“Android continues to fire on all cylinders,” notes IDC senior research analyst Ramon Llamas in IDC’s just released report on smartphone operating system market share for the second quarter of 2012. The report reveals Android powered smartphones accounted for 68.1% of all smartphones shipped during the second quarter. Year-over-year numbers reveal the number of Android smartphones shipped in the second quarter doubled from 2011 to 2012, with more than 100 million units shipped this year during the second quarter.
Leading the way for Android powered devices was Samsung which accounted for 44.0% of Android smartphones shipped during the second quarter. Meanwhile, Apple’s share cooled to 16.9% of the market on shipments of 26 million iOS powered units. Although the growth in Apple’s numbers compared to a year ago would normally seem strong, iOS shipments are not keeping pace with the explosive expansion for Android smartphones. This probably explains why Apple is fighting so hard in litigation against Android’s current flagship manufacturer, Samsung.
Meanwhile, stalwarts Blackberry and Symbian both saw their market share slip below the 5.0% level at 4.8% and 4.4% respectively. Market share for Windows based phones crept up slightly and Microsoft may not be far off from taking over third spot in the near future. It would be a distant third though as Android and iOS now command 85.0% of market.
Verizon Wireless recently got rid of the traditional individual data plan offerings in lieu of their new “Family Share” data plans. The Concept is simple, pick your device and the amount of data you and your family will consume. The plans come with unlimited minutes, text messages and allow the user to have up to ten devices to share the data. The new plans originally consisted of only six data tiers to choose from, ranging from a base of $50 a month for 1GB to $100 for 10GB. Heavy users will most definitely end up paying more, while the light user will save money. What about those who use more than 10GB? Verizon has an answer for them too.
On Tuesday, Verizon Wireless confirmed with ComputerWorld they have five additional unpublicized tiers available for their heaviest users, unpublicized until today that is. If you are on a Share Everything plan you can now choose from one of the five additional data tiers: 12GB for $110 a month, 14GB for $120 a month, 16GB for $130 a month, 18GB for $140 a month and 20GB for $150 a month. In terms of devices it’s the same as adding to the lower six tiers; $10 per tablet, $20 per Jetpack/USB dongle/notebook, $30 per basic phone and $40 per smartphone. So, if you and your spouse will consume 20GB in one month, figure $40 per smartphone and $150 for the data, you will get unlimited talk, text, and 20GB of data for $230 for two lines.
AT&T already announced their very similar program called Mobile Share. Their plan will be consistent with those of Verizon Wireless ranging from $40 per month for 1GB to $200 per month for 20GB and $10-$45 per device added. The biggest difference is AT&T will continue to offer their traditional data plans, which Verizon has done away with.
Say what you will about these plans, for the lighter user, they present a good value. I personally favor T-Mobile’s offerings (unlimited with no overages) as compared to going over my data and paying dearly for it. So what about you guys? Anyone going to take advantage of the new additions?
Readers who are fortunate enough to have spent some time using Android 4.1 Jelly Bean are familiar with the Google Now app for conducting searches. The Google Now app lets users speak a question and then get an answer spoken back to them. Basically, the app is a voice-recognition interface similar to the Siri functionality Apple shows off in their commercials for iOS devices. Google has announced that some of the functionality present in the Google Now app will be ported over to the Google Search app for iOS devices, specifically the Voice Search capabilities.
Scheduled to be available in the App Store within a couple days according to Amit Singhal, SVP Google Search, the Google Search app will run on iOS 4.2 or higher. Using their ubiquitous vanilla white interface, users can tap on the microphone icon, then speak their question. The app will return a page of search results and if the answer is fairly straightforward, will “speak” the answer. In some cases, like searches for images or videos, the app will go straight to a tab in the app showing a video or photos. The app is aware of who you are, as in “when is my flight?” will return results for you specifically. Search results can also factor in contextual and location awareness, especially useful when inquiring about locations
Google is stressing that the iOS app is not the same as the Google Now app available for Android devices. Results are not returned using “cards.” The only function being ported is the Voice Search portion of the app. Check out the video below for a demonstration of how the new app works on iOS devices.
Well friends, it looks like we’re about to see another HTC device arrive sometime later this year. While many of you are thinking this will likely be a brand-new device, it’s looking more and more like a refresh of a really good device already on the market. Reports are indicating the new device will be codenamed “Endeavor C2? and will include a faster Tegra 3 processor clocked at 1.7GHz, better battery and urBeats headphones. Additional leaks include the upcoming body of the device being identical to existing HTC devices, which also includes the ability to use current accessories as opposed to launching new accessories. Sound a little familiar to you? Well it should— the original HTC One X smartphone was codenamed “Endeavor”, before its unveiling at MWC earlier in the year. All in all with a fairly similar profile as the original, this upcoming device points to what looks to be a supercharged version of the One X that will be called the One X+ and similar to HTC’s strategy in the past with its Sensation and Sensation XE devices.
The device won’t skimp on software either. Stuff
reports the “Endeavor C2? will utilize HTC’s brand new ClearVoice technology to improve call quality and will also be the first phone to run HTC Watch 2, the latest version of HTC’s video-on-demand offering. Sounds like those two features will compliment the rumored Sense 4.1 and quite possibly, Jelly Bean mighty well upon the device’s release— which should be around the beginning of October in the U.K. if all holds up.
Try to contain your excitement there folks. Try to contain your excitement there.
Google announced today a new experiment with their search results. In addition to the results brought up from the web, users can now receive results from email messages in their Gmail account. The results will show up in a sidebar set apart from the normal web results. It remains unclear exactly how this new functionality may be useful to end users, though I have no doubt someone will figure out a way to make it meaningful.
Along with the inclusion of Gmail results being served up, Google also announced some other features they are working on as part of this experiment in improving search results. They revealed an option for entering a string like [my flights] to produce a nicely formatted page showing flight data. The ability to search Gmail messages is probably integral to being able to then build this kind of functionality. Seeing Gmail results along with web results may just be a consequence of Google’s efforts to build some of these other search capabilities.
Participation in the experiment is only available to users who sign up for it. Two hurdles have to be overcome. First, it can only be used with @gmail.com accounts. Second, only English language accounts can join. Assuming you meet those requirements, you can sign up and at some point Google promises to notify you if you have been accepted and have access to the new search functions. Follow the source link if you are interested in giving the Google Search experiment a spin.
Time for another Cruzer Lite contest guys! I would first like to thank Scotty Brown and Cruzer Lite for providing us some cases to give away to you guys. What’s up for grabs? We have a total of 7 cases to give away, 4 for the Samsung Galaxy S III and 3 for AT&T’s HTC One X. All you have to do is visit our forums post and tell me why you think you need a free Cruzer Lite case. Don’t forget to mention which of the two phones you need it for. Be creative and I will pick the six entries at random for the win. You have until Sunday, August 12th at 11:59PM EST.
A little over a month has passed since the OUYA revealed itself to the world and we’re now into the final countdown in the Kickstarter campaign. During the past month it seems that barely a day went by without another announcement of support for the Android Game Console and today is just another example. World famous Gaming Guru NAMCO BANDAI has partnered up with OUYA in order to bring classic titles such as PAC-MAN, GALAGA, TEKKEN and Ridge Racer. The addition of the NAMCO BANDAI catalogue will be sure to be bolster the growing list of titles available at launch.
The good news just keeps coming too with the announcement that, after listening to feedback from investors, the OUYA will officially support four controllers. Those of you who pledged $90 will still receive a Console with one controller, however if you throw in an extra $90 you’ll get the additional three.
With the steady flow of good news flowing in from OUYA, it’s looking increasingly likely that the plucky upstart might just be a success. Are you planning on picking one up? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Rumor has it that Sprint is planning on launching the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE next Sunday on the 19th of August. Motorola officially announced the phone about two weeks ago claiming a Sprint launch in the “upcoming weeks.” If you’re not familiar with this device, here’s a quick rundown on its specs:
4.3-inch ColorBoost display (assuming qHD – 960 x 540)
1.5 GHz dual-core processor (assuming the Snapdragon S4)
1GB of RAM
8MP rear camera with 1080p video capture
Front-facing HD camera
micro HDMI with mirroring
Sprint ID, offering an innovative way to personalize an Android smartphone with apps, widgets, ringtones and more all, in a single download
NFC
LTE
Minus the resolution of the device, everything else is top tier when it comes to specs. With physical QWERTY-sliders still popular to many people, I’m sure this device will be welcomed. Does this impending device appeal to any of you guys?
It looks like the popular camera company Nikon will soon be announcing their first Android based camera. The model will be dubbed as the Coolpix S800 (S800c), and the specs that you can expect on this will be:
I think this would be great and a smart move by Nikon. Perhaps this could be a first step into seeing some really powerful Android-based camera’s in the near future. Maybe even DSLR’s?
The proposed announcement of this device is on August 22nd and we’ll be sure to relay more information as soon as we know.
Sony recently announced the new Xperia Miro, a 3.5-inch entry level device with a 5MP camera and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is a great device for people not wanting to spend a lot of money and just want a decent phone. Well, up until now we were given no indications as to when the Sony Xperia Miro would be release.
Carphone Warehouse has updated their product sign-up page to show potential buyers they can expect a ship date of August 2012. The phone was announced back in mid-June and looks to be just about ready for prime time! Are you getting one? Hit the source link below to pre-order yours!
Yesterday we reported on an example of someone using a Google Nexus 7 tablet for an in-car entertainment system. Today we have another example of using an Android powered device for a purpose other than as originally designed. This time the tablet is used as the focal point for a homemade arcade cabinet. Readers who grew up in the age of arcades will certainly appreciate the sense of nostalgia of playing a video game on such a piece of “hardware.”
Specific instructions on how to build the actual cabinet were not provided. What we can tell from a couple videos from the creator is that the cabinet itself is only made from around half a dozen pieces and a bunch of stickers to dress it up. Assembly only takes about an afternoon’s worth of time.
The video action is made available using a Lenovo K1 tablet running Mame4Droid. This connects to a Wii Tatsunoko Vs Capcom controller via Bluetooth. The builder’s video shows examples of about 30 games on the device in both portrait and landscape modes.
Enterprising readers who have been struck by an urge to do something similar have a few days to put together plans, assemble a parts list, and make a run to the store, before putting it together this weekend. If you do so, be sure to let us know!
Sony hasn’t really made a huge splash with their phones when compared to the likes of Samsung or HTC, but that may all change with the Xperia Mint, also known as the Xperia T. This beast sports a 1.5GHz dual-core S4 processor, 13 megapixel rear camera, and 720p front facing camera, among other high end specs.
Bulgarian site NixanBal
has published a series of pictures of the T that really shows it off quite well. What we see here is an industrial design that, while not revolutionary or ultra-sleek, is still professional and business-minded.
This looks like a final production unit rather than a prototype, and NixanBal hints that we’re close to an announcement. We presume this to mean we’ll hear something official at IFA in Berlin later this month.
You remember how we mentioned how Sprint would be bringing its HD Voice service to select handsets later this year? Well Sprint has reassessed its strategy and believes it needs to upgrade a “critical mass” of its markets with the necessary network improvements to support HD Voice. That means Sprint will likely make a major push of the service to early 2013, in addition to the limited rollout later this year. Sprint also mentions its HD Voice’s availability will gradually increase over 2013 and 2014 and that it expects a significant portion of its network and devices will support HD Voice by the end of 2014. That means the HTC EVO 4G LTE will have more than a few friends to party with.
No additional news for now, but we’ll be sure to keep you all posted as we hear anything else from the Now Network.
Earlier today we reported that Motorola posted a teaser on its Facebook site indicating a new device coming Friday. While everyone assumed it would be the Motorola RAZR HD due to the numerous leaked photos, it turns out the post on Facebook was actually just a game. Becki Leonard, a spokesperson for Motorola, released a statement: “We’re sorry for the confusion, but it’s a Facebook game asking people to guess a current smartphone and not meant to come across as a new phone.”
It was an easy mistake to make as the post was quite ambiguous to begin with. It asked people to “guess the smartphone” and that clues would be revealed each day until it would ultimately be unveiled on Friday. When Facebook commenters started throwing out the RAZR HD, Becki Leonard denied the rumors and stated, “It’s a phone already on the market. It’s which current smartphone is this?”
I’m sure this news will sadden some folks as the RAZR HD has been an anticipated device from Motorola. Hopefully news of the RAZR HD’s release will leak out soon, and we’ll be sure to inform you as soon as we know.
The music streaming service Spotify has released a version dedicated to Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Spotify is a streaming music service that gives you access to millions of songs and will be welcomed to the popular 7-inch tablet. You can pay a fee of $9.99 to access its premium features such as being able to listen to music with out the need of an internet connection. Other features include:
Access to millions of songsListen offline – no Internet connection required (Spotify Premium members only)Share music with your friendsCreate and sync playlistsSend the music you’re enjoying to Last.fm & Facebook
The actual app download is free so go on and head over to the source link if you’re interested!
First we got offline maps, then indoor maps and walking directions for museums. Now Google Maps gets even better with expanded traffic coverage worldwide. The capitals of Colombia, Costa Rica, and Panama have been added, and a whopping 130 US cities will also be receiving traffic information and estimated travel times. So if you live in Kalamazoo, Michigan or Tuscaloosa, Alabama, welcome to the party!
In addition, Google has improved and expanded coverage in Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Hit the source link for a complete list of all cities covered.
If you’re an avid Android “rooter” and “ROM flasher,” then I’m sure the Nandroid backup feature that custom recoveries offer has been your best friend. It’s essential to perform a Nandroid backup before you wipe and flash your newly desired ROM in case something goes wrong and you need to restore your phone into a previously working state.
If you’re not familiar with how a traditional Nandroid backup works, you are required to turn the phone off and boot into the recovery to perform the procedure. A typical Nandroid backup takes about 4-6 minutes, thus your phone would be nonoperational for that period of time. An XDA developer by the name of ameer1234567890
found that troublesome as he would constantly miss important calls and texts from his family and took it upon himself in creating away to perform a Nandroid backup without having to boot into recovery. Online Nandroid Backup allows the user to perform a Nandroid backup without the need to turn your phone off, thus you won’t miss important calls or texts.
Using the program is actually fairly simple and easy to follow:
Requirements
1. Rooted android phone
2. A terminal emulator installed on phone
3. Busybox
4. A working CWM based recovery installed
5. Some patience
Installation
1. Download and copy zip file to SD card
2. Reboot into recovery
3. Choose install zip from SD card, select zip and flash .
4. Reboot!
Usage
1. Open terminal emulator
2. Type su to obtain root
3. Type onandroid
4. Wait and watch
While this is a wonderful idea, I would still personally recommend performing a Nandroid backup the old fashioned way (through recovery), simply because this is still new and bugs may be present. Either way, this is a great tool and I commend the developer for creating something that is useful for many.
You can head over to the source link for further instructions and download links if you’re interested in giving this a shot!
When is a Nexus not a Nexus? When you buy it from Verizon, evidently. It’s long been a gripe of Verizon Nexus owners that their pride and joy often receives the latest and greatest Android update months after the GSM variant. The good news is that whilst Verizon might be standing in the way of progress, the developer community has got your back (as ever!).
Shortly after landing on the AOSP servers, Android build JRO03L has been worked into a custom ROM prime for flashing to your Verizon Galaxy Nexus or Google Nexus 7. Early reports suggest that the build is seamless, offering the pure Jelly Bean experience just as Google intended. If spending an evening rooting and flashing floats your boat, you can click the link below to get going.
Droid Life
is reporting that a new software soak test is imminent for the Droid 4, which is assumed to be an ICS test build.
It looks like notifications will be sent out via the Motorola Feedback Network, so make sure you opt-in to be among the first to receive the update.
We’ll let you know when we find out exactly what’s in the update.
Flexible electronics that can be mildly-bended seems to be part of the future in mobile devices. A couple of months back, we reported on Samsung trademarking “Youm” for their flexible AMOLED displays. It’s no secret that Samsung has been working on flexible screens for quite some time now, and it wouldn’t surprise me if other companies are on the same track. Flexible devices are now just one step closer as Keon Jae Lee at the Korean Advanced Institute Of Science And Technology has created a solid-state flexible battery that retains its energy level when folded or bended much like the flexible AMOLED displays.
As you can see from the video below, the battery is a thin film-like material that is being bent while its voltage output isn’t reduced. While this is huge progress for future flexible electronics, a timetable for widespread consumer use is still unknown and will probably stay that way for quite some time.
Either way, it’s new and something to be excited for, don’t you think? What do you guys think about flexible and bendable devices? It would certainly be nice to have a device that would be that durable. We’ll all have to be patient until this technology is perfected and ultimately comes into fruition.
You can watch the short video demonstrating the battery after the break.
Lots of people have a love of both automobiles and a love of music. The two seem to go hand in hand. The popularity of the combination drives people to all sorts of attempts to build the ultimate car stereo system. In recent years, a new factor in the equation has emerged – the use of smartphones and tablets to serve as the nerve center for an in-car entertainment system. SonicElectronix recently completed a build for a Dodge RAM that incorporates a Google Nexus 7 tablet into the dash for this purpose.
SonicElectronix has connected the Nexus 7 tablet to an Audison bit one controller that drives the audio equipment. By using the Nexus 7 tablet, you can use the Android interface and apps like Google Music to navigate to the music you want to hear with a few finger flicks on the screen. If streaming music is more to your liking than what is in your library, you can access apps like Pandora or Spotify. More than music is available by using a tablet like the Nexus 7 for the interface. The Google Maps app can be used as a navigation unit. Passengers can use the tablet to watch videos or play games.
Check out the video below to see how the Nexus 7 tablet works as an in-car entertainment system. After you see how flexible and powerful this solution is, you too may want to start hacking up your vehicle’s interior to squeeze a 7? Android powered tablet in there.
If you’re a fan of fantasy football, particularly of the ESPN variety, the official ESPN Fantasy Football app has just been updated for the 2012 season. The app contains everything you need to manage your league, as the list of features from the Play Store page shows:
Team Management: Start/bench players, add, drop, and claim players off waivers, propose, accept or reject trades with other managers
Fantasy Cast Live Scoring and Stats: Real-time scoring and detailed information for all your matchups.
Personalized Push Notifications for injuries, substitutions, and scoring updates.
Fantasy News, Videos and Tweets from ESPN’s fantasy analysts.
View and post messages to your league’s message board
Grab the app for free (ad supported) from the Play Store link or QR code below.
Sharing pictures and videos is something everyone does on a daily basis. Finding a way to do that in a simple and quick manner is always welcomed and sought after. Wi-Fi Shoot is an app that can connect two Wi-Fi Direct-compatible devices together to share photos and videos. The app is fairly simple to use, once the two devices are paired, a tap of a button is all that’s needed to pass the picture or video along.
I love apps that makes tasks simpler and faster to achieve. While this app works great thus far, keep in mind that it is still in beta phase and still has bugs that the developer has to work on. Thus far, the app only works on local media, so you won’t be able to share any cloud-based photos or videos. Wi-Fi Shoot only works with devices that have Android 4.0 and up and is available in the Google Play Market for free. Hit up the break for a download link and a video showcasing the app!
The original Toshiba Thrive 10-inch tablet was expected to get an update to Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich sometime this fall, but a tasty surprise showed up today for Thrive owners. A post on Toshiba’s Thrive forums confirms that ICS is indeed now rolling out, significantly ahead of schedule. Even though Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is the flavor of the month, it’s nice to see Toshiba pushing forward quicker than expected.
Not much of a changelog was posted:
Release 4.0.4 Highlights:
Improved video and audio performance
Improved camera functions
Improved signal strength and connectivity
If you own a Thrive, check for the over-the-air update on your tablet by tapping Apps
, Service Station, then Check for Updates and let us know how it goes!
Apple users will notice more than Google Maps missing from iOS6 when it rolls out later this year. The latest beta versions reveal a standard YouTube app will not be included. Apple says it is a case of the license expiring. What they say may not really be what then think though. This could be another step in Apple’s scorched earth policy to rid iOS of all Google apps. Apparently Apple believes they can overcome user affinity for the YouTube app by providing YouTube access via the Safari web browser.
In response, Google is now working on sorely needed upgrades to their own standalone YouTube app to be made available through the App Store. This may actually be a benefit for users who will likely end up with a better app and YouTube experience now that Google’s hands are not tied by Apple’s requirements for the operating system included app.
AT&T today announced that its new shared data plans will be available starting Aug. 23. The new plans are not -- repeat, not -- mandatory. So if you have one of those grandfathered unlimited data plans now, you'll can still have it on Aug. 23. Here's the breakdown of what the plans will cost you:
Amount of data in plan Cost for data Cost for each device Base total
1GB $40 $45 $85
4GB $70 $40 $110
6GB $90 $35 $125
10GB $120 $30 $150
15GB $160 $30 $190
20GB $200 $30 $230
So, for example, if you had two smartphones on a 6-gigabyte plan, you'd pay $160 a month.
AT&T's also rigged up a little tool that will help you figure out which of these shared data "buckets" would be right for you. (Hit the link below to check it out.)
How cool is this!? Some Android fan decided to take it upon himself to design and build his very own Andy the Android mascot (aka Bugdroid) all out of custom ordered LEGO’S. No, you cant currently order a kit to build one for yourself but if you go and support the proposed project on LEGO’S CUUSOO site, the kit may eventually become a reality.
CUUSOO is site run by LEGO’S that encourages people to design and build LEGO projects from the ground up. As if that wasn’t cool enough, LEGO’S up the anti by posting these projects for everyone to see and if the project gets enough public support LEGO’S will send it into production. Unlike other start-up sites like Kickstarter and IndiGoGo, CUUSOO gains supporters simply by asking people to comment on how much they would pay for the kit and how many kits they would buy. Easy enough, and no money involved! Jump past the break for details.
To support the Bugdroid project simply hit up the source link below and create an account using either your Facebook or Twitter account. Once your all dialed in, click the “support” link and enter a reasonable amount of money you expect the kit should cost. If we can get enough enough people to support the project we could all be building our very own Bugdroid in the near future! Spread it!
If you don’t want to put it in a case but you want to protect it from getting scratched, look into the invisibleSHIELD Full Body protective film.
Protective films aren’t new, but they do offer another way of protecting your smartphone. As long as you realize that a protective film won’t protect against drops and hard hits to the phone – it is worth considering if your main concern is scratching your phone.
InvisibleSHIELD claims to have its origins in the military, protecting helicopter blades from dirt, dust and debris. The bottom line is that this stuff is tough.
What's included
The InvisibleSHIELD Full Body is packaged in a very thoughtful and helpful manner. Everything you need is in the box including:
The invisibleSHIELDApplication solutionSqueegee (to get out the bubbles)Lint free clothDirections
It is worth noting that it is ONLY the front and the back that are protected- not the sides.
Application
It is worth noting that you should allow a bit of time (15 minutes to half an hour) to do this right. It is a bit painstaking to install and may take a few tries to get everything lined up correctly.
invisibleSHIELD recommends that you wash your hands and then wet your fingertips with the application solution (so you don’t get fingerprints on the film.) From there, you gently remove the film from the sheet on which it is attached and you moisten front and back with the application solution. I was a little reluctant to moisten the side going on the phone – but that’s what it said to do.
The tricky part of installation was lining up the holes and cutouts in the invisibleSHIELD with the HTC One X. On the back, I tried to center the cutout for the camera and flash and used them as my guides. I didn’t realize that there were small cutouts for the speaker and POGO pins, so I had to remove the shield, unstick those cutouts (which were now on the phone) and then reapply it.
Once the shield is in place, you use the included squeegee to try to move out the air bubbles and smooth it out. Any excess moisture is wiped up with the included cloth.
Attention to Detail
The InvisibleSHIELD Full Body certainly has every cutout and every port taken into consideration. The idea is that once this is applied, it stays there and can be used with any accessory (including charging cradles and cases.)
The packaging was great, the instructions were very clearly laid out and everything needed was included.
The Warp up
The InvisibleSHIELD Full Body does what it says – it covers the entirely of the HTC One X and seems to offer good protection against scratches and scrapes. That being said, what you lose with this case is the feel of the polycarbonate body on the One X – which is why I love this phone so much. I certainly get covering the screen and think that is a great idea – covering the body on this phone gave what was a premium feel somewhat of a plastic like feel. I did feel better about putting my phone in my pocket – even if I did have spare change or something that could scratch the phone.
The Good
Great packaging
Very good instructions
Protects against scratches quite well
The Bad
Only covers the back and the front – not the sides
Time consuming to install correctly
The Verdict
The invisibleSHIELD Full Body protective film is a compromise; it is a way of protecting your device from scratches without having to “hide” your very cool looking HTC One X in a case. It won’t protect from a fall or hard bang, but it does protect from scratches and keeps your phone looking “like new.”
The August 6 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Seidio SURFACE Case (with metal kickstand) for HTC One X. This case protects your HTC One X from scratches and drops while adding minimal bulk and convenient viewing with its built-in kickstand. Durable plastic is accompanied by soft-touch coating, which enhances the look of your device without attracting lint. Comes in black, blue and red. The Seidio SURFACE Case (with metal kickstand) is available for just $17.95, 49% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping!
Believe it or not, we're at 104 episodes of the Greatest Android Podcast in the World. Miss the live show Thursday night? Then you missed us trying to make sense of Samsung's fall releases. You missed us morning the delay -- or is it the untimely death? -- of Google's Nexus Q. And, as always, we answer more of your e-mails and voicemails.The Android Central Podcast is your weekly peek into the world of Android, where we break down the news that really matters, and explain what's just a bunch of hype. Plus, we answer your e-mails and voicemails. You don't want to miss it. Check out the Android Central Podcast.
It took long enough, but it Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy Note 10.1 for those looking for some stylus action in their tablets. The Galaxy Note 10.1 will initially arrive in a WiFi-only flavor and be available immediately in the U.K., Korea, Germany and of course, here in the States. Those of you looking for some cellular action will be able to score the 3G/HSPA+ and LTE variants of the tablet later on in the year. In case you’ve forgotten, the Galaxy Note 10.1 was scheduled to be released earlier in the year, but was pulled for “minor tweaks” and will now come fully loaded too as it will feature: a 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos processor, a whopping 2GB of RAM, 16/32/64GB storage configurations, an expandable microSD slot and a display capable of 1200 x 800.
While the Galaxy Note 10.1 sure does sound tantalizing— there’s no word on the exact pricing just yet. Oh but don’t worry— we’ll find out soon enough at Samsung’s event next week… which we will be there by the way giving you up-to-date news and details. While you wait for our coverage, why not go ahead and check out the full presser and the cool tablet in action once you hit past the break?
Samsung Inspires a Culture of Active Content Creation, Productivity, and Learning
August 6, 2012
Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 becomes available globally starting in August SEOUL, August 6, 2012 - Samsung announced today the launch of GALAXY Note 10.1, an extension of the GALAXY Note category. GALAXY Note 10.1 is outfitted with the functionality and precision of a pen and paper on a 10.1-inch large display, providing endless possibilities to elevate a user’s creativity, productivity and learning abilities. Featuring an intuitive user experience and armed with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM for enhanced performance, GALAXY Note 10.1 is designed to simplify idea capture, information access, and multi-tasking, making each easier and faster. GALAXY Note 10.1 allows users to express their ideas naturally and efficiently.
“GALAXY Note 10.1 further demonstrates Samsung’s dedication to delivering products that offer a complete mobile experience for creating personalized and expressive content,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “History has shown that taking notes, capturing ideas immediately, and sketching to realize them is the most personal and natural way to be more productive and creative. The advanced technology and features included in GALAXY Note 10.1 give users the power to produce, create and customize communications.”
GALAXY Note 10.1 incorporates key intuitive features and capabilities such as side-by-side multitasking with the device’s Multiscreen feature on a 10.1-inch large screen; Samsung’s unique S Pen experiences including a variety of S Note templates and productive tools (Shape Match and Formula Match); Learning Hub for accessing educational curricula (Learning Hub is currently available in Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China and Singapore, and will gradually roll-out to other global markets) and Adobe’s premium creative application Photoshop® Touch.
True Multi-Tasking with Multiscreen Feature
With GALAXY Note 10.1’s Multiscreen feature, users can effortlessly utilize two different applications side-by-side simultaneously for true and easy multitasking. Users can view Web pages or videos, or launch other applications while writing or sketching ideas with the S Pen on the other half of the screen. Furthermore, users can freely capture and crop images, and paste them onto the other screen to make personal notes and enhance their creativity, productivity and learning abilities. The Multiscreen feature increases productivity and efficiency while users are enjoying multimedia content. GALAXY Note 10.1 brings a new culture of creation through the user’s own notes, and enables an entirely new experience to improve productivity and enjoyment.
S Pen & S Note for Personalized and Organized Note-taking
Featuring its advanced 6.5mm S Pen, GALAXY Note 10.1 is optimized for the creation of personalized and expressive content in the most natural and intuitive way. The S Pen’s feel and functionality are specifically designed for an optimal experience on the 10.1-inch screen. The S Pen is embedded directly in the device and, when removed, automatically launches specially-optimized applications, including S Note, S Planner, Crayon physics, Adobe® Photoshop® Touch, and Polaris Office. Alternatively, users can easily set their preferred application to be launched instantly. For example, S Note can be launched instantly when a user takes the S Pen out from the device. Users can also tap the screen twice while pressing the S Pen button for quick S Note access via the S Note-dedicated widget, which can be easily moved anywhere on the display, never hindering or obstructing creativity or productivity.
The S Note is a unique tool that gives users the ability to combine notes and sketches with other digital content in ready-to-use templates. The Shape Match and Formula Match features help correct and digitize geometric shapes and solve numeric formulas hand-written with the S Pen. The S Note is also integrated with knowledge search engines so that users can search for content, obtain information, and easily drag and drop content onto S Notes without having to switch between screens. Exclusively pre-loaded on GALAXY Note 10.1, the Adobe® Photoshop® Touch application allows users to professionally edit photos with the ease and precision of the S Pen.
Active Learning Experience
GALAXY Note 10.1 is an ideal learning tool that allows users to take notes directly on an eTextbook while watching lectures, or research the Web while writing an essay at the same time. Samsung’s Learning Hub service is optimized for GALAXY Note 10.1, allowing users to access extensive multimedia educational content for all ages. The content includes eTextbooks, video lectures, interactive coaching and much more, and can be shared with multiple Samsung devices. Furthermore, Learning Hub features a learning management system that provides schedule and performance management tools for users of all age-groups to enjoy learning at their own pace.
In Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China and Singapore, Learning Hub service is available at the time of the launch of GALAXY Note 10.1. Learning Hub will be downloadable via Samsung Apps in more than 20 countries by the end of 2012.
Superior Hardware Performance
GALAXY Note 10.1 is designed with advanced hardware technology, including a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of internal RAM. Seamless multi-tasking, high-standard graphics, and blazing-fast performance without any lag are essential features of GALAXY Note 10.1. The device also includes a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera.
Several other features have been added to GALAXY Note 10.1 including Smart Stay, which tracks the user’s eyes to ensure that the screen is always on while being looked at, and Pop Up Play, which allows the user to watch a video anywhere on their screen while simultaneously running other tasks. With AllShare® Play, users can share content with a large group in real-time by connecting GALAXY Note 10.1 to Samsung HD TVs, mobile tablets, laptops, and other consumer electronic devices on the same network. With AllShare Group Cast, users can also share and collaborate on documents, presentations, or images without loading the files separately.
GALAXY Note 10.1 comes in three connectivity options: a WiFi-only version, a WiFi-and-3G HSPA-Plus connectivity version at launch, and a WiFi-and-LTE version later this year. GALAXY Note 10.1 is available in Korea, Germany, the US and the UK while it will gradually roll-out to other global markets starting in August.
Mobint (of Holo Launcher fame) has developed the brand-spanking new Holo Launcher HD for Android 4.0+ devices. While the launcher brings a delicious stock feel to your Android device— it also is modeled after the newly released Jelly Bean OS. The launcher is also fully customizable with the ability to do things like add additional homescreens (up to 9), a nifty scrollable dock and for those of you who splurge on Holo Launcher Plus— some cool desktop gestures and even icon packs if that strikes your fancy.
Again, if you’re on an Android 4.0+ device, but hate those pesky Android skins, be sure to give the new launcher a try. You can find the Play Store link and QR code once you hit past the break.
It’s no secret that Verizon has major intentions to bring its FIOS service to Android devices. We first had a glimpse of this notion when Verizon announced its FIOS app for smartphones and tablets. Then we saw the always Verizon-friendly brand Motorola try to sneak out an Android TV tablet for TV rooms. Now there is actual proof indicating a WiFi-only tablet is on the way for Verizon FIOS subscribers. Apparently FIOS subscribers were sent a survey recently which sought some opinions and feedback of a new device which “may be available in the future”. This device will feature Android 2.3 (sighs)– while allowing users to run a full assortment of apps and of course the ability to stream certain channels. All in all, all signs point to the Corvair finally becoming a reality.
Of course Motorola and Verizon are still trying to see how people feel about the device and whether it’s necessary or not. My guess is that many (if not all) subscribers wouldn’t mind having a new toy to play with. Let’s hope we see this thing sooner than later.
Android Does, the makers of Apex Launcher, have done it again, this time getting you closer to Jelly Bean then ever. Early this week they released a new version of Apex Launcher Beta and it comes complete with the Android 4.1 transitions and the features you have come to know and love. This is because Apex Beta is rebuilt on top of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean based code. You will experience speed enhancements and many other features that JB brought, like auto-resizing when there is no space available, and widgets that auto move when placing them on home screens. Again, this is the Beta version of Apex and not the version that’s currently in the Play Store (ICS based). Hit the break for the full changelog and download link.
V1.30beta (Aug 1, 2012)
Rebuilt based on Android 4.1.1 Launcher:
Fixed icon ordering bug within foldersWhen placing widgets on the screen, everything else automatically moves to make roomWhen they are too big, widgets resize on their own to fit on the homescreenQuickly remove apps/widgets by flinging them to the edge of the homescreenAdded background for widgets in the drawerNew app enter/exit animations (JB only)Switched to phone layout on 7? tablets (e.g., Nexus 7)Major performance boost for homescreen and drawerOther Improvements and fixes include:Unlimited drawer tabs and new drawer management UI (pro)Improved drawer tab switching for vertical drawers (pro)Fixed Play Store widgets on JellyBeanUpdated translationsFixed paid theme (icon pack) issue on JellyBeanLots of other improvements and enhancements
As Apple and Samsung continue to go back and forth in their respectful disagreements with one another, Apple was dealt an irrelevant small setback. If you recall, Apple and Judge Lucy Koh
weren’t too pleased that Sammy released confidential court information to the media and both wouldn’t allow Sammy to use clever movie clips either. As a result, Apple requested Judge Koh lay the smackdown on Sammy— which Judge Koh seriously considered. However, after some deliberations and interviewing jury members to see if they were affected by the leaked information, Judge Koh decided to abstain from any further action regarding this. Apparently four jurors saw the leaked info and claimed it wasn’t a problem at all with themselves. Still, Judge Koh expressed her desire for all the jurors to not read any further information about the leaks and she is quoted as saying this for her reasoning:
“Those remedies are not warranted by the current record. I will not let any theatrics or sideshow distract us from what we are here to do.”
Despite all that, Apple still claims that the leaked information as well as the subsequent Samsung devices has affected the company as a whole. Apple’s marketing lead Phil Schiller
claims Samsung’s design thefts has hurt Apple’s overall profits:
“I was pretty shocked at the appearance of the Galaxy S phone and the extent to which it copied (Apple products,)… I absolutely believe it’s had an impact on our sales.”
Not sure of what to make of this latest development, but just when you all think it can’t get any messier— it gets a little messier folks.
The American Red Cross has decided to make the availability of apps on Android devices part of their mission to provide aid and assistance in times of emergency. They released a First Aid
app a couple months ago to help walk people through a variety of medical emergencies. Now they are following up with their just released Hurricane app.
The Hurricane app is primarily composed of three parts. First, there are several functions designed to help you improve your general knowledge about hurricanes. Second, there are functions related to preparations for hurricanes, such as interactive checklists and instructions for assembling an emergency kit. The third part deals mainly with actual hurricane events. You can monitor the projected paths and other information about active hurricanes (think weather app type info) and get information about shelters in the area. The app includes the ability to post messages to a variety of social media outlets to let family members know your status. If a hurricane does strike and you are in the middle of it, the app even provides some tools like a flashlight and strobe light.
If you are interested in grabbing the new Hurricane app, hit the download link below.
