The successor to last years Pantech Breakout, the Pantech Star Q, will be coming to Verizon’s 4G LTE network soon for a low price of $99 on contract.
The device will have Android 4.0.4, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a 4? WVGA (800 x 480) display, a 3MP rear camera, a front-facing camera, a 5-row QWERTY keyboard and Bluetooth 4.0. It’s cool too see that the device will have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the Snapdragon S4 processor, but the display and camera resolution is pretty disappointing. Obviously this isn’t a high...
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Samsung SCH-R940 Galaxy S Lightray 4G headed to MetroPCS
According to the FCC, the Samsung SCH-R940 Galaxy S Lightray 4G (yet another mouthful of a name) will be heading to MetroPCS. According to the FCC filings the device will offer a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash on its back, a 1.3MP FFC, a 16GB microSD expandable memory slot, 4G LTE connectivity and will likely include a single-core 1.3 GHz processor (likely the first-gen Hummingbird).
This device looks eerily similar to the Verizon Samsung Droid Charge that came out over a year ago....
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Samsung’s ChatON app updated, includes Olympic Buddy and other new features
Samsung’s instant messaging client, ChatON, has been updated with several new features. If you’re not familiar with ChatON, it’s similar to other messaging clients like Kik and GroupMe that are also quite popular on Android.
ChatON’s most notable new feature would have to be the addition of Olympic Buddy that will keep you updated in this year’s 2012 London Olympics. You will be kept up to date with daily schedules, medal tables and...
Motorola Infringes on Microsoft’s FAT patent, German Android Devices Banned
The Mannheim Regional Court has ruled in Microsoft’s favor regarding the FAT patent. What is FAT? FAT stands for File Allocation Table, a legacy file system still widely used, mostly for backward compatibility. The German court has granted a request for a ban on all relevant devices, according to Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents. Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, David Howard had this to...
Friday, July 27, 2012
Asphalt 7 Turns Up the Heat as it Hits the Google Play Store
You’ve been waiting for it, and it’s finally here! Asphalt 7: Heat officially hit the Google Play store today and for only one dollar! That’s right folks, $1 is all it takes to get your hands on the 7th edition of Gameloft’s popular racing series.
With claims of 60 licensed cars and over 150 races in 15 leagues, this all points to a very serious experience. And since I already told you the price, you know it’s worth it! Gameloft also mentions...
Sprint Galaxy Nexus update removes local search function
As reported earlier today, Sprint began rolling out an update for the Galaxy Nexus phone. Likely requiring a few days to reach all devices, the update modifies the received signal strength indicator (RSSI), adds support for Sprint TV, and adjusts LTE settings to default to “on.” The update does a little more than that though – it removes local search capability.
For those jumping into the saga at this point, the local search capability refers...
Official Nexus 7 Cover Now Available in the Google Play Store
We’ve been keeping an eye out for the official Nexus 7 cover to become available in the Google Play store and today they finally landed. Only available in dark grey, a new case for your N7 is going to set you back just over $30 depending on your local tax. This includes $19.99 for the unit, $9.99 for 2-day shipping, and a few bucks for uncle Sam. It seems a little pricey after all is said and done but it could very well be worth it to have some...
Motorola PHOTON Q to hit shelves with unlockable bootloader
Motorola appears to have awakened to user requests for more control over their smartphones in the form of an unlockable bootloader. On their blog today, Motorola announced that they have worked with their partners to respond to market demand for unlockable bootloaders. The fruits of these efforts will first appear with the Motorola PHOTON Q 4G LTE coming to the Sprint network which will have an unlockable bootloader. The final comment on the...
Apple iPad Outsells Android Tablets 2 To 1
As the Android platform continues to grow in consumer’s eyes, so does the number of devices out there such as tablets. According to Strategy Analytics, Android tablets achieved an estimated 7.3 million sales for Q2 2012, which brings it to a market share of 29.3 percent and helps the platform to maintain its position as the 2nd leading type of tablet in the market. The first? Apple’s iPad which achieved 17 million sales for the quarter and gained...
Apple gets a stay on publicly admitting that Samsung didn’t copy the iPad
Remember last week when we told you that UK judge Colin Birss ordered Apple to post on their UK website that Samsung didn’t copy the iPad? I knew it had to be too good to be true because just like that Apple was granted a stay. Apple was not only supposed to post this on their website for a period of six months, but also had to advertise it in British newspapers and magazines. Apple argued that they didn’t want to advertise for Samsung and the...
NFC could be the next big security exploit
Everyone is looking for something to put fear into people and the latest is NFC. Security researcher Charlie Miller recently showed flaws in the way Android (and MeeGo) handles NFC. He designed an NFC tag that was able to execute malicious code on a device. Obviously this tag could be place anywhere like a point-of-sale terminal.
The issue is not NFC in general, but more of the software implementation. The Android Beam specification allows NFC...
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Sprint Galaxy Nexus Gets Software Update Rolling Out Starting Today, And No… The Update Doesn’t Include Jelly Bean
The Sprint Galaxy Nexus smartphone is looking to get just a little bit better with an incoming software version L700.FG01 update that’s set to roll out starting today. Before you ask—- no the update doesn’t include Android 4.1 just yet, but does include the ability to modify the device’s received signal strength indicator (RSSI), add support for Sprint TV and Wi-Fi and LTE settings will now default to being turned on.
While the update will roll...
New Odin-less root method for Verizon’s Galaxy S III
Over at the XDA Developers’ forum, member Noxious Ninja has come up with a new method to root a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III. This new method was based on a desire to get around some issues users were having after using a previously developed root method. He also hoped to be able to produce something that didn’t require flashing ROMs. In the end, Noxious Ninja was able to modify a root method for an Asus TF300T to work on the Galaxy S III....
Nexus Q Stock Sold Out? Once Again Shipping in 2-3 Weeks
It was only a couple days ago that Google’s Nexus Q was finally listed as “in stock” from the Google Play store and in a blink of an eye she’s gone again. Whether the demand was so high that stock was drained almost overnight or there was some sort of production glitch, either way, the social media streamer is once again listed as shipping “soon.” If you have been holding out on ordering a new Nexus Q it looks like you are going to have...
Sony LT30p ‘Mint’ Smartphone Outed and Outlined
While Sony has been quietly at work developing devices like the LT29i, we now see other devices it’s had up its sleeve in full fruition. A complete preview of a device called the LT30p (also known as ‘Mint’) has surfaced and gives Sony fans a look of what will be Sony’s next premium smartphone. The Sony LT30p will feature Android 4.0 and have a 4.6-inch (1280 x 720) display with on-screen buttons, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 chipset, 1GB RAM,...
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
ASUS updating Padfone to Android 4.0.4; Improved camera software and bug fixes
ASUS has updated their Padfone to software version 9.20.1.22. While it doesn’t bring the device to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, it does bring it to Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. The update brings several bug fixes and optimizations in the power consumption and camera department. Support for 64GB SD cards will also implemented along with a new Super Note function with handwriting recognition.
ASUS will be pushing the update via OTA, although...
Amazon Kindle Fire To Be Reduced To $169 After Kindle Fire 2 Launches?
This is hardly a surprise, but DealNews is reporting that Amazon’s Kindle Fire will experience a price drop to $169 after the new Kindle Fire 2 launches later this year. Amazon has a history of keeping older kindles around, at lower price points, when newer ones are released. According to DealNews, the Kindle Fire 2 will slide into the $199 price point.
This tactic is similar to how Apple positions its older iPads and iPhones when new versions...
Motorola Xoom WiFi Soak Test Confirms What We Already Knew: Update Includes Android 4.1.1 And All That Buttery Goodness
Well friends, the unofficial Nexus Google Developer tablet has just become a whole lot smoother and buttery. How, you ask? You all remember how we told you about a certain colorful, yet buttery test run that was imminent for certain Motorola Xoom owners? Well the test run has begun and according to our sources, the new update is being pushed to owners of the device which confirms what we already knew, Jelly Bean is officially on the Xoom WiFi....
Samsung Rolls Out New Update For International Version Of The Galaxy S III, Quietly Removes Local Search Function In The Process
Hot off the heels of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus fiasco, it seems as if Apple has indirectly had its way again, this time seen in a recent OTA update for the international version of the Samsung Galaxy S III (I9300 model). Following suit of the Stateside models from carriers like AT&T and Sprint, reports are coming in that Samsung is pushing out an update which includes the new software version is known as XXBLG6, while the baseband included...
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Verizon’s LG VS930 Renders Leaked: It’s The LG Spectrum 2
The sources over at TechnoBuffalo have leaked renders of the LG VS930, which we already saw pass through the FCC. The source also confirms that this is in fact the LG Spectrum 2, destined for Verizon. So what are the specs we know of?
4.7-inch “True HD IPS” display (1280 x 720)
1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 SoC
1GB of RAM
8MP rear camera
16GB of built-in storage
Global radio support (GSM/UMTS/CDMA/LTE)
NFC (with programmable...
ZTE N880E to relaunch with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in China
Today ZTE announced they will re-release the ZTE N880E. This is the first device in China (third in the world) to launch with pure 4.1 Jelly Bean, and just days after Jelly Bean was launched into the wild.
Back in May, the N880E launched with 2.3 Gingerbread and has already sold more then one million units. This could be why ZTE is relaunching, pure popularity…or it could be about marketing, but we can only speculate on the intentions of the...
Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi Soak Test To Begin Tonight: Jelly Bean Incoming?
We already knew about the upcoming Motorola Xoom soak test and now we have confirmation that it will begin very soon… possibly as soon as tonight. Members of the Motorola Feedback Network are receiving emails that pretty much state that it’s coming any time now. Though the email does not specifically state this is the Jelly Bean update, our sources tell us that it is. Of course, that should not be a surprise to anyone considering the Xoom is...
Leaked Image Shows Verizon Galaxy Nexus Due to Receive another ICS Update
Looks like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus will receive an OTA update soon. Update “IMM76Q” is still Ice Cream Sandwhich but looks to bring a new baseband and software version. Any other news regarding this would be speculation, although, we think Verizon may be removing unified search results to avoid conflict with Apple.
In addition, you may have already seen the IMM76Q tag somewhere, that’s because its been rumored for about a month. One user reported...
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Verizon Galaxy S III To Receive Update to VRLG1, Removes Unified Search and Updates Kernel
If you are a Verizon subscriber and own a Samsung Galaxy S III, you may be receiving an update soon. This is meant to update the kernel and to dumb down the search capabilities of the device. As we have already seen, Samsung has been pushing the same update to both the Sprint and AT&T Galaxy S III.
When we talk about “dumbing down search capabilities” this is what you should expect. Currently, when you search via the search bar, it returns...
Photo Of Sprint’s Upcoming LG “Cayenne” LS860 QWERTY Slider Leaked
A couple of months ago we covered an upcoming QWERTY slider known as the LG Cayenne (LS860) that is heading to Sprint. Today, a new photo of that device obtained by evleaks has surfaced and shows us 3 physical capacitive buttons and running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The device will contain a dual-core MSM9860 Snapdragon S4 processor, which we all know by now is no slouch. The disappointing part is that the device will sport a WVGA resolution....
Could the Galaxy Note II sport a 1.6Ghz quad-core Exynos processor?
What exactly is the Samsung GT-N7100? I’ll tell you what we know. We know that it has a Exynos 4412 processor with Mali 400 graphics, we also know that the screen resolution is 1280 x 720 with a 16:9 aspect ratio and finally we know that the device is currently running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. The reason we know all of this is that a device labelled GT-N7100 has appeared on GLBenchmark listing the aforementioned specifications.
So why...
Friday, July 20, 2012
Dead Trigger Update Incoming; Brings Adreno-205 support, new guns, new zombies, and much more
Madfinger Games’ newest mobile gaming masterpiece Dead Trigger is receiving a hefty update very soon. If you haven’t already purchased this gem of a game, then maybe this update will finally persuade you. Dead Trigger is a game with wonderful graphics and set in a zombie apocalyptic world where you shoot up as many zombies as you can while staying alive. Any Walking Dead fans out there?
This update also brings support for devices that don the...
Xperia GX Visits The FCC, LTE And Pentaband 3G On Board
Back in May, Sony gave us a glimpse of the spiritual successor to the Xperia Arc, dubbed the Xperia GX. This 4.6-inch phone will bring with it a 13MP camera, dual-core 1.5 GHz CPU, 16GB of storage, and LTE. The GX has just gone through the FCC and we learned one more thing about it. It will also be sporting a pentaband 3G radio capable of HSPA speeds. Not a bad fallback if no LTE is available.
Other than that juicy tidbit, the FCC filing doesn’t...
LG Spectrum’s Ice Cream Sandwich Update Ready To Go, Awaiting Verizon’s Approval
A little less than two months ago we reported of an Ice Cream Sandwich build that leaked for the Verizon LG Spectrum. Now it seems as if the official ICS update is just around the corner. According to an LG rep over at LG’s support forum, ICS for the Spectrum is very close:
Keep an eye on our “Company Updates” which shows up on the home page
It’s getting very close…can’t wait to get the official word to post it! I think we’re just waiting on...
Jelly Bean For the Nexus S Arrives In Pakistan, Grab the Download Now
Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean for the Nexus S has finally arrived for our friends over in Pakistan! This is great news as the 114mb update could possibly be released to the rest of the world soon. According to an XDA member, Nexus S owners in Pakistan should be able to download the update over the air. If you’re not into waiting, you can also download and apply the JRO03E update directly from the download link below.
JRO03E Download
Source:...
Thursday, July 19, 2012
SDK for Android 4.1 is now available
Google released the Android 4.1 SDK today and it is now available for download. Included with the SDK are revised versions of SDK Tools (20.1.1) and NDK revision 8b. The new tools will let developers publish code up to API level 16 using Jelly Bean APIs. As usual, the SDK is available for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. The SDK and related tools can be installed via an existing installation of the SDK or one can head over to the Android...
Google giving out multiple $25 credits for Play Store to new Nexus 7 owners
As users with Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet are figuring out, when setting up the device to access the Play Store, Google is providing a $25 credit for registering. But the good times don’t stop there. If you do a factory reset of the device and register a new account, including providing valid credit card information, an additional $25 credit will be issued by Google.
It is unclear as to whether this is really what Google intended to occur...
Swiftkey update brings Jelly Bean compatibility
The stock Android keyboard continues to go from strength to strength, the steady progress was further reinforced with a pretty solid update baked into Jelly Bean 4.1. The latest update to the stock keyboard brought with it improved auto-correction as well as a nifty auto-prediction feature that learns your typing habits and appears to know what you’re writing even before you do. Interestingly enough, we first saw these features over a year ago...
National Ice Cream Month Receives Wallpaper by Andrew Bell
Did you know this month is National Ice Cream Month? Andrew Bell is celebrating by releasing a tasty treat for your desktop. The man behind the Android Series 3 Collectibles made a wallpaper showing Androids eating and serving ice cream cones. Jelly Bean has been the hot topic this month, but Andrew Bell decided to honor Ice Cream Sandwich with this wallpaper.
Click on the source link to get the wallpaper in different sizes.
Source: TalkAndr...
Sky’s Now TV Launches on Android, Brings Streaming Movies to Folks in the UK
Here’s some cool news for you UK readers, and only you UK readers. NOW TV’s streaming movie service is now available for Android devices and will allow you to stream movies whenever and wherever you want. If you have the “Sky Movie Pass” you can stream unlimited movies all day long and there is even a nifty “Play to Play” option for those of you who are afraid of commitments. Speaking of commitments, you can sign up right now for a free 30-day...
Update To Google Play Music Brings Improved UI, Playing Queue, and More
You may want to check your app updates because Google Play Music just got an awesome new update. This new version comes with a bunch of new improvements and features such as:
Now Playing queue that allows for queuing and reordering of currently playing music.
New UI for navigation with transport controls on the action bar.
New large album art view on Recent.
Playlist art is now constructed from album art of songs in the playlist.
Now Playing...
Another $199 Quad-Core Tegra 3 Android Tablet… But The Nabi 2 Is For Kids
Looks like Google’s Nexus 7 isn’t the only $199 Tegra 3 quad-core 7-inch Android tablet. Fuhu Inc., makers of the kids nabi tablet, has now come out with the nabi 2 with some pretty decent specs.
7-inch 1024×600 touchscreen
1.3GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 A9 Quad-Core Mobile processor
8GB of storage memory
microSD slot
Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
2MP front camera (720p video capture)
microUSB port
miniHDMI port
4,000mAh battery
Not too shabby,...
Sprint-Bound Samsung SPH-L300 LTE Passes Through FCC
The Sprint-bound Samsung SPH-L300 was first whispered about in May, and now it’s finally clearing the FCC. The specs we know about place this handset in the budget to mid-range, and frankly the specs are pretty good for folks looking for something decent that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
4G LTE
WVGA display
Dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960
1GB RAM
4GB storage
Sure, it’s no Galaxy S III or HTC One X, but it’ll get things done. No word on when...
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean AOSP ROM now available for the Nexus S
Nexus S owners can now enjoy Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean AOSP courtesy of XDA member legolas93. All you have to do is download the files from the below links. After that, make a full wipe of data/system and flash in this order: the ROM, Superuser (Chains DD), and Gapps. As always, for more information, hit up the source link.
Download JB release file
Download JB Gapps
Source: TalkAndroi...
US Launch Of Sony Xperia NXT Series Feels Dated With Gingerbread On Board
We reported last week about Sony’s Xperia NXT series (S, P, and Sola models) coming to the US. Sony announced today that, along with the Xperia S and Xperia P, the Xperia U is now finally available, unlocked and SIM-free, in the States. By “SIM-free”, they actually mean it will only work on AT&T 3G and 4G, so be warned.
Now the issue here is that all three of these phones have been available in Europe for a few months, so they’re not exactly...
Verizon closer to releasing LG Optimus Vu
A couple months ago we managed to get our hands on an LG Optimus Vu device at CTIA. The Optimus Vu is one of those devices falling in between a phone and a tablet. With a 5” screen, the Optimus Vu seems destined to be Verizon’s answer to the Samsung Galaxy Note. Follow the source links after the break for images of the Optimus Vu sporting Verizon 4g LTE branding.
The specs for the device do not seem to be too bad on the surface:
5 inch (1024...
Eric Schmidt On Google: ““We Always Wanted To Be In The Hardware Business”
Google head honcho Eric Schmidt recently stopped by the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho to share with the fine folks in the audience Google’s new Nexus 7 and Nexus Q. While offering a show-and-tell of both products, Schmidt took some time to also share Google’s vision for the future and what it has intended to do all along when it comes to the hardware business. Schmidt highlights:
“We always wanted to be in the hardware...
Featured Play Store Newbie: Task Radar [Productivity]
There are a slew of apps in the Google Play Store for managing your tasks or to do’s, and for those of you looking for something different, you might want to try Task Radar. It’s only been in the Play Store for a few days and is already getting solid user reviews. Task Radar was developed by SockMonkeySolutions, the same folks who gave us Gift Wizard. It’s touted as the first AI to do list. With a simple shake of your phone, Task Radar will automatically...
