pretty rudimentary, and I'm still not a fan of joystick controls. But for just a buck, In Darkness lets you simultaneously use your brain while relieving zombies of what's left of theirs. And who doesn't love that?

How's the new Google Chrome Beta running for you?

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 08:03 AM PST

Android Central

Right in the middle of CES last week, Google opened up the Chrome beta channel for Android, allowing adventurous phone and tablet owners to get a sneak peek at what's next from the mobile browser. The current beta -- which was actually updated just yesterday -- is based on the latest Google Chrome 25, a full seven versions ahead of the most recent stable release for Android. That means a couple of things -- firstly, many of the performance issues in the earlier Chrome releases have been ironed out -- and secondly, some new bugs have taken their place. That's why it's a beta, after all.

We've found that performance -- and bugginess -- in the new Chrome beta seem to vary from device to device, more so than the stable Chrome builds. In our experience it performs pretty well on the Nexus 4 and Samsung Exynos devices, but we've run into a few hiccups on Tegra 3 devices like the Nexus 7.

So we're interested to hear how you're getting on with the Chrome Beta, if you've taken to using it as your main mobile browser. Head on over to the comments section and let us know about your experiences with the app, and don't forget to tell us which phone or tablet you're using it on. Is it an improvement over the stable channel for you? Or is there still work to be done to bring it up to scratch on yoru device? Hit the comment link above and have your say.

Deal of the Day: Samsung Pocket Pouch for Galaxy S3

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:28 AM PST

Deal of the Day The Jan. 15 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Samsung Pocket Pouch for Samsung Galaxy S3. This soft and flexible pouch is carefully crafted providing protection against drops and scratches while leaving access to the headphone jack, microphone and speakers of your Galaxy S3. Voice commands can also be used while your device is tucked inside the pouch. Color options include navy, brown and chestnut brown.

The Samsung Pocket Pouch is available for just $14.00, over 50% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last!

Deal also available in the Canada store

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HTC One SV review

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:20 AM PST

One SV

As Cricket's latest LTE-enabled phone, the HTC One SV brings quality construction in a outstanding mid-range package

It's tough to review a phone that doesn't stand out from the crowd. On the other hand, when the crowd is made up of great phones from HTC like the Droid DNA, One X+ and One S, it's not really a bad thing. That's what you have here with the HTC One SV -- a great little phone that blends in well with the rest of HTC's current offerings.

Here in the states, the One SV is exclusive to Cricket. While that's good news for Cricket customers, it means that this one probably won't get the exposure that it would if it were on a bigger carrier. It's also a chance for HTC to cut corners on the budget phone they built for the budget carrier. Thankfully, they didn't.

After using it for a bit, I'm left with the impression that the One SV is a better built One S -- and that's no easy feat. You can tell that plenty of time and money went into the design, and rather than skimp on features to make a new mid-range device HTC has built it from the ground up to offer a great package with slightly more inexpensive internals. It's a method that works well. See how well after the break.

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UK retailer taking Sony Xperia Z pre-orders [update: price changed]

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 05:09 AM PST

Android Central

Update: It seems Expansys' original price of £399.99 for the Xperia Z was an error, as the retailer has just changed its pre-order price to £529.99, in line with other European stores. Bad news for anyone in the UK hoping to bag an Xperia Z on the cheap.

Original story: With any new phone announcement comes the inevitable discussion of pricing and availability, which are almost never revealed at the initial press conference. So it is with the Sony Xperia Z, which we first saw us at last week's CES, and has appeared online with prices up to £530 ($850) in the following days.

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LG Korea: No problems with Nexus 4 supply

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:46 AM PST

Android Central

Getting hold of an LG Nexus 4 through Google's official device store hasn't been an easy task. It's been two months since release day, and throughout most of that time the device has been either sold out or on back-order. It's safe to say that the Google Play buying experience has been less than ideal for many.

Before the holidays Google UK boss Dan Cobley blamed "scarce and erratic" Nexus 4 supplies for some of the issues faced by would-be Nexus buyers. However if recent quotes from LG officials in the Korean press are to be believed, the issues don't lie in the manufacturing or supply side. Korean news outlet Chosun Ilbo quotes LG officials as saying the company has "no problems" supplying Nexus 4s through its Pyeongtaek manufacturing plant.

The quoted officials also took the opportunity to dismiss some of the crazier Nexus 4 rumors to have surfaced in recent days, including unsubstantiated reports that LG had scaled back or stopped N4 production in favor of a new, spicier Nexus. These rumors were described as "unfounded."

Whatever's actually going on between LG and Google, the Nexus 4 is available to buy through other sources, including carriers like O2 and Three in the UK and T-Mobile in the States. So any issues are preventing more Play Store stock from arriving don't seem to be affecting wider supplies of the handset. In any case, with more back-ordered Nexus 4s arriving every day, our fingers are firmly crossed for a fresh influx of Play Store stock in the near future.

Source: Chosun Ilbo (Korean); via: The Verge

Nexus 7 docking station seemingly sold out at ASUS UK

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:08 AM PST

Android Central

Last night we reported that the official ASUS-made Nexus 7 docking station had started appearing at the manufacturer's own UK-based online store -- well, for some users, at least. This morning there's good news and bad news.

Firstly, it seems the product page is now working for more people -- we're having no problem accessing it here in the UK. However, the accessory now shows as "sold out," as opposed to shipping with a two-week lead time, as was the case yesterday evening. It appears a few eager Nexus 7 owners may have snapped up ASUS' initial batch of tablet docks in just a few short hours.

So, sad pandas for anyone in the UK hoping to pick up this coveted accessory direct from the manufacturer. However at least there's hope that other retailers may step in with their own supplies in the days ahead, now that these things are out in the wild. We'll keep you posted.

Source: ASUS UK Store

BT debuts SmartTalk Wifi calling app in the UK

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:52 AM PST

Android Central

British fixed-line telco BT has launched a new Android app allowing its landline customers to make calls on-the-go using their landline calling package. The BT SmartTalk app links with your BT.com account and landline number, and allows calls to be made over a Wifi or mobile data connection, with the resulting fee being billed to your BT phone bill.

This allows BT customers to make calls in areas where they have a Wifi connection, but no cellular reception, as well as enabling them to save money by using their BT landline allowance instead of their mobile operator's allocation of minutes. 0800 and 0845 numbers, for instance, are usually much more expensive when dialed from a mobile number.

A few caveats -- outgoing calls will still appear as coming from your mobile number, and there's currently no way to have incoming calls automatically routed through the app. So this is no Google Voice replacement for the UK -- at least not yet.

The setup process is relatively straightforward -- first sign in with your BT account and phone number, then BT calls your land line with a PIN which must be entered into the app. Next, BT confirms your mobile number by sending a text to your phone, which the app automatically intercepts.

BT SmartTalk links wit h your Android contact list, allowing you to select from existing people in a dropdown list. There's also the option to withhoold your mobile number when dialing out, or set the app as the automatic dialing choice for certain numbers, such as Freephone, 0845, 0870 and UK landline numbers.

The app is available through Google Play for UK devices running Android 2.1 and above. Hit the Google Play link above to grab it.

AT&T offering $100 credit for signing 2-year contract with HSPA+ Nexus 7

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 08:02 PM PST

Android Central

But perhaps signing a 24-month deal on a 6-month old device isn't the smartest of moves

A "special offer from AT&T" has just showed up on the Play Store listing for the HSPA+ Nexus 7 that shows a $100 credit offer for signing a service contract with your new tablet purchase. Similarly to the deal offered by T-Mobile on the Nexus 4 early-on, Google seems to be making small carrier partner deals to try and get some people locked into contracts with their devices even from the Play Store. 

This may seem like a great deal up-front -- as is the case in most contract situations -- but when you think about it this really isn't. You're signing up for 2 years of service to save $100 on a device that's already 6 months old, which in the long run means very little considering the cost of data for these plans. Most users will likely want at least 3GB of data, which will run you $30 a month (before taxes/fees.) Taking the true cost of ownership into mind, getting basically 3 months of free service in return for being forced to pay for another 21 months seems a bit less of a great deal -- especially when considering you're still having to pay the full $299 for the tablet.

 

Edited and updated (Jan. 15): To clarify things a little bit, the $100 credit works with any AT&T data plan. There's no minimum requirement, other than you have to sign up for two years' worth, and you can use it with AT&T's MobileShare shared data as well.

Source: Google Play; AT&T
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

ASUS UK puts Nexus 7 dock up for order at £24.99 ... sort of

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 06:51 PM PST

Android Central

The official ASUS Shop website in the U.K. has just put its dock for the Nexus 7 available for purchase for £24.99. Well, sort of. This fits in nicely with previous rumors and pre-order pages we've seen that pegged the release for mid-January, but there's a catch here. Although the product shows up when searching for it directly or browsing through its listing for all Nexus 7 accessories, any link that you use to go to it or view the product description either results in an error or redirect to the home page.

(Hi, everybody! Phil here. The direct link to the dock works fine for me. That's why there's a bit of confusion. But since it works for me, I assume the problem is with the rest of you. Now, back to our story.)

If you're bold and want to go straight from the search listing to putting in your cart for purchase, the Nexus 7 dock will set you back that £24.99 (plus £6.00 shipping.) When moving to check out with the dock though, it lists a delivery delay of two weeks as well. We're not entirely sure what's going on here, but if we had to make a suggestion we'd say wait this one out a day or two and see if things get ironed out over at ASUS Shop.

Source: ASUS Shop UK; Thanks, @SteveEdson!

Chrome Beta for Android updated

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 05:46 PM PST

Chrome Beta

Chrome Beta for Android was updated today, to fix a handful of bugs and undoubtedly introduce a few new ones. Build 25.0.1364.33 is being pushed to Google Play, and everyone should see it in a few hours. The change log shows the following fixes:

  • 164632 - Edit Bookmark is broken
  • 167351 - Youtube video controls are lost after returning from fullscreen
  • 167016 - Some Samsung Galaxy S2 freezes
  • 168062 - Double tapping on non-zoomable sites scrolls the page to the top briefly before returning to original position
  • 167379 - Sometimes tabswitcher is frozen
  • 166998 - Tab content stretched out while returning to it through side swipe gesture
  • 168632 - Crash - Stack Signature: TabAndroidImpl::FromWebContents
  • 168388 - Sync signed in info text's font size is too small
  • 168430 - Bookmark star icon doesn't turn grey/white immediately after bookmarking URL /deleting URL from bookmarks

Minor annoyances all, but the beta track is where things like this get fixed. We're not going to post every time Chrome Beta gets updated, but we want to throw this one out so everyone can try the new Web Speech API when they are able to update to see how (if) it works on mobile. I'm hammering away, and I know plenty of you will be as well -- sound off in the comments once you get the update and know if it works or not.

Didn't get around to installing Chrome Beta? Because it's beta software (as opposed to beta-feeling software) it's not listed or searchable in Google Play. Click the link above to get it.

Via: Google
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