Saturday, March 31, 2012

HTC One X and One V shipping April 2nd in China

The extremely impressive HTC One series smartphones are about to make their assault on the mobile markets. With the US, UK, China and more all expecting them to be available in April just like HTC announced back at Mobile World Congress during the unveiling of the One X. Today we’ve learned the One X quad-core phone and the mid-range One V will start shipping on April 2nd to those in China.Reports from the China Times states that the HTC One X will actually ship before that and should be delivered on April 2nd for those that pre-ordered it early. We previously reported that operators like Three UK will start selling the quad-core superphone on April 4th but it appears China might beat them by a few days. We are still waiting for some official announcements for the dual-core powered AT&T version, and some reports suggest the One X will also land on T-Mobile with the quad-core Tegra 3 on board. The One X has already cleared the FCC in both dual and quad-core configurations so hopefully carriers start making announcements soon because it’s one awesome device. Check out our hands-on video from the links below. If you want a quad-core smartphone with the latest and greatest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and also an impressive 4.7″ display this will probably be the phone to get for a while. Stay tuned for more details as AT&T should be speaking up any day now.

Samsung ships five million Galaxy Notes in just five months

Five is an important number for Samsung's Galaxy Note. It has a 5.3-inch screen and now, just five months since it debuted Samsung has announced it's shipped five million units (the one million mark was crossed right around the end of December). That's certainly long enough for you to decide if you're in love with its super-sized frame or the accompanying S-Pen stylus, but unfortunately it has not been quite enough time for the highly-anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich software update to be released.
While the world waits for the Premium Suite of apps and Android 4.0, let's think back to all the good times we had, including its initial unveiling, our original review and finally its arrival in the US on AT&T. So, are you convinced yet that there's a place in the world for a device like this, or five million phablets later are you still thinking this is just a fad?

Samsung GT-I9300 coming in May with dual-core and ICS

Another impressive looking Samsung Galaxy smartphone is in the news today. Previously suspected as being the Galaxy S III based on the model number being the GT-I9300, but some new details along with leaked info back in February has us thinking something else. Most likely this device will not be the highly anticipated Galaxy S III and according to Samsung is a mid-range phone.
Based on sources from GSMarena the GT-I9300 was actually listed in Samsung’s order system as the Samsung Galaxy M. If you remember Samsung’s naming change last year, the Galaxy M stands for mid-tier. The specs of this device are nothing short of impressive so if they think this is mid-tier, I can’t wait to see the Galaxy S III.
The GT-I9300 comes with a 1.4 GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor, 1GB of RAM, a 4-inch 720p HD AMOLED display, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Previous leaks suggested the GT-I9300 would come with a 1026 x 600 screen resolution so we are still unsure on the actual resolution of this device. Other than the 4-inch screen size all the rest of those specs are on par with, or better than their flagship Galaxy S II that is currently available. According to GSMarena the GT-I9300 will be available in early May and will be shipping with Android 4.0 ICS. Samsung looks to be getting rid of hardware and capacitive buttons with this phone as everything is on-screen. Hopefully the same holds true for the Galaxy S III.
With this phone coming in May does that mean the Galaxy S III will be here before or after? I can’t imagine them releasing this first, but at the same time neither would surprise me. No matter what happens I can’t wait to see what the Galaxy S III comes equipped with since they are calling this impressive phone mid-tier at best.

Lucid by LG hands-on and unboxing

The latest phone to grace Verizon Wireless is finally here. This is the Lucid by LG with 4G LTE and a dual-core processor all for one low price. This phone comes in a neat little package and will be available starting tomorrow. Lucky for you we have it on the test bench and did a quick hands-on and unboxing to start things off, and will be taking it through the trenches over the next few days.
The Lucid by LG is the latest phone to be powered by Verizon 4G LTE, but as they said a few weeks ago, all smartphones in 2012 will be LTE capable. The Lucid is poised to compete in the mid-range market based on its price but the specs are near the top of the pack. It comes with a cute little design and a powerful dual-core processor. The specs include a 4-inch IPS display complete with a 480 x 800 resolution, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage and a micro-sd slot to expand storage should you choose.

With a plastic design and rounded edges all around it feels comfortable in the hand and has no square corners to cause discomfort. On the rear LG has added a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash that is capable of 1080p video capture. We get a VGA front camera for video chat and a 1,700 mAh battery that should get you through a days use. Once we give the Lucid by LG a full rundown and review this week we’ll be sure and test battery life, performance, and those LTE speeds.LG has pre-installed an app called Video Producer, which is their own in-house video editing software so we’ll be sure and give that a quick test too. The Lucid by LG (why can’t we just call it the LG Lucid) will be available starting tomorrow March 29th on Verizon Wireless for only $79.99 with a new 2-year contract. That is an excellent price considering the specs of this phone, although you’ll have to send off a mail in rebate. LG has stated it WILL be updated to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but there’s no telling when that will be.






Sony announces Ice Cream Sandwich delays – no OTA updates either


Sony’s been uncharacteristically forthcoming when it comes to their plans on updating phones to Ice Cream Sandwich. The manufacturer committed to updating all of its 2011 Xperia phones to Android 4.0, a promise it’s already starting to make good on with ICS betas for The Xperia Play and others. Unfortunately, it looks like users will have to wait a little longer than they’d previously thought. Sony said in December that the first updated phones would be the Xperia Arc S , Neo V and Ray would be getting official updates in March, but they’ve bumped them back to mid-April. No word on the rest of the Xperia line, previously said to be updated in April or May.
In addition, Sony said that they won’t be sending out any updates over the air, as most Android manufacturers do in conjunction with mobile carriers. If you want an Ice Cream Sandwich update (when it becomes available), you’ll need to download it directly from Sony’s website and install it via their desktop clients, PC Companion and Bridge for OSX users. Sony says that they want to make sure customers make an informed decision before the major upgrade.
As unconventional as this approach is, I kind of dig it. One, anyone who’s Android-savvy enough to want Ice Cream Sandwich will be more than willing to put in a little legwork on their computer. And two, this may well get updates into the hands of consumers faster, helping to solve a problem that plagues the mobile platform. Who knows, maybe Sony can even skirt around US carriers, who almost always delay updates by a significant factor when compared to international contract-free phones.
If you’ve got an Xperia Play, Arc S , Neo V or Ray, you can download a beta ROM of Ice Cream Sandwich right now and avoid the wait (so long as you’re not particularly attached to your warranty). Everyone else should be getting their updates in less than two months… we hope. Kudos to Sony for keeping us informed, at least.

Samsung Galaxy Beam pre-orders begin in UK


You love smartphones. You live in the UK. And you’re a martyr to the 20-pound projector that you constantly carry around in your backpack. Congratulations, you’re the perfect candidate for Samsung’s Galaxy Beam, with its integrate pico projector – and you can reserve your unit now. UK web retailer Clove has the Galaxy Beam up for pre-order for £369.00, £442.80 after taxes. That comes out to just over $700 USD. Ouch. The release date isn’t mentioned on Clove’s website.
For that considerable chunk of cash, you get a mid-range phone constructed around a tiny projector. The 15-lumen lamp is capable of projecting a 640×480 display up to 50 inches. The phone itself is a little uninspiring: Android 2.3 with TouchWiz runs on a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor. The 4-inch LCD screen is 800×480 (just a little more resolution than the projector is capable of displaying) and the internal memory is a roomy 8GB. Cameras are 5 megapixels on the back with 1.3 megapixels on the front, and the phone features an oversized 2000mAh battery for the projector.
While it’s not the slimmest or prettiest phone around, the Beam’s form follows its unique function. A manual projector button just out the side and focus controls get their own hardware buttons. Even so, it’s hard to think of someone who’d prefer an expensive mid-range phone with an integrated projector to a cheap pico projector with video going to it from an HDMI-enabled phone. For the limited amount of time you’d need this, does it really justify the cost? Samsung hasn’t said when it’ll bring the Galaxy Beam to the European or Asian markets, or if it’s coming to North America.

LG Optimus Elite gets photographed, decked out in Sprint and Virgin livery

Not a fan of that 5-inch, IPS display on the Optimus Vu? Perhaps, you'd be more interested in a smaller, lesser-specced member of the family. According to PocketNow, the Optimus Elite is sprinting its way toward The Now Network and Virgin Mobile, with an expected launch on the former "rather soon" and the latter as early as May. The Elite is allegedly packing some run-of-the-mill features, including a 3.5-inch, HVGA screen alongside a five-megapixel rear shooter and an 800Mhz CPU. Both flavors look identical, save for Virgin's prepaid flavor going with a darker look, which you can gander at by jumping past the break.

Friday, March 30, 2012

LG Lucid gets official on Verizon: March 29th for $80 after rebate

The previous rumors were true: Verizon is launching the LG Lucid on Thursday, March 29th. The mid-range Android phone will be a surprisingly low $79.99, making it a pretty good deal for a brand-new 4G LTE phone. Of course that price will require a new two-year contract, and (argh!) a mail-in rebate. Disappointingly but not surprisingly, the phone will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread (more than four months after the launch of Ice Cream Sandwich) but Verizon is already promising an upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich – without giving a date. They’re getting pretty good at that.
The LG Lucid combines some pretty good features for a sub-$100 phone. The 4-inch display didn’t get a resolution in Verizon’s press release, but it’s almost certainly 800×480, and it’s got the peace of mind of Gorilla Glass. A 1.2Ghz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM should keep up even with high-end phones, though Verizon didn’t mention storage, but a previous leak indicated 8GB of on-board space – there’s no word on a MicroSD card slot, but it’s probably there. The rear camera is a modest 5 megapixels with 1080p recording, and the 1700mAh battery stretches the case out to 11.4mm thick. Unlike some LG phones, the Lucid has all four Android navigation buttons.
On the software side of things, you get Polaris Office, a Swype keyboard, and LG’s “I can’t believe it’s not TouchWiz” custom interface, complete with lockscreen shortcuts. As with all of Verizon’s LTE devices, a mobile hotspot feature is included, but you’ll need to pony up some extra money each month to enable it. What say you, Verizon customers – tempted by the low price, or waiting for something with a little more oomph?

HTC One series gets priced and dated in Austria, Germany and Switzerland

If you happen to live in central Europe, in one of those countries where the language has about three times as many consonants as it really needs, then you’ll soon be able to pick up one one of HTC’s shiny new consonant-themed smartphones. The HTC One X, One S and One V have been given proper release notes in Austria, Germany and Switzerland: all of them will be available unlocked starting on Monday, April 2nd. The One X will be €599 (about $795 or £500) The One S will be €499 ($(663) and the One V will be €299 ($397).The report comes from The Unwired and is confirmed by the German arm of carrier O2, which says that it will begin carrying both the One X and One S next week. As usual with European phone releases, the three smartphones will all be SIM agnostic and should work on any HSPA+ carrier network. The early April release approximately matches HTC’s debut schedule for the UK and elsewhere, though not all regions have been confirmed to get all phones.
On our side of the pond, AT&T is getting the One X (in an LTE variant with a Snapdragon processor instead of the NVIDIA Tegra 3) while T-Mobile takes the One S, and various regional carriers have dibs on the One V. None of the carriers have confirmed when customers can pick them up or for how much, though both seems pretty set for an early summer release. Gadget hounds can always import any of the phones for use on AT&T (or Canadian carriers, though Rogers is getting its own version) if they don’t feel like waiting and/or signing a contract.

Google to sell ASUS, Samsung tablets from its own online store

In a move that would be reminiscent of its initial plans for the Nexus handsets, the Wall Street Journal suggests Google will open its own online store this year, but stocked with tablets instead of phones. The Android tablets would be built by Samsung and ASUS who already offer the well received Galaxy Tab and Transformer lines, but have been unable to make a dent in marketshare comparable to that of Apple or even Amazon. Other details seem to be less clear, including the possibility of the lineup including Google branded tablets -- like the one hinted at by Eric Schmidt in December -- or that the store could offer a new tablet from ASUS (maybe running Jelly Bean, maybe not), or the chance that Google will follow Amazon's approach by subsidizing the upfront cost. Right now it seems that all possibilities are still in Play, but if the rumor is right we'll see the store launch this year -- any suggestions for the folks at Mountain View?

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Archos 101 G9 Turbo Hands-on

Archos has been around for a lot longer than Android tablets have, pumping out reliable if uninspiring media players for videophiles on the go. While the 101 G9 is a solid enough tablet and equivalent in most respects to the first generation of Honeycomb devices from bigger manufacturers, almost a year later it’s become somewhat left behind. That’s why Archos has introduced a Turbo edition along with Ice Cream Sandwich. In addition to running Android 4.0 right out of the box, it gets a fast 1.5Ghz dual-core OMAP processor to handle the more strenuous software.Archos has a design principle that can be described as “function over form”. To be blunt, the 9th-generation tablets aren’t pretty – they use a conventional screen bezel that’s more evocative of cheaper tablets than the sleek, skinny machines we’re used to. What Archos does do well is capability. No-nonsense buttons and ports make for the tablet equivalent of a pickup truck. Along the left side you’ll find the power button, a microUSB port (which also charges – score!) a Mini HDMI port and a standard headphone jack. The right side has the volume button, and that’s it as far as controls go
Around back you’ll find a retractable plastic kickstand – a feature that I dearly wish could be found on more Android devices – a large, loud speaker and a dummy slot for an emty USB port. This is for an optional 3G model that won’t mean much to our American readers, since they couldn’t use it if they wanted to. There’s no camera on the back (something that I must admit I won’t really miss) but the front-facing camera has a surprising 720p resolution.
The real star of the show is the software. And if you’re a fan of vanilla (ba-dum bum) Ice Cream Sandwich, you’re in luck. Aside from a few free games and Archos’ own media apps, which tend to be as good or better than Google’s anyway, the system is bone stock. Seeing Ice Cream Sandwich as it was meant to be seen is refreshing, especially as larger manufacturers continue to to add needless skins and customizations. All the 4.0.3 features you want are included, along with the Android Market/Google Play Store, unlike some earlier Archos tablets. What few changes Archos has made to the ICS interior are there for the modem and internal storage management.The extra capability in the hardware is self-evident when using Archos’ video app. 720p playback on the 1280×800 LCD screen was smooth, even when rapidly tracking between scenes. I wish the screen were a little brighter, though, and at one point I had to recalibrate it – something that should never happen on a capacitive display. Music is loud and surprisingly clear – the 101 G9 is definitely designed for media consumption first and foremost.
The Archos 101 G9 Turbo starts at $329.99 for the 8GB model.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

How would you change the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus?

We're big fans of Samsung's work and the prevailing feeling is that the Galaxy Tab 8.9 is the pinnacle of the family. The original 7-incher was too expensive and ran Android 2.2, so we were delighted to see the revamped edition running Honeycomb and costing a very reasonable $400 (it's even cheaper now). In our review, we couldn't find too much wrong with the device, in fact it's on a par with the 8.9, just a little bit smaller. But you, our friends out there, have had three or four months of constant use with this slate now, so how do you feel about it over the long-term? Does the slightly weaker screen resolution get you down? Do you wish you could make calls from it? Do you long for an S-Pen enabled edition? In a world chock-full of Samsung slates, what would you do to make this one the most desirable?

Motorola RAZR MAXX variant shows up in China

At present there’s a lot of RAZRs going around – Motorola’s got the original DROID RAZR on Verizon, the international Motorola RAZR, the DROID RAZR MAXX with its extended battery, a couple of local Chinese versions and a mystery phone that’s probably coming as the DROID Fighter. Add one more to the pile: The RAZR MAXX XT910 is an international GSM version of the DROID RAZR MAXX, currently on sale in China. Aside from a new radio and some branding, the RAZR MAXX XT910 is identical to its American cousin.

We’ve been hearing requests for an international version of the DROID RAZR MAXX ever since it launched – that massive 3300mAh battery is an enviable feature. Motorola ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie, either: we gave the DROID RAZR MAXX a torture test over a three-day business trip, and it just barely managed to make the whole thing on a single charge. In addition to the bigger battery and slightly bigger body, the RAZR MAXX XT910 keeps the 4.3-inch AMOLED screen, 16GB of on-board storage and 1.2Ghz dual-core processor. The phone is still running Motorola’s customized version of Android 2.3.
The release of this phone is good news for our international readers. While this particular model is unique to China, it demonstrates that Moto isn’t keeping the MAXX line in the United States. Cramming a gigantic battery into a phone that’s still quite slim and manageable is an impressive feat of engineering, and I’m glad to see it spread to more models. If Motorola can start releasing more and more phones with these extended yet concealed batteries, it just might gain a reputation as the longest-lasting phone manufacturer around.

HTC T328w to be the Wind beneath Chinese consumer wings?

Invasion of the One S chassis snatchers? That certainly seems to be the case here, as a render and listing for the T328w -- what is supposedly HTC's Wind -- has popped up over on Chinese site, Tenaa. The dual-SIM 4-inch handset, sporting an uncanny resemblance to its mid-tier look-alike, will purportedly occupy a lower rung on the smartphone scale, toting a single-core 1GHz CPU, 512MB RAM, a rear 5 megapixel shooter and WCDMA bands with support for HSDPA and HSUPA. From that list of internals alone, the unit sounds more like a dressed-up, specced-down One V, albeit without that idiosyncratic lip. On the software side, we're looking at Ice Cream Sandwich smothered in Sense 4a -- presumably, a localized variant of the OEM's newest UX. With a global rollout for the One line slated for this spring, our friends to the East could be seeing this device breeze its way onto retail shelves sooner than later.

Update: If you think the T328w looks familiar, your instincts are justified. It's a member of the Dragon series -- a trio of handsets from HTC that we first rubbed up against during Mobile World Congress. If you'd like to dig a bit deeper, be sure to check out the hands-on courtesy of Engadget China.

HTC Wind dual-SIM ICS phone heads to China

An unannounced smartphone from HTC is starting to make the rounds in the Chinese markets being called the HTC Wind. The device doesn’t rock the new “One” naming scheme from HTC but does feature most of the top specs HTC outlined a device must meet to be titled a “One” device. What makes it special is it also has dual-SIM slots, something that is increasingly popular in China.The Wind comes with a 1.0 GHz single-core processor and only 512MB of RAM but should run Ice Cream Sandwich quite well according to HTC. The specs are pretty close to the HTC One V, but the front looks a bit like the new One S we saw at MWC. It will also come with 4GB of RAM and a 1,650 mAh battery under the hood.
   For now this device will probably never leave the Chinese markets, but it’s new and appears to be one more of multiple HTC devices as of late. We thought they were going to slow it down for 2012 and produce less devices, but so far we’ve seen quite a bit still. It looks nice, but don’t expect to see it stateside.

AT&T’s ICS update for the original Galaxy S II leaks

Earlier today we brought owners of the LTE-enabled Galaxy S II Skyrocket news of their Ice Cream Sandwich leak, and now the original Galaxy S II gets in on the party. Yes, Samsung fans, there is a Santa Clause… he was just a little late this year. The leaked update should work for all AT&T models of the Galaxy S II, and it’s pretty similar to the international GSII update released a couple of weeks ago. This is the stock version, unrooted (at the moment) and almost certainly isn’t the final version of this update. Thanks to RootzWiki for posting the leak.The Galaxy S II ICS update brings most of the desired features of Android 4.0… except for the spiffy new interface. Nope, Samsung’s keeping a tight grip on its TouchWiz skin, though it does get a few light enhancements for the new release. All the standard goodness is still there underneath, though: a new WebOS-style Recent Apps menu, faster and smoother animations, homescreen enhancements including auto-folders, and the ability to disable carrier and manufacturer apps. (That might come in handy, considering some recent events.)
RootzWiki is providing the update via an anonymous benefactor. You’ll need the Odin download and a properly configured Windows machine with the USB driver – if you don’t have it yet, just click the source link, both files are there. The update is Android 4.0.3, the most recent version that’s available from Google’s open source archives. Remember that this is all very much unsupervised, so if you’re already rooted and running a custom recovery, do a Nandroid backup – you’re likely to lose all of your customizations thus far. If you’re nervous, you might want to just stick it out – AT&T swears that Ice Cream Sandwich is coming via and OTA update soon.

HTCSense.com sync service shutting down – backup your data now

The sky is falling! Mayans predicted it! It’s the end of the world as we know it! Well, nothing so dramatic – but if you rely on HTC’s Sense service to back up your phone’s data, it might as well be. The HTCSense.com website is receiving a major overhaul soon, and aparently it’s big enough that they need to scrap just about everything they’ve built up so far. That means that on April 30th, all the personal data that HTC has saved for backups and emergencies will be wiped clean.Don’t worry, Sense users – your data will still be sitting on your phone, nice and safe. And though HTC hasn’t detailed what it intends to do with the website and the service after the deadline, odds are pretty good that they’ve got some kind of replacement waiting in the wings. But if you want a little extra peace of mind for your synced data, you can download all of it in a personalized ZIP package. Just log in at HTCSense.com, click on the Account overview section, then click “Download”.
What inspired this shift? Probably some new features in HTC’s SenseUI 4 update. April will be the first month that the HTC One family (X, S and V) will be widely available, and the Sense 4.0 update isn’t going out to older phones – they get version 3.6. Whether it’s just the software equivalent of switching to the Dewey system or something more exciting has yet to be seen. In any case, backup your data just to be on the s

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Angry Birds Space For Android Released




All hail the Angry Birds. Creator of some of the most popular Android games of all time—including now-classics as Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds—Rio has released a new iteration where our feathery little friends take on the final frontier. For those who don’t know what that is, it’s space.
The list of new features for the new game is pretty massive, and includes:
• 60 interstellar levels!
• Regular free updates!
• Brand new birds!
• Brand new superpowers!
• Zero-gravity space adventures!
• Trick shots using planets’ gravity!
• Hidden bonus levels!
• Beautifully detailed backgrounds!
New birds, new levels, trick shots and zero gravity. What more could you possibly want in a video game? Not only is the game available in the Google Play store, but there are additional levels if you own a select Samsung device. It has been confirmed at least on the Samsung Galaxy S II. Of course, there’s a special little file called build.prop which can be altered to make it seem like users have a different phone than they really do. Hint hint.

Instagram opens signup page for Android port, release date still unknown


It's no secret that one of the most popular apps to ever hit the App Store will soon be coming to Android, and if you'd prefer to be one of the very first on your block to be notified... well, there's a website for that. Instagram has just opened up a signup page for Android loyalists, enabling folks to input their email address and await word on the download going live. Sadly, there's no hint on the aforesaid page that gets us any closer to a specific release date, but hey -- it's one less unspecified thing you have to remember, right? Pop that source link if your interest has been piqued.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Archos G9 update rolling out – fixes HDMI and WiFi issues on ICS

Archos recently released Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich for the G9 series of their Android tablets. It has only been available for a short time but it looks like they are on top of things and have already started fixing some minor bugs. If you own an Archos G9 and recently updated to Android 4.0 ICS this latest firmware update today should solve some of those WiFi issues some have been reporting. More details and change-log after the break.

Their naming scheme is a bit confusing but the Archos G9′s are currently running on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, but the build from Archos rolling out today is 4.0.5 — not Ice Cream Sandwich, but that is the version of Archos’ own firmware. Apparently with ICS they’ve had a few issues with WiFi going extremely slow after being on for more than a few minutes. Some users have also reported no audio or audio issues with HDMI-out and streaming video or games. Archos has quickly fixed the problems and the update is available now for those interested.
As always the update should arrive over the air for the devices, but you can manually go to Archos.com and download the update yourself should you chose to take that route. For more information and the full change log head here to get started. We wish all manufacturers issued updates this fast, because Ice Cream Sandwich for the Archos tablets has only been available for a few weeks. If you’ve been having any of the above mentioned problems get the latest firmware and let us know in the comment section below how things go.

Toshiba AT200 review

This waif of a tablet certainly took its sweet time getting here. We first laid eyes on this lightweight beauty last August and while it still hasn't landed in the US just yet (under the guise of the Excite 10 LE) we've brought in the international version -- already in stores in the UK -- to test out the hardware, which appears to be identical. On first appearances, it's an attractive sliver of a slab, due to the magnesium alloy body, of which there isn't much. Measuring in at just 7.7mm thick, we're talking RAZR-scale thinness and a 1.18 pound weigh-in that embarrasses 7-inch devices. Despite this, we still have a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP processor, running Honeycomb 3.2 on a 10.1 inch touchscreen. But surely, sacrifices must have been made, right? Well, it looks like it's a financial cost that has to be paid. The 16GB version is currently on sale for £399, matching the new iPad in the UK, and likely to arrive in the US at around $530, pricing itself quite a bit above existing, similarly-specced, Android favorites like the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Are you willing to pay a fair chunk of change extra to skim a few millimeters off your tablet profile? Is it worth it? The full story is right after the break.

Motorola Xoom WiFi update coming soon, could be 4.0.5

Motorola’s not so popular Motorola Xoom tablet received Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich back in January so we can rule that out for this impending update. Like usual, Motorola is sending out emails for their soak test update that is coming soon for the Xoom. We don’t have any details yet but its possible the Xoom will receive Android 4.0.5 in the coming weeks.
Now most likely this is a small bug fix type of update coming from Motorola and going out privately to their feedback networks. Something major like Android 4.0.5 like we’ve seen rumored lately would probably be pushed directly from Google in a more controlled manner.
This update is slated for the WiFi Xoom only at this time and will be available to a few lucky members of the Motorola Feedback network. If you’ve received updates from them in the past you’ll probably get this too. As usual feel free to shout off in the comments below once you see the update as we’d love to see or hear what all it includes. Maybe this will prep the Xoom for the 4.0.5 update that is rumored to be here in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more info.

US Army debuts app marketplace prototype: iOS first, Android coming soon

The promise of an Army app store has been bandied about for quite a while now, but it looks like it's slowly becoming a reality. The US Army has today officially announced a prototype of the Army Software Marketplace, a web-based app store that currently includes twelve different training apps that have been approved for Army-wide use. That includes just iOS apps initially, but the Army promises that it will soon include apps for Android devices as well. It's also of course looking to expand considerably beyond those dozen odd apps, noting that the prototype is just "a first step in establishing and exercising new submission and approval processes that will eventually enable Army members, organizations and third-party developers to release applications for Army-wide distribution." And you thought the approval process for some of the current app stores was stringent.

Motorola DROID R2-D2 update brings bug fixes and Android 2.3.4

It might not have 3 legs and a pico projector but the Motorola DROID 2 R2-D2 is still speeding along over on Verizon. Today they’ve just announced and detailed a new software update for the aging smartphone that will finally bring it to Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, as well as a few much needed bug fixes for all you Star Wars fans.
The details come right from Verizon themselves, and usually this means the update is only days away and could start rolling out at any time. For those that have not joined the dark side and rooted the update will bring a host of security patches and updates, improved battery life, improved 3G data connectivity and hotspot features, as well as fix some bugs.
The update appears to be quite small so nothing major is going on here. All the usual Verizon branded apps like Navigator will be updated to their respective latest versions and Motorola appears to have fixed some issues with camera settings being wiped when you reboot, and the device turning on my itself at times. It’s doubtful that the smartphone will ever see Ice Cream Sandwich officially but if those XDA developers use the force I’m sure we can get some ROM’s running on it.
As usual the update will break root and probably kill any previous bootloader cracks previously possible for the Motorola device so use caution if that concerns you. The update should start soon so be sure and check often and leave us a comment once it finally lands.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Nokia N9 gets Ice Cream Sandwich and Meego dual-boot hack

What’s more fun than modding an Android smartphone? Well, lots of things, but one of them is modding a competing smartphone to run Android. There are many who admire Nokia’s beautiful hardware and industrial design, but lament its home-grown software (or the Windows Phone 7 platform they’re now stuck with). A group of like-minded modders at the NITDroid forums dedicated to bringing Android to Nokia hardware have shown off their latest and certainly greatest project: fully functional Android 4.0 on the MeeGo-powered Nokia N9.
This is no small job, either. All the essential functions of the phone are working, including calls, texts, data, WiFi, Bluetooth, et cetera. Sound and video are working fine, though YouTube playback seems a little choppy. The only real features that seem to be missing are the camera (wasn’t mentioned in the forum post) and automatic rotation (though the accelerometer is working, so that could be just a matter of time). The ROM is in its first Alpha release, so expect a lot of the bugs to be ironed out eventually.
The best part is that this ROM can be installed with a custom boot partition, preserving the original MeeGo OS in a fashion similar to the Android ports on the HP TouchPad. There’s even a work-around method that allows users to mount MeeGo’s My Documents folder as Android’s virtual SD card, giving some rudimentary cross-platform file access. This isn’t quite the same as getting Android on Nokia hardware like many of use were hoping for last year, but it’s about as close as we’re likely to come.

Panasonic ELUGA headed to Japan March 29th, Europe soon after

Panasonic’s most exciting mobile product in years is the ELUGA (and its big brother the ELUGA Power) spotted at Mobile World Congress, by the sheer novelty that it’ll actually be available outside of Panasonic’s home country of Japan. It’ll stop off there first, though: NTT DoCoMo has announced that it’ll make the phone available on March 29th as the NEXT series P-04D. (See, it’s not just US carriers that give phones new names for no reason.) After that, it’ll head for Europe in April, where the ELUGA Power is already stocked for pre-order. If you’re a European who’s miffed at the prospect of getting the phone later, take comfort in the fact that your phone won’t be colored purple like NTT DoCoMo’s.
The ELUGA isn’t just a pretty face – its waterproof, dustproof body can be completely submerged for a short time without taking any damage. The 4.3-inch OLED screen uses a qHD resolution to display Gingerbread, with a 1Ghz dual-core TI OMAP processor running underneath it. Panasonic promises an upgrade to Android 4.0 eventually. The phone is an undeniable beauty, with a curved minimalist design and a 7.8mm profile. Shutterbugs will be happy to note that it takes 8 megapixel stills and 1080p video.
There’s no mention of the ELUGA or ELUGA Power making it to North America, and for the time being that’s likely to stay true. Panasonic has zero presence in the American smartphone market, which thanks to Apple’s home turf, is even more hotly contested than Europe. While it’s possible that a carrier will be impressed and pick up the hardware for a local release (T-Mobile would be the most likely candidate) it might still be a year or two before Panasonic focuses its efforts here.

LG Lucid 4G full specs leaked: LTE for Verizon’s mid-range

We’ve been hearing about the LG Lucid (AKA the LG Cayman) on and off for the last few weeks, most notably that it’s due in Verizon stored next Thursday, March 29th. The leaked specifications for the phone were tentative and somewhat incomplete, but Droid-Life managed a peek at some internal documentation that seems to confirm most of the important stuff. The package shows a phone on the upper end of the mid-range, or at least Verizon’s equivalent, which is about $150-200 for LTE devices. Sadly, there’s still no official price for the upcoming phone.
The Lucid runs on a respectable 1.2Ghz dual-core processor of unspecified origin, 8GB of internal storage, and Android 2.3 – no doubt with a promise to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich some time in the future. (Hey LG Spectrum owners: how’s that coming along?) the 4-inch 800×480 screen is a bit smaller than average these days, but should make for a more pocketable device. The “NOVA” display touted in a previous leak seems to be fancy marketing speak for an IPS-LCD, not that we’re complaining – LG’s screens have some of the best color accuracy out there, even if they’re not quite as bright as AMOLED. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass.
There’s a surprisingly large 1700mAh battery crammed in there, the better to make use of the Lucid’s 4G LTE connection between charges. That makes the phone bulge to a slightly chunky 11.4 millimeters, but its footprint is still relatively small for a phone with a 4-inch screen. One thing notably missing from the list is a MicroSD card slot, something that I’d consider absolutely essential on a device with just 8GB of storage. That doesn’t mean it isn’t there (insert standard “fat lady sings” warning here) but it doesn’t fill me with confidence, either. Unless Verizon has switched up its release schedule, expect the Lucid to get an official unveiling next week.

LG Optimus LTE P936 appears headed for new markets

The Optimus LTE is LG’s flagship phone, at least until the Optimus 4X HD arrives. That being the case, it’s strange that it’s only available in four countries: LG’s home turf South Korea, neighbor Japan, plus Canada and the United States (as the Nitro HD and Spectrum on AT&T and Verizon, respectively). GSM Dome got their hands on a familiar looking model, the Optimus LTE P936, that appears to be identical to the international version except for branding. The new model is obviously headed somewhere, though there’s no indication of where that might be.
The specifications of the P936 seem to match its less mysterious counterparts: 4.5-inch 720p IPS screen, 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 8 megapixel camera, et cetera. Other details like storage space aren’t mentioned, but are probably the same as the Optimus LTE models we’ve already seen at 4GB plus whatever you want to add with MicroSD. The Quadrant benchmarks are right in line with our own tests on the Nitro HD and Spectrum, so presumably it’s running with the same 1GB of memory and LG’s modified version of Gingerbread.
There’s no branding on the phone, so it’s unlikely that it’s headed for an American or Canadian carrier. That leaves the few markets outside of the US, South Korea and Japan to feature LTE wireless. There’s always the unlocked option and a few regional networks in Europe have added the capability, but my money’s on Australia, where both Telstra and Optus are both well on their way to populating their most crucial markets with LTE. There’s no official confirmation from LG on the Optimus LTE variant, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Samsung previews S-Pen “Premium Suite” apps and Android 4.0 on Galaxy Note


Yesterday Samsung announced the upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for the Galaxy Note was going to be a little. Along with the announcement was information about a new “Premium Suite” of apps specifically for the note and its impressive S-Pen stylus. We now have a video from Samsung showing us all what we can expect when the update arrives.

In the video spotted on Samsung’s YouTube channel we get a preview of multiple awesome new S-Pen applications, and how Android 4.0 ICS will look on the Note. Android 4.0 builds have leaked in the past so it isn’t anything extremely new but the S-Pen suite of apps sure are. The digital postcard and My Story apps look quite impressive and we can’t wait to try them out.


The Galaxy Note was already one of our favorite devices — especially if you can get over the sheer size of the device. Adding in even more awesome applications to compliment one of its better features in the stylus is a good move. While some still don’t see its usefulness for those that use it daily, this will be an awesome update. Once the 4.0 ICS update starts rolling out we’ll be sure to check out the new features and let you know what we think.
Here’s to hoping the update comes sometime soon and doesn’t suffer any further delays or issues. The Note is shaping up to be a pretty great device.

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Sony Japan announces ICS for tablets in late April, WiFi-only Tablet P April 21st


Owners of Sony's Tablet S and Tablet P can look forward to receiving Android 4.0.3 next month, at least in Japan. Beyond the latest and greatest Google-provided underpinnings, the update will also expand their photo capabilities with activation from the lock screen and the ability to take panoramic pictures, plus a new "Recopla" app for viewing DVR'd TV programs from its Blu-ray recorders. They'll also have an enhanced "Small Apps" feature that lets users multitask more efficiently, pulling up a windowed web browser, calculator or remote control app. Finally, if the only thing keeping you from the dual-screen Tablet P was its 3G radio and associated data plans, Sony has also announced a WiFi-only version due April 21st with optional color panels for 50,000 yen ($600 US). There's no word yet on hardware or software availability over here, or further details on Ice Cream Sandwich for the Xperia line, but more details and pics can be found at the source links below.

Angry Birds Space now available for download, pigs will fly

Rejoice, casual gamers -- Angry Birds Space has landed! Rovio's latest game -- which we recently took for a spin on Samsung's Galaxy Note LTE at SXSW -- frees itself from the earth's gravitational pull to explore the final frontier. We've gathered download links to all the major platforms below for your epic birds vs. pigs entertainment. Aren't space physics fun?

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

LG Optimus M+ adds some minor hardware improvements, coming to metroPCS

LG's Optimus M has lingered around metroPCS' phone catalogue for over a year now and it looks like it's finally getting a similar-looking, but improved, replacement. Unfortunately, the Optimus M+ isn't quite enough to confer the title of carrier flagship. Incremental changes include a new 5-megapixel camera and a screen that's been boosted from 3.2 to 3.5 inches. According to Pocketnow, it's powered by a pretty meager 800MHz processor, which should be just about enough to handle the Gingerbread OS. Those middling numbers hopefully mean it shouldn't upset the ol' bank balance too much, but we'll have to wait for metroPCS' official nod for confirmation on pricing and availability.

Toshiba mystifies tablet-buying world with LT170 'budget' 7-incher


We'll be the first to admit that we don't understand Toshiba's tablet intentions. There are plenty of tantalizing prototypes and an abundance of confusingly branded models, but there's no overarching reason to pay much attention. The LT170 is a case in point: it's nominally a budget Android device, with a Freescale 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM and 8GB internal storage, but by now the €299 ($400) asking price could pick up something far, far nicer, like the heavily discounted 16GB HTC Flyer or 32GB BlackBerry PlayBook. Anyway, there it is. Bewilderment.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Oracle's final damage claim against Google well under $100 million

My, my, my, how the mighty have fallen. In this case, the mighty is the roughly $6 billion Oracle initially sought in its suit against Google. By September of last year that number had dropped to a comparatively paltry $2 billion, which was still to high for presiding Judge William Alsup. Now that has plummeted precipitously, with Oracle's new starting figure sitting at $32.3 million. Of course, the final total for the damages will likely be higher than that, but we'd be mighty shocked if the ultimate settlement was even close to $100 million. Google's own estimates put the valuation at between $37.5 million and $46.6 million -- a far cry from the $100 million starting point Alsup had suggested in July of last year. Now all that's left is for this sucker to actually go to trial. Hit up the source to read the full filing.

ZTE N910 clears the FCC with LTE radio bands

Oh FCC, how we do appreciate you. Without your strict regulation of the airwaves in the Land of the Free, how would we know what wireless goodies are headed our way? Well, leaks, press releases, trade shows and presentation events, just to name a few, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t grateful. The latest goody to sneak out of the Federal Communications Commission is the ZTE N910, a phone last spotted at Mobile World Congress. It’s running a combination of CDMA and LTE bands in its wireless radio, but not the standard ones that Verizon uses. This means it’s probably headed for a smaller regional carrier.
Even so, the N910 is a good indication that LTE is trickling down into the mid-range and low end of the smartphone market. Like 3G and HSPA+ before it, more and more inexpensive phones are jumping on to the LTE bandwagon. The N910 firs pretty squarely in the mid range, with a 800×480 screen, 5 megapixel camera and what looks like a standard skinned version of Gingerbread, but ZTE’s initial press release claimed that it would launch with Ice Cream Sandwich. The phone’s got a 5MP 1080p rear camera and runs on a 1.2Ghz processor of unspecified design.
An FCC filing doesn’t guarantee a US release, but given ZTE’s push into North America and the very specific wireless bands on display, I’d say this one will definitely find a home somewhere in the country sooner rather than later. The manufacturer still hasn’t indicated a price or availability. There’s still no word on the N910′s big brother the PF200, though that one’s only been shown for GSM/LTE networks (like AT&T and most of the LTE-capable carriers in Asia) so far.

Huawei’s MyTouch for T-Mobile spotted in the wild

We had heard previously that T-Mobile’s reliable MyTouch brand would change into Huawei’s hands later this year, and it looks like that’s been confirmed. TmoNews got a sneak peek at the upcoming mid-range phone, with pictures snapped by some surreptitious tipster. The phone appears to follow in the footsteps of other MyTouch models with a decidedly mid-range design, running Android 2.3.6 (sigh). This incarnation of the MyTouch is without a QWERTY keyboard, though a different version may be in the works for a simultaneous debut.
Previously the T-Mobile MyTouch line was in the hands of HTC, before being shifted to LG for the MyTouch and QWERTY-packing MyTouch Q last year. Apparently LG’s efforts weren’t up to snuff, because T-Mobile’s going with the third major manufacturer in eighteen months. Two Huawei models were spotted a couple of weeks ago: the U8680 and U8730, identical save for a slide-out keyboard. We know that the screen is 800×480, but not how large it is; given these preview shots, I’d say it’s between 3.7 and 4.0 inches.
There’s no word on a release date or price for either phone, but “soon” and “not too much” are pretty safe bets given the previous entries in the family. While we can’t hide our disappointment that Gingerbread on new phones is so common, Huawei’s been surprisingly good about getting timely ICS updates out. Hopefully they’ll do so for their new entries as well, though T-Mobile would need to share some of the blessing and/or blame for that one. Expect more concrete details on both new Huawei phones in the next few weeks.

Sony Xperia neo L gets official with ICS

Sony’s last round of updated phones may have been lamentably lacking in the frozen treat department, but it looks like they’re rectifying that mistake with their latest announcement. The Sony Xperia neo L MT25i has sprung fully formed out of the company’s press department, headed for China only (at the moment). Taking up the maddeningly lowercase neo label from the original phone and the V, the neo L is a decidedly mid-range device intended for the mass market.
The specifications aren’t anything mind-boggling, but should run ICS well enough. A 1Ghz single-core Snapdragon processor and 512MB of RAM handle number-crunching duties, while a 4-inch screen gets a size-appropriate 800×480 resolution. Internal storage is limited to a measly 1GB, but a MicroSD card can expand your storage horizons up to 32GB. Unfortunately the latest neo lacks the NFC capability and no-touch gestures of the Xperia sola, and a 1500mAh battery makes it a surprising 12.2mm thick. A 5MP camera can handle 720p video, though if you’re much of a shutterbug you’ll definitely need to invest in a little external storage.
If you want to get your hands on Sony’s first retail ICS phone, odds are pretty good you’ll have to hop on a plane, at least initially. At the moment the Xperia neo L is only official for the Chinese market, where it has neither a price nor a date. But take heart, Sony fans: the previous neo phones were released worldwide, and we fully expect that to be the case here. It shouldn’t be too long before this one makes it to European and (eventually) North American shores in an unlocked HSPA+ version. If you just can’t wait that long, Sony has published an official Ice Cream Sandwich beta for the neo V.

Google’s Motorola acquisition suffers investigation setbacks in China

During the month of February the Google Motorola deal was looking quite promising. The European Union and the US both signed off on the acquisition and gave Google the green light. The only hurdle remains in China and it appears they are having a bit of trouble. Now we are hearing China is continuing another investigation before giving them the okay.
Originally Google expected the deal to be completed within the first quarter of 2012, and in February every other antitrust committee signed off on the deal, but the Chinese are still holding strong. Today reports from MobileWorldLive are stating that now the deal is expected to be completed sometime before the first half of the year, instead of the first quarter.
The Anti-Monopoly Bureau of the People’s Republic of China is said to be doing another probe into the Google Motorola acquisition and we have no details regarding how long this additional investigation will take. Motorola has now sent a filing to the SEC stating that things are taking longer, and like mentioned above they are aiming for sometime before the middle of 2012.
At this point we’ll just have to sit back and wait for the Chinese to conclude their investigation into the deal worth around 12.5 billion dollars. Hopefully once this gets squared away we can start to see the next step for both companies, and Android.

Galaxy S III rumors run wild – reports claim announcement coming Thursday

Here is another announcement we can surely throw in the rumor bin almost instantly. While the Samsung Galaxy S III has been a hot topic as of late, with plenty of rumors and leaks, we are now hearing some more chatter that Samsung might unveil it during their annual Samsung Africa Forum show at the end of this week after all. Possibly on Thursday or Friday. Do notice this is the same March 22nd event we’ve heard will NOT be the big unveiling.
Samsung’s annual Africa Forum is another way they showcase their popular and upcoming devices, but most likely they’ll only show the few items we saw at CES — nothing more. These rumors are pretty wild if you ask me. No way Samsung would announce one of if not their most anticipated smartphone, and their flagship without any notice. Especially in Africa where press isn’t at its fullest.
According to phonerpt Samsung will unveil the new flagship quad-core smartphone in Africa, but I’m tossing this in the rumor mill, and taking it with a pound of salt instead of a grain. We can’t truly see Samsung announce the device in that type of forum, but anything is possible I guess. We are still hopeful for some sort of announcement in April, possible around the Olympics for maximum exposure. Either way stay tuned right here as we look for more details. All the previous reports and rumors can be read from the links below.
I want it, and I want it now. Sadly we have a few more months of waiting most likely.

Android 4.0.5 coming to Galaxy Nexus early next month

Let the crazy talk and restoring to stock Ice Cream Sandwich begin because we are now hearing Verizon is beta testing the next update for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Yes this is Android 4.0.5 according to @Black_man_X, a man that needs no introduction in the world of Android. We saw version 4.0.4 leak back in January but it never officially was released by Google or Verizon.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard reports of Android 4.0.5 Ice Cream Sandwich either. It was leaked for the Nexus S in early February as coming in April, not to mention a few days ago rumors were churning regarding that update landing in the next few weeks. According to Black_man_X version 4.0.5 is being tested and currently runs great on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.
His comments suggest 4.0.5 will fix tons of problems, although he was very vague on what is different. He did however confirm to us that the UI and launcher appears to all be the same, and the update mainly fixes internal things and some reboot issues. Ice Cream Sandwich version 4.0.5 for the Galaxy Nexus appears to fix audio reboot issues, battery life problems, data falling alseep, and will most likely have new radios. I’m hoping for some enhanced 4G LTE signals but that probably wont be happening.
If all goes well Verizon and Google should start pushing version 4.0.5 to the Galaxy Nexus in early April. Looks like we only have a few weeks to wait.

Android study finds privacy and security risks related to in-app advertising

Android has certainly taken heat for malware-related bits in the past. Now, a recent study by computer scientists at North Carolina State University reveals that over half of the 100,000 apps from the Android Market Google Play include so-called ad libraries, which are essentially handed out by Google or third-party devs to retrieve ads from servers and launch them on your phone. Of these, 297 were classified as "aggressive," as they're allowed to run code from a remote server. Furthermore, Dr. Jiang along with his squad of researchers found that more than 48,000 of the apps put to the test could track location via GPS, while other accessed info could range from call logs, contact numbers, to the apps list on your device. It's unclear if this also applies to Android slates, though this particular study conducted only included handsets.

Firefox Alpha Released for Arm6 Android Devices

The release of Mozilla Firefox for Android was something wonderful. It brought one of the world’s most popular browsers to the platform, much to the delight of Firefox fans everywhere. Most of them, anyway, as Firefox only worked with newer devices at the time. However, Mozilla has listened to their loyal Android users with ARMv6 devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Mini, because now Firefox is available to any ARMv6 Android device.
XDA Senior Member Kannibalism posted about Mozilla’s latest release, aimed to get those on ARM6 into the Firefox browsing world and the thread has spread to pretty much every ARM6 device there is. The installation process is just like installing any other APK. Download the APK, install it using your favorite file manager, and start browsing. This version of the browser is still an Alpha, so there are a few things that don’t work. Says Kannibalism:
The firefox alpha browser is not compatible with all of the current plugins available for the stable firefox browser that is already available on the market. Compatibility checking is based on the version number. After playing around with this browser while its still in alpha i find it to be quite stable and good for daily use.
So as long as you can wait on the plugins and don’t mind the bugs, Firefox Alpha is worth a try. For additional information, discussion, download links and more, check out the ARMv6 Firefox Thread or the official FireFox ARMv6 alpha discussion. Happy web browsing.

Sharp intros underwhelming RW-T110 Gingerbread tablet with NFC, not much else on board

Last year, we saw Sharp bust out an array of 7-inch Android slates, including that NFC-packing RW-T107. Now, the Japanese company is adding a slightly larger member to the family, dubbed RW-T110. This 10.1-inch Gingerbread slab (sorry, Ice Creamers) is sporting a 1GHz TI OMAP processor alongside 1GB of RAM, 8GB of onboard storage, a 1280 x 800 display as well as an NFC chip. Additionally, the biz-oriented slate is powered by a 6,240mAh battery, which promises to get you up to nine hours of continuous video payback time. The RW-T110 will be hitting Japanese shelves on March 27th, and while there's no info on whether Sharp plans to launch it in other markets, we doubt you'll miss this run-of-the-mill "Big Pad."

Sharp RW-T110 tablet has Gingerbread and lots of cheek

What’s more annoying than a brand-new Android device that’s running an OS version behind? One that’s running two versions behind, with no clear reason for doing so. Sharp’s just unveiled their RW-T110 tablet for the Japanese business market, and as the title suggests, it’s running Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box. For the sake of completeness, I’ll note that Gingerbread was released in December of 2010, and Ice Cream Sandwich’s open source code was published just over four months ago by Google. Nice try, Sharp, we’ll see if you can product a tablet and tablet OS combination next year
The specs aren’t actually that bad – it’s got a 10-inch 1280×800 resolution, a form factor I’ve never seen with Gingerbread before. A 1Ghz processor isn’t much, but a full gigabyte of RAM and and 8GB of on-board storage are quite respectable. It’s even packing near-field communication, something that an OS with certain dairy treat disposition might be able to make quite good use of. The RW-T110 goes on sale in Japan on March 27th, and given Sharp’s predelictions for smartphone hardware thus far, is unlikely to leave the land of the rising sun.
Honestly, this sort of decision wouldn’t have bothered me four months ago. Google didn’t release the open source code for Android 3.0 Honeycomb until they released ICS as well, leaving manufacturers who wanted to play outside of Google’s sandbox no real choice but Gingerbread. But now there’s no excuse for any new tablet to run anything else – it’s out there, all manufacturers have to do download it, compile it and grab some drivers for whatever components they’re using. Heck, doomed products like the HP TouchPad and $100 Chinese no-name tablets can run the latest version of Android. What’s not to get here?
Rant over. I’m going to go download the latest CyanogenMod build now, and be thankful that Android is flexible enough to get around the mistakes of manufacturers.

Fitbit for Android helps track your I/O

The fitness fanatics from Fitbit are looking to aid and abet the Android-loving, calorie-counting masses. The company has announced the release of its self-titled Android application, which will assist users in tracking their health and dietary goals. Through manual entry, or with the assistance of a Bluetooth sensor, Fitbit tracks your daily activity and creates a dynamic nutrition plan to help you achieve your weight loss and fitness goals. What's more, the app and service keep a log of your progress allowing users to feel shame track their progress. The app is available via Google Play for the always attractive price of $0. Have yourself a download... and a quick jog.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Linux kernel 3.3 released with merged Android code and more



The latest refresh of the Linux kernel, 3.3, is now available, and the second release of 2012 brings with it the long-awaited merging of code from Google's little side project. While that is particularly interesting to developers looking to boot Android or run apps on the stock Linux kernel (FYI: optimized power management and other infrastructure that didn't make it this time will arrive in the next release, 3.4) and represents a resolution to the issues that kept the two apart for so long it's not the only new feature included. There are improvements to file systems like Btrfs, memory management, networking, security and much, much more. Hit the source link below for the full changelog or grab the code and from the usual locations and get your compile on directly.

New Motorola phone elbows RAZR aside with bigger screen, gets caught on blurrycam

Motorola has apparently bored itself with battery expansion and moved onto that other mobile upgrade chestnut; screen size. Posted on the Mfunz forums, we're apparently gazing upon a 4.6-inch high-definition display -- one that dwarfs the existing RAZR model on its right. We don't know much more just yet, although the apparent Verizon badging suggests this new phone is US-bound. This could be the first peak at the rumored Droid Fighter -- a name that's bounced around the web recently on supposedly leaked Verizon documents with a mid-April release date in tow. We're not sure what else to expect from this device, aside from what looks likely to be software-based buttons like those found on the Galaxy Nexus. We wouldn't refuse a Moto device with Ice Cream Sandwich from launch -- it'll beat waiting (and waiting) on those OTA updates.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Samsung Galaxy S III leaks again, this time without TouchWiz

Well another week has passed and we have yet another leaked photo of the prized Galaxy S III from Samsung. Only this time things are looking slightly more realistic than the others. Previous leaks contained press renders, or mock up shots but this appears to be an actual piece of hardware, not just a rendered photo. Some juicy specs were also detailed so read on for all the info.This latest piece of Android news comes from some sources at Reddit, claiming his friend has a respectable job with Samsung and just sent over an official picture of the new Galaxy S III along with some details that we’ve not yet heard from other rumors. First off the picture is iffy, the flash ruins any chance of giving it an honest look, and it could just be the Galaxy S II photo-shopped with Android 4.0 ICS, then someone took a picture of their monitor. Certain aspects of it does look legit though so let us know what you think.
According to the leakster this will be powered by Samsung’s latest quad-core Exynos 4412 processor but no speeds were mentioned, 2GB of RAM, 12 megapixel camera, and a 4.7-inch Super AMOLED HD screen that looks gorgeous. We also get a 2250 mAh battery and a completely smooth back, no hump like Samsung has been known for in almost every smartphone. Here is where things get interesting. The picture has stock Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, no TouchWiz like we all thought. This pictures source mentioned that Samsung might give users two launcher options. One to run completely stock Android ICS, and a quick settings change will allow users that like Samsung’s small OS changes in the TouchWiz user interface to be enabled if they choose. This is something I’ve been wishing HTC would do for years now.
Most likely this photo is a fake. The flash and the fact that it’s on a computer, then someone took a picture of the monitor isn’t helping its case either. We can’t really confirm anything and the small picture ruined by the flash makes this just one more of many leaks. The extremely small bezel sure looks impressive and hopefully the Galaxy S III looks something similar to this. We’ll see because surely Samsung will be announcing something here soon.

Google sued over Play Store’s 15 minute return policy

When the Android Market changed its return policy from a generous 24 hours to a paltry 15 minutes way back in 2010, there was no shortage of complaints. But it appears that two users went a step beyond and actually sued Google for the policy, in addition to generally misleading claims about the quality and working order of apps. The suit comes from Dodd J. Harris and Stephen Sabatin of California, who were unsatisfied with a Mandarin instruction app and Bit Torrent client, respectively.
The pair aren’t the only ones to be dissatisfied with the 15-minute grace period. Complex games in particular (which are often the most expensive) often require downloads of 100 megabytes or more, which are nearly impossible to download and install in the allotted time when using a 3G connection. Some developers have responded by marking their games WiFi-only in the Google Play Store (formerly the Android Market) but even then a less than optimal connection can create the same problem.
Google has a hard time balancing the needs of app developers and users. For example, most Android games can be played and completed in far less than a day, making the full 24-hour period something of an honor system. Google claims that changed the policy because “most users return an app within 15 minutes”. Recent changes to the Play Store have allowed developers to host apps up to 4GB, which should at least ease the burden on servers, bu that doesn’t really solve the time problem.
Harris and Sabatin are seeking class-action damages as well as attorney’s fees. Google has yet to comment on the suit.
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