Tasker update hits Google Play, features new Holo UI for Android 4.0+ users

Back in January, developer Crafty Apps introduced a new beta to Tasker, bringing with it a whole new look. Now the latest version of the app has left the beta stage and officially hit Google Play with the new theme in tow, at least for those of us with Android 4.0 or newer.

For those of you who have never used Tasker, this app is very useful for setting up and performing actions based on user-defined options like time, date, location and gesture. As an example, when you enter into your office, your phone could automatically turn to vibrate mode and then turn back to normal ringing when you leave work for the day.

With the latest version everything you love about Tasker is still there, though it is now basically being split into two different versions. Devices with Android 1.6 and higher will all receive incremental improvements and bug fixes with this update, but only ICS or higher will actually get the new UI.

Those lucky enough to have Android 4.0 or higher will be greeted by 200 new built-in icons each for Holo light and dark. There are also several new states, events and actions in this latest update. For those that are used to the app already and wondering about learning curve in the new version, you have nothing to be concerned about. The navigation and overall functionality hasn’t changed too much, so there won’t be much different in terms of using the app.

So how about it, what do you think of the new app’s look? Impressed or not?

Read More

Real Racing 3 update coming later this spring, introduces new cars and events

 

Real Racing 3 has certainly received a mixed reception since it first touched down to Google Play last month, with most of the complaints surrounding the series switching to a ‘freemium’ model and its somewhat ridiculous in-app purchase system. Still, the game has solid graphics and quite a few features if you can get past its flaws. Soon it will be getting even better thanks to a new update that is expected to arrive later this spring.

The new update will include 100 new events, cloud save functionality across Amazon, Android and iOS and a better notification system. It also has improved leaderboards and adds the Chevy Cobalt SS and Camaro as automobile choices.

Pocket Gamers managed to grab a few videos that give you a better look at what is coming in the update. The first of these videos talks about a new game mode, called “hunter”. Essentially this mode has you hunt down a car and overtake it in a single lap, with them having a headstart.

The next video talks about the cloud game save feature and what kind of sign-in you will need to make it work, mentioning both Facebook and Gamecenter as options. The last simply shows off the Chevy Camaro in the game.

So how about it, are you excited to get your hands on the latest update or are you completely turned off the series thanks to their decision to switch from paid content to free-to-play with in-app content?

Read More

New X Phone rumors surface, won’t have customizable hardware; Motorola will reportedly make a Nexus phone this year

There’s been a plethora of rumors concerning the Motorola X Phone this month. Some have claimed that the X Phone will offers customizable hardware and others have claimed that it’sslated for a November launch. And now another rumor coming from Android and Me is giving us more details about the phone.
This is just a rumor, as we can’t confirm any of this. However, the rumor seems to fall in line with some of the previous reports we’ve seen.
Android and Me‘s sources say that the X Phone’s launch date will be in July. It was originally slated for June, but manufacturing issues have caused a delay. The Wall Street Journalreported on this last year, saying that Motorola was facing “manufacturing and supply-chain management” issues.
The X Phone will have an ‘exclusive” launch in July with a broader launch around Thanksgiving, which falls in line with previous November launch rumors. This could indicate a few things. The device could be sold exclusively online for a time or it may not be available in certain markets until the broader launch in November. If a July launch is in mind, we should hear of it at Google I/O in May.

According to the source, the X Phone will also be user customizable, which follows up with earlier rumors. However, it does not appear that hardware can be modified aside from internal storage. Instead, consumers will be able to customize the design of the phone with some personalized software settings. Buyers will be able to order the device in a large quantity of colors while also being able to modify the material of the outer casing. Buyers will be able to pick from plastic, metal and carbon fiber.
Motorola will also allow buyers to further customize the hardware, but not with the first X Phone release. The company may want the idea to take off before getting into something so ambitious like hardware customization, which makes a lot of sense considering that devices could get very costly very fast.
The source says the X Phone will be a formidable HTC One competitor, but it won’t be a Galaxy S4 or an iPhone 6 killer. The X Phone brand will, for the most part, be marketed as a customizable phone that is able to connect up to a multitude of Google products, such as Google Glass and the smartwatch. Motorola seems to have more of a focus with software than hardware with the X Phone, so it would make sense to not have top-of-the-line hardware.
Android and Me‘s source also says that the X Phone will feature a Motorola logo on the back of the device, which will act as a touch sensitive button that allows you to launch various commands. There is a very high possibility that this could be true.
A couple of weeks ago, Google filed an application for a patent that would put back panel touch controls on a smartphone or tablet. What the source describes on the X Phone is nearly identical to the description of the back panel touch controls patent.
Another source told Android and Me that Google’s smartwatch could be made available around the time the X Phone launches, which would also make sense since the X Phone is supposed to have some sort of functionality between the smartwatch, Google Glass and possibly other Google products. It’s possible that the smartwatch could be an accessory to accompany the X Phone.
In addition to the X Phone, Motorola will be launching their own Nexus device at the end of the year. This device will not be apart of the X Phone brand, but it is interesting that Motorola could be making a Nexus device, as previous rumors indicated that LG could be making the next Nexus device.
Finally, the source says that Motorola will release more Droid phones on Verizon this year, as Google inherited an 18 month line of products when the search giant purchased Motorola Mobility.
The rumor could be entirely fake, as the source wasn’t identified nor can the information may be confirmed. However, if the rumor has any weight to it, we should at the very least, hear Google mention its existence at Google I/O in May this year.
Are you looking forward to the X Phone?

Read More

LG Nexus 4 design updated, now less 

Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the Nexus 4 has quietly received a bit of a design change.
The news of the change was first reported by German site Mobiflip, and has since been confirmed by Android Central, which recently received a Nexus 4 via Google Play that features the newly reported changes.
Okay, with that out of the way, what’s different? On the front-side the Nexus 4 looks the same as ever, with both changes only affecting the back of the smartphone. The biggest change is the addition of two small nubs, as seen in the picture directly below this sentence.

At first glance, you might not think this slight change would mean much. Actually, it is quite a useful adjustment. Right now, the Nexus 4 lies completely flat on its back, which means it is more prone to scratching and even sliding. It also means that your speaker is somewhat muted when the phone is on its back. None of these are probably considered ‘deal breaker’ problems, but they are still annoyances nonetheless.

The next change is one of those “we changed it because we can” design adjustments. The camera lens’ outer ring is now smaller than the original model. We have no clue what practical reason they had for changing this. Perhaps the only reason for the change is purely aesthetics, though it is hard to say for sure.
So how about it, have any of you received a new LG Nexus 4 with these cosmetic changes? What do you think?

Read More

Google Play movies have now arrived in India and Mexico

Recently Google Play Books arrived to both India and Mexico. Now Google is back at it again, this time bringing Google Play movies to both countries. This is certainly a huge jump in services compared to just a few months ago when India and Mexico only had access to Google Play apps.

With India and Mexico added to the list, Google Play Movies now serves a total of 13 different countries: US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, and Spain.

The recent expansion in these two countries is just further evidence that Google is very serious about bringing its expanded Google Play services to as many countries as possible. For those in India, the timing certainly couldn’t have been any better.

Just a few days ago India’s Play Store launched the Nexus 7, and now Google is ensuring that there is plenty of great content available for the newly launched Nexus tablet. Now if only that content also included music, magazines and TV. Perhaps in time it will.

For those of you in Mexico and India, have you checked out the new Google Play Movies section yet? If so, what do you think of the selection?

Read More

Google promises not to sue first, in a new pledge to open-source developers

 

In a show of good faith towards the open source community, Google has just announced its Open Patent Non-Assertion (OPN) Pledge. Included in this agreement is the company’s promise not to sue developers, distributors, or users of open source software utilizing its patents, “unless first attacked”.
Google claims that the reason for acquiring patents for open-source developments in the first place is mainly defensive, hence the decision to adopt a tit-for-tat approach to suing in order to keep the technology available for those who don’t abuse it.
Duane Valz, Google’s senior patent counsel, gave some insight into the reasoning behind the OPN Pledge, stating:

“Open-source software has been at the root of many innovations in cloud computing, the mobile web, and the Internet generally. We remain committed to an open Internet — one that protects real innovation and continues to deliver great products and services.”

However Google isn’t sticking its entire patent collection up for use, the pledge is starting off quite small. Only ten patents so far are included in the pledge, which related to Google’s MapReduce programming model. However the number of Google owned patents which fall under the pledge is set to increase over time.
Google also hopes that the OPN pledge will serve as a model for the rest of the industry, which with any luck will encourage other companies to open up their patents in a bid to foster an environment of trust among developers and to drive technology forwards.

Read More

Samsung’s Galaxy S4 Mini could launch soon after the Galaxy S4

Sam Grobart did an in-depth look at Samsung’s headquarters for Bloomberg Businessweek‘s cover story, and confirmed that the Galaxy S4 Mini will be coming soon after the Galaxy S4′s launch:

The Galaxy S 4 doesn’t come out until late April. It’s fast, has a big, bright screen, and will probably be another huge hit for Samsung, as will the S 4 mini that will go on sale soon after. Yet when discussing Samsung’s immediate future, Lee Keon Hyok betrays zero triumphalism. He’s seen this before and knows that it’s counter to the principles of New Management to derive pleasure from the success of today. “In 2010 it was a banner year for the whole group,” he says, sitting in his 35th-floor office in Seoul. “The chairman’s response? ‘Our major businesses can disappear in 10 years.’ ”

Grobart’s confirmation falls in line with a rumor we reported on last week that said the Galaxy S4 Mini is expected to go on sale during the summer in either June or July. Grobart’s piece doesn’t reveal many details about the device, but Know Your Mobile has posted up additional rumored specs of the Galaxy S4′s little brother.
The publication says that the device be available in 8, 16 and 32GB variants. It will have support for a microSD card up to 32GB and will have an 8MP camera complete with autofocus, geo-tagging, touch-focus and face detection.
A Galaxy S4 Mini would not be a far-fetched move from the Korean tech giant. Shortly after the Galaxy S3 launched, Samsung released a cheaper and smaller phone called the Galaxy S3 Mini. The device wasn’t sold in the U.S., which could hint that the Galaxy S4 Mini might take the same route.

Without confirmation from Samsung, we’d suggest taking this with a grain of salt. However, the pieces do seem to add up.

Read More

Rumor: Sony planning Xperia Cyber-shot and Xperia Walkman smartphones

It looks like Sony isn’t going to be resting on the laurels of its flagship smartphones, the Xperia Z and ZL. Rumors of future Xperia devices have been flooding in over the past few days, including a low-cost 5-inch quad-core smartphone powered by a MediaTek processor, the Sony Xperia A or Dogo, the Xperia UL or Gaga, and the very intriguing Togari, rumored to be a 6.4-inch “phone.”  If true, these phones are slated for a summer release, and now, we have rumors of possible smartphones from Sony that will be out in Q3 2013.
According to a tip received by Phone Arena, Sony is readying three more smartphones which will feature Sony’s impressive Cyber-shot camera and Walkman tech. Here is a rundown of what can be expected from these devices -

• First is a 5-inch Sony Xperia Cyber-shot phone. It will allegedly have the best smartphone camera around, and will feature a sensor size almost equal to the Nokia PureView 808, along with Carl Zeiss optics. Unlike the PureView 808, the addition of such a camera will not affect the design aesthetics of the device. The other specifications are also high-end.
• The second is a 5-inch Xperia Walkman phone which will feature an amplifier chip and every feature that the Walkman technology has to offer. The specifications are also expected to be high-end.
• The third will take on the iPhone directly, with a small form factor and display size, with the camera and other specifications similar to that of the previously mentioned Xperia Cyber-shot.

If all the rumors are to be trusted, we are looking at nine new Sony smartphones in the works! With each boasting a similar 5-inch form factor (except the Togari and the iPhone competitor) it definitely makes  you wonder why Sony would be releasing so many devices with just minor differences between them. Take this information with a grain of salt, but if true, Sony is going the way of 2011 HTC, and we all know how that strategy worked out.
What are your thoughts? Are you excited about the possibility of a Sony Xperia Cyber-shot and Xperia Walkman smartphones? If the rumors are true, do you think it’s a good idea for Sony to release so many devices with minor upgrades between each?

Read More

Sprint’s LG Optimus G might reach end of life status soon to make room for the G Pro

It’s not a secret that LG has always been one step behind its mortal enemy, Samsung, when talking about the Android market. But sometimes it’s like the Optimus makers are not even trying to get ahead.

You can take LG’s late 2012 flagship, the Optimus G, as the perfect example. Despite having the makings of a real blockbuster, the 4.7-incher sold a mere 1 million units in its first four months, according to official statements.

The thing was released in Korea and Japan in October 2012 and then Canada and the US a month later. After that, nothing. No European launch, no nothing. Until a few weeks back, when it was finally announced that the phone was due for a rollout on the old continent. This time, with Jelly Bean out the box.

Needless to say it’s way too late for the Optimus G to make any kind of waves in Europe, but get this – Sprint, one of the two US carriers selling the phone since last fall, might already be planning to axe it. That’s far from official news, but there are a lot of signs that basically set it in stone.

For starters, Sprint held a promo back in February which allowed customers to buy an Optimus G and get one for free. That kind of deal screams sales flop and it’s pretty uncommon to see high-end phones part of such promos. Also, it signals that maybe the carrier is desperately trying to clear out stocks to make room for something else.

But what could the “something else” be? No prize for getting the correct answer there. It’s most likely the Optimus G Pro, which LG unveiled a while ago in Asia and said it’ll launch globally come Q2.

True, the G Pro and first-gen G are pretty different, but, given LG’s not so hot reputation in America, you don’t want to have two of their phones in your line-up if there’s the slightest chance people can get them confused.

And the kicker comes via XDA, where Android Police tracked multiple posts whose authors claim to have inside information according to which Sprint’s Optimus G will hit end of life status very soon. There are even photos to prove it, but naturally you’ll have to take it all with a grain of salt for now.

Do you think Sprint would only add insult to injury in this Optimus G fiasco if it were to pull the phone out of the market just five or six months after its release? Or, given the G Pro might launch soon, is this the right call to make?

Read More

AntTek Quick Settings app: Jelly Bean quick settings for previous Android version

Are you running an older version of Android, but you’re head over heels in love with the Jelly Bean quick settings feature (available starting with Jelly Bean 4.2)? In that case, there’s some good news for you.
AntTek Quick Settings is a new app (that’s free, too), which allows you to get a very similar menu on your smartphone (something like Control Panel, but more complex). Said smartphone just needs to run Android 2.1 or later, and it doesn’t even need to be rooted.
I’ve tried the free app myself on a smartphone running Android 2.3.6, and it works surprisingly well – the screenshots above have been taken on that smartphone. You get a Jelly Bean quick settings-like menu, and the great part is that you can tailor it to your own needs, which, I guess, makes it tempting even for Jelly Bean 4.2 users. I’m saying this because, by using the app, you can add almost whatever you want to the menu (over 75 quick actions, according to the developer’s description), not just what the OS thinks is useful to you.
The only difference is that the area to swipe in order to get your menu is red, for some reason.
A Pro version is also available, adding a few more features, like long-clicking to do more, as well as unlimited actions.
Will you use this app to get a Jelly Bean quick settings menu?

Read More

Galaxy S4 vs iPhone 5: Apple wins the pricing battle on AT&T

When announcing Galaxy S4 pre-order details on Thursday, AT&T puzzled potential Galaxy S4 buyers with that unexpected $249.99 on-contract price.

Probably anybody keeping tabs on smartphone news, us included, expected the handset to cost $199.99 on-contract with AT&T (and every other carrier in the region) at least at launch. After all, that’s what previous Galaxy S models cost when they were released in the U.S., with pricing going down in the months after their launch.

But what’s really unexpected is to see the Galaxy S4’s on-contract price surpass the cheapest on-contract iPhone 5, currently Apple’s latest iPhone model. The 16GB iPhone 5 costs $199.99 from the same carrier, with a similar two-year contract, or $50 less than what AT&T is planning to charge for a 16GB Galaxy S4 model.

So far we have two American carriers going official when it comes to Galaxy S4 pricing, AT&T and T-Mobile – with the latter, both the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 will cost $99 upfront and off-contract, followed by a number of installments of $20/month – and it will be interesting to see how much other mobile operators will charge for Samsung’s new flagship device.

Why would AT&T, or any carrier price, the base subsidized Galaxy S4 model at $249.99? Unofficially, carriers would rather have subscribers choose any smartphone but the iPhone, even if they still need to carry the iOS device in order not to lose customers. So why price one of the most coveted Android handsets of the year higher than its most important rival?

Is AT&T trying to get some of its money that it pays for Galaxy S4 shipments back from future subscribers faster? Is AT&T trying to take advantage of the increased interest in the Galaxy S4 and make a quicker buck off of the first Galaxy S4 sales? We have no way of answering these questions, and neither AT&T nor Samsung commented on the price of the device.

The New York Times reminds us that the Galaxy S4 costs more to produce than the iPhone 5, according to IHS iSupply:

It is unclear why the Galaxy S 4 costs more than an iPhone. Samsung’s last flagship phone, the Galaxy S III, matched the iPhone’s price. Jan Dawson, a telecom analyst at Ovum, pointed out that according to estimates by IHS iSuppli, a components research firm, the parts for the Galaxy S 4 cost more than the iPhone 5’s. The S 4’s bigger screen, new processor and new sensors are adding to its cost, according to iSuppli.

What if it isn’t AT&T’s fault here? Is Samsung simply interested in maintaining its Galaxy S-based profits by hiking the price of the latest model in order to make up for increased production costs? Or is Samsung trying to increase its margins? Whatever the case, the higher the Galaxy S4 cost for carriers, the higher the on-contract price of the device would be. Again, we can only speculate on this Galaxy S4 price issue because we still need more pricing details for the U.S. Galaxy S4 versions.

We’ll have to wait and see what Verizon and Sprint will ask for the Galaxy S4 to see whether U.S. buyers will indeed have a Galaxy S4 pricing issue on their hands or not.

We will also remind you that, at this time, we have no idea how much the Galaxy S4 will cost in the U.S. – we’re talking full price here, for those buyers that don’t like contracts, or aren’t eligible for upgrades. The 16GB iPhone 5 costs $649 in case you were wondering.

Speaking about full prices for the handset, we’ll notice that the cheapest UK Galaxy S4 pre-order price for an unlocked handset is £529.98 (or $804), while the unlocked iPhone 5 costs £529 in the region.

On the same pricing note, a U.S. Samsung contest that lists the Galaxy S4 among the offered prizes, currently lists the retail value of the handset at $650, although before at least two publications noted a cheaper retail value for the device in the rules section of the contest, $579. So we’ll ask again, did Samsung recently raise the price of the Galaxy S4?

In the Android universe, where new Android handsets arrive every few months or so, carriers and retailers often offer good deals even on high-end devices in the months following official launches. So the Galaxy S4 price will go certainly down in the coming months. Is that why carriers and/or Samsung would be interested in pricing the handset at $249.99 on contract at launch?

Comparatively, the latest iPhone generation sells for the same price, with very few exceptions, with U.S. carriers and retailers, from launch until the next model arrives.

Will you be paying $50 extra to buy the AT&T Galaxy S4, or are you waiting for the price to go down? What if other U.S. carriers (excepting T-Mobile) will also ask $249.99 for a subsidized 16GB Galaxy S4?

Read More

HTC One battery test reveals stellar web browsing performance, but sub-par stand-by efficiency

The first fiscal quarter of 2013 has not ended yet, but we already have a good idea what phones will be battling it out throughout the year for the Android crown. You know, unless the X Phone proves legit. Or the Nexus 5. And unless the Galaxy Note 3 will come early enough to leave a mark in 2013.

But let’s just focus on the present for now, because we have plenty of exciting gadgets to talk about. On one hand, we have the Galaxy S4 and HTC One, the primary suspects for the throne, and on the other, there are the dark horses – Sony’s Xperia Z and LG’s Optimus G Pro.

One of the duels that will certainly help some folks decide between the four will be the battery life. Which of these can hold its own the most, despite the stunning Full HD panels and zippy processors?

The first Xperia Z, Optimus G Pro and Samsung Galaxy S4 autonomy results have been in for a while, and now it’s time to add in the equation HTC One’s performance too. Like all the others, the One has been thoroughly tested by GSM Arena to see exactly how much it can last in talk time, web browsing and video playback.

The first number is not exactly impressive, but it’s decent enough to keep the HTC One in the race – 13 hours and 38 minutes on a single charge in talk time. That’s a lot less than Razr Maxx and LG Optimus G Pro’s scores, but it’s very close to the 13 hours and 53 minutes of the Snapdragon-based Galaxy S4.

Some of the notable phones beaten to the punch by the One here are the One X+ (by a mere seven minutes), the Butterfly, GS3 and iPhone 5.

So far, so good for the HTC One, but it’s bound to get better. Much better actually, because the 4.7-incher is the pack’s leader in terms of web browsing autonomy. Not only is the 9 hours and 58 minutes a tremendous result, but it heavily outshines the Galaxy Note 2 and GS4 (both with under 9 hours), not to mention the G Pro (6:40) and Xperia Z (6:37).

Apple’s iPhone 5 is the only device that can come close to HTC One’s performance in browsing (9:56), with even the Razr Maxx left in the dust (9 hours and 12 minutes).

The last part of the battery test is less kind to the One, which ran for a little over 10 hours in video playback on one charge. That’s 10 minutes less than the iPhone 5, 14 compared with the Galaxy S4, over an hour less than the GNote 2 and 400 minutes under Razr Maxx’s performance.

And yet the HTC One is in the leading pack here too, which is why it’s shocking to see its overall endurance rating – 48 hours. That’s how much the phone’s battery will supposedly last if you use it “for an hour of talk-time, an hour of web browsing and an hour of video-watching per day”.

The endurance rating is tied with Xperia Z’s score, but it’s a couple of hours under Optimus G Pro’s result and a full 15 hours (!!!) less than GS4’s performance. How is that possible? Well, it appears One’s stand-by efficiency is pretty laughable.

Hopefully, that’s because of a software bug that will be identified and fixed soon enough, because otherwise HTC will have something to worry about besides UltraPixel shortages.

Read More

OUYA ships to backers, hits retailers on June 4 for $99.99

Things are kicking into high gear with OUYA. After the gaming console was sent out to developers in December, the maker promised that early backers will receive their units on March 28. Right on schedule, we’re hearing that the company has begun shipping out the first batch of the pre-ordered units to their owners.

Those who have received a shipping confirmation from OUYA can expect to see the open video game console arriving on their doorsteps in five to ten days. Don’t panic if you haven’t received any notification, as the team said that it’s rolling out the shipments over the next weeks.

It has also been confirmed that retail stores in America, Canada, and the UK will have stocks of the console starting from June 4. Several big names that you can grab OUYA from include Target, Best Buy, Gamestop, and Game. It will also be available online directly from the OUYAwebsite or via Amazon.

The Android-powered device will retail for $99 in the US, while the UK price is tentatively listed at £99.99. According to Engadget, the OUYA package will include the console unit, one wireless controller, power and HDMI cables, and two AA batteries for the controller.

As a refresher, the console unit itself is equipped with a Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard storage  – though it’s expandable via USB. The list of content partners include Twitch.tv, iheartradio, TuneIn,  XBMC, Plex, Flixster, and more.

If you’re still on the fence about spending your hard-earned money on the OUYA gaming console, check out our guide on the available alternatives.

Read More

iFixit pries open HTC One to reveal its aluminum unibody

There are those that like using smartphones and there are those that like taking them apart! The iFixit team falls into the latter category and this time they have the HTC One in their sights. It seems that prying the HTC One apart isn’t easy and iFixit has given the HTC One a repairability score of 1 out of 10 (where 10 is easiest to repair). According to the experts the HTC One is very difficult to open without damaging the rear case. But there is some good news, not only does the HTC One look great on the outside, it is impressive on the inside too!
After struggling for over half an hour the 4.7 inch, full HD HTC One finally yielded and revealed its impressive  aluminum unibody. HTC has said that it worked hard to create a phone with a zero gap construction, and the HTC One features a completely seamless body. To do this, the unibody is made using an electro-chemical etching process to achieve the perfect fit and finish!

OK, enough oozing over the unibody. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core 1.7 GHz CPU and has 2 GB of DDR2 RAM. The flash memory comes from Samsung and the 4G GSM/UMTS/LTE modem is made by Qualcomm. The final bit of comms magic comes from Broadcom in the form of a single-chip 5G W-Fi 802.11ac MAC/baseband/radio with Bluetooth 4.0+HS & FM receiver.
On the power front the HTC One uses a 3.8 V battery rated at 2300 mAh. For comparison,  the Galaxy S III has a 3.8 V, 2100 mAh battery, while the iPhone 5 has a 3.8 V, 1440 mAh battery. The debate over sealed batteries versus user replaceable batteries is sure to continue especially since the HTC One battery is almost impossible to replace, even by skilled technicians!
Other things to note about the HTC One are its 2.1 MP front-facing camera; its f/2.0 UltraPixel camera powered by a 4 MP backside-illuminated sensor from ST Microelectronics; and its Beats Audio dual-speakers.
What do you think? Does its repairability worry you? Does the impressive unibody compensate for any repairability concerns?

Read More

Android-forked Facebook phone coming on April 4 during special media event?

Facebook will host a new special media event on April 4 during which it will show the world its “new home on Android.” While the announcement is rather cryptic by itself, we can’t but think ofthat HTC Myst handset that’s reportedly being built for Facebook.
This wouldn’t be the first Facebook smartphone, but unlike the HTC ChaCha and Salsa that preceded it, this HTC device could run a new Android OS fork specially designed by Facebook:

This will be a deeper, forked version of Android rather than a Facebook-ified version of Sense.

The mythical Facebook phone has been rumored for quite some time now, but every time it had to answer about its mobile plans, the social network denied that it’s working on such a product. Considering that Facebook is present on probably all smartphones out there, no matter what platform they’d use, having a Facebook phone in shops doesn’t sound like a necessity, but it looks like that’s the way Facebook is heading.
Not to mention that Facebook has its own, photo, calling and messaging apps that could further help users stay within Facebook when using their current smartphones. But that may not be enough for the social giant that wants to meet the profit demands of its investors.
From a different point of view, Facebook seems more and more interested in taking on Google in different other niches, mobile included. Google hit Facebook with Google+, and now Facebook seems ready to be hitting back with its first steps in search but also smartphones. And like Amazon, instead of designing a new OS from the ground up, it could simply fork Android into something that suits its needs. Obviously, the forked Android OS will integrate Facebook’s mobile apps, but it will be interesting to see what kind of app store access the device will have to offer.
Remember though that we’re just speculating at this point, using the available information about Facebook existing products, as we have no solid information on what’s coming in just a few days.

One report does say that Facebook and HTC are actively working on an ad campaign to promote the new product. Instead of focusing on its hardware or software, the companies are rather targeting the user directly, as 9to5 Google notes.

According to people familiar with the development of the marketing campaign for the Facebook/HTC phone, the advertisements are designed to focus on the potential user of the device, not on the hardware or software. As a nod to this phone being a much expanded version of the Facebook application found on iOS and standard Android devices, one of the tag-lines for the device is “more than just an app”.

We have no details on actual hardware features, but the device is said to be “competitive with the current mobile device landscape,” and sources that had access to the device describe it as an iPhone-like handset complete with Home button at the center flacked by “horizontal function keys.” Previous rumors say that the device could sport a 4.3-inch display, but the publication says the handset will be “about the size of an iPhone 5,” thus featuring a 4-inch display.
Other rumored specs for the handset, also presented in older articles, include a 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, 5-megapixel camera and 1.6-megapixel front-facing shooter.
Pricing and launch details aren’t available at this time, but Facebook and HTC are said to be in negotiations with at least a couple of carriers. Is AT&T one of them? If recent FCC documents are to be believed, and the HTC Myst is indeed the Facebook phone, then we could see the carrier launch a Facebook phone later this year.
We’ll thoroughly cover the April 4 Facebook events for you, at which point we’ll have more answers for your questions. Meanwhile, let us know whether you’d be interested in such a Facebook phone, or you’d rather stick with actual Android.

Read More

Samsung Galaxy S4 roadshow schedule to happen in Canada starting April 8

It has been two full weeks since the Samsung Galaxy S4 was first officially unveiled to the general public, and it seems like the excitement surrounding it has not subsided at all. Samsung knows that it would be foolish to not help keep the hype around its latest flagship smartphone alive, and so over in Canada, it has decided to go on a roadshow promoting the said product to the local carriers.
According to an internal memo supplied to the guys over at Mobile Syrup, the Galaxy S4 is set to star in demonstrations that will begin for Canadian telco employees starting this April 8th. It will go on all the way until April 26th, at which time it is speculated that the handset will already be fully available for purchase.
There’s currently no indication of when the Samsung Galaxy S4 will really be made available — or when first in Canada — but a mid-April or end of April release wouldn’t be too far-fetched. And that means that it will be arriving very soon.

Read More

Best Buy Samsung stores will be available in time for Galaxy S4

Long gone are the days when only Apple would get special sections of stores to demo its products, and a serious clue is the fact that Best Buy Samsung stores will be established by the time the Galaxy S4 makes its way into the retailer’s stocks.
The battle between the two giants isn’t taking place only on the market share field; even retail space is something to be contested between them. Samsung is making a huge step, because Best Buy locations will also have Samsung stores, along with the Apple stores it already has, as geek.com has found out.
The move will happen in a first batch of high-traffic Best Buy locations by the time the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available, and the same source says that two aisles in the mobile departments will be cleared to make room for the new, Samsung-branded stores; also, employees who will work there will go through special trainings.
Of course, not only the S4 will be demoed in said store areas – all important Samsung tablets and smartphones will be available there, and, while this only happens for a number of high-traffic stores, the same source says that all Best Buy locations will end up having a Best Buy Samsung store later this year.
What do you think about this idea?

Read More

Sprint Epic 4G Touch can now be upgraded to Jelly Bean through Kies

 

In a surprise announcement, Sprint has now revealed that users of the Epic 4G Touch smartphone can go and upgrade their handsets to a newer version of the Android operating system. To be more specific, the Sprint Epic 4G Touch smartphone can now be upgraded to Jelly Bean, most likely version 4.1, and those who wish to do so on their own phones can get the said update through Samsung Kies.
In the case of most other smartphone models, upgrading to later version of the Android operating system means only going through the Settings menu to initiate an over-the-air (OTA) software download. However, for the Sprint Epic 4G Touch, using Samsung Kies is not only recommended, but pretty much required by Sprint itself. According to information from the carrier regarding the software update, it is “due to file size.”
In any case, this Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update is surely going to be good news for all users of the Sprint Epic 4G Touch smartphone. That is, unless, those users have lost their USB cables somehow and can’t find replacements. In which case, they won’t get in on the update.

Read More

Previous Post

Next Post

Action Launcher Pro version 1.5 for Android adds easy access to widgets

Have you ever wanted to easily access the widgets on your smartphone’s home screen without having to go through the trouble of actually touching the widgets yourself? No? Well, you will be able to do just that anyway, thanks to the latest version of Action Launcher PRO for Android.

Action Launcher PRO for Android is now on version 1.5, and according to the official release notes, it comes with a number of new useful features. The updated software now fully supports 10-inch tablets (including the addition of a dock), works in landscape mode by default for certain devices, allows hiding of text labels for items on the home screen, and boasts a brand new feature that might change the way you interact with your device’s home screen forever.

The newest Action Launcher PRO feature is called “Shutters” and its primary function is to let users access widgets through simple swipes performed on a regular launch icon. Now, instead of actually interacting with the widgets directly, they can be accessed through their standard launch icons and will only appear after users swipe a certain way. This will certainly help save space on the home screen and might just help users find more creative ways to fiddle with their phones and tablets.

The app is already out and available for download on Google Play, and you’ll be able to find it on the source link below. If you’d like to learn more about the most recent changes to Action Launcher PRO, then feel free to watch this embedded YouTube video.

Read More

Facebook Messenger free calls now available outside of US and UK, too

 

Facebook made quite some buzz when it quietly launched free calling through the Facebook Messenger app for iOS and Android. While initially available in the US and Canada, Facebook recently rolled out voice calling in the UK, too, with promise to launch in more countries. If you’re living elsewhere, you would be pleased to learn that Facebook Messenger calling is being rolled out to other countries, as well.
This came as a pleasant surprise while I was chatting with a friend last night. I saw the “free call” button and I know just what it meant. The option can be accessed by pressing the “i” button to get more information about your Facebook contact. The app will tell you if that contact can be reached via voice call, or if the person is not reachable via VoIP. This is indicated by either a greyed-out button or one with a slashed-out phone icon. “Your friend can’t receive calls right now,” it will say. This means your contact is not using the Facebook Messenger app on iOS or Android, or the contact is currently not connected.
Facebook Messenger places calls either through WiFi or your data plan, so it also warns you that it might consume your data plan and you might incur costs if you go over your allocation or if you’re on a pay-as-you-go service. Also, you can only call friends who are also using the Facebook Messenger app and not the full Facebook app itself. There’s no need to update the Facebook Messenger app, as the feature is activated on the server — unless you have a very old version.
Interestingly enough, Facebook has partnered with several providers around the world — especially in emerging markets — to offer free connectivity via Facebook Messenger. I wonder how this would pan out, especially given that the free Facebook messages and calls might eat into these carriers’ regular SMS and voice revenue. I also wonder if this works for international calls, as well, which would be the ideal scenario, given that VoIP players like Skype, Google Talk, Viber and a host of other messaging services, don’t limit calling to within specific locales. Does this signal the end of telephony as we know it? Is this the Facebook “phone” that everyone had been predicting for the past few years?
If you haven’t tried out Facebook Messenger yet, it’s available via Google Play and the iTunes App Store. Facebook has not quite made an announcement yet, but do expect calling functionality to roll out in your locale soon, if it’s not already active.

Read More

Rumor: Amazon smartphone to feature a 4.7-inch display

Ever since Amazon first entered the Android tablet space with the Kindle Fire back in 2011, there has been rumors floating around about the company working on a smartphone as well. Two years later and we’re still waiting for the alleged device that was “guaranteed” to be released in July last year. The speculation has been all over the place, ranging from a“confirmed” order received by Foxconn for 5 million Amazon smartphones, to just Amazonbuying more office space being indicative of the company working on a phone.
While the launch of a smartphone by Amazon can be good, especially it manages to stick to its pricing policies it applied for the Kindle Fire, the eventual availability of the device is still unconfirmed, but that hasn’t slowed the rumors down any. A Digitimes report three weeks back suggested that the initial Q2 2013 release of the smartphone will be pushed back, according to sources. Now, another report by Digitimes says that according to industry supply chain sources, the Amazon smartphone (Kindle phone?) will feature a 4.7-inch display.
The sources added that the company was initially considering a 4.3-inch display, but reconsidered after witnessing increasing consumer demand for larger displays. Amazon may also be upgrading other specifications of the device to keep up with the current crop of smartphones. The source also added that this could lead to an even further delay than the previously mentioned release date, since production hasn’t progressed as smoothly as expected.
Remember, this is the alleged display size of an alleged smartphone that will allegedly release by the end of the year. Pass the salt please? All we know at this point is if Amazon does release a smartphone, it will feature the company’s highly-customized Android-based OS.
What are your thoughts? Are you excited about the possibility of an Amazon smartphone? Do you think the rumored display size is the way to go? Let us know in the comments section below.

Read More

InMobi introduces App Publish, allows you to distribute your app across more than 130 app stores for free

Even though we always recommend using only the Google Play Store to avoid falling victim to malicious apps, the growing number of applications on the Play Store makes it harder and harder for developers, especially independent developers, to have their apps discovered. While there are numerous third-party app stores out there, it can be a tedious process to publish your application on each and every one.
Not anymore! With App Publish, brought to you by InMobi, you can distribute your app across more than 130 stores by following a few simple steps. And the best part – It’s free! InMobi, the popular mobile advertising tech firm, lists a few reasons why you should consider App Publish, including -

• InMobi’s platform is pre-integrated with over 130 app stores to enable automated submissions of your app
• One simple online agreement is all you need to do business across multiple app stores and countries
• App Publish uses proven intelligent technology to reduce the cost and effort to submit to numerous app stores with just a few clicks
• You can track downloads and revenue easily from a single dashboard
• You will receive settlements and payouts across app stores from a single reliable partner

According to InMobi, using alternate app stores can bring thousands of downloads for developers, and with so many app store options open to you, it will surely help developers monetize their apps with more success. The long list of app store partners include T-Mobile, Mobango, Optus, and SlideME, just to name a few. InMobi also mentioned that early beta-testers of the App Publish platform have seen a 30% increase in the number of downloads of their apps.
The process itself is very simple as well. After creating an account and logging in, all you need to do is upload your app, select the relevant app stores, upload marketing content such as more information and images of your app, a final review, and you’re done!
You can find out more about App Publish by InMobi here, and also sign up for the service if you’re interested. If you’re seriously considering trying it out, you should definitely catch the “Introduction to App Publish” Webinar next Thursday, which you can register for here.
What are your thoughts? Will you be using App Publish? If you’ve tried it out, do share your experiences in the comments section below.

Read More

HTC One vs iPhone 5 drop test! (video)

If there’s one thing we at Android Authority are famous for (or is it infamous?) is the way we do our drop tests. Yeah, we love to send shiny new gadgets to their premature deaths, which usually involves a stretch of hard concrete and a generous serving of slow motion.

Last year in Hong Kong, our Darcy LaCouvee was in charge with drop testing the Galaxy S3 and the just released iPhone 5. As much as we hated the outcome of that test, we had to give it to the iPhone, which survived the ordeal with just minor bruising. The Galaxy S3 didn’t fare so well, ending up with a shattered screen and a popped back cover.

But the Galaxy S3 was made of plastic. How would an aluminum-built Android flagship do in a drop test?

To find out, Joshua Vergara, our new international man of gadget destruction, took the HTC One, with its snazzy aluminum chassis, and pitched it against the current standard for build quality, the iPhone 5, in an epic drop test.

Just like we did before, in our HTC One vs iPhone 5 drop test we tried to simulate some of the mishaps that can happen in real life. So we dropped the two phones from three different heights – from pocket level, from chest level, and from head level. To top it off, we dropped the ill-fated gadgets face down from head level, in a final attempt to test their durability.

And boy, we broke them. No, I will not spoil the fun, just watch the video below.

There you have it – the first HTC One vs iPhone 5 drop test on the internet. Impressed? Horrified? Which device do you think is better? Let us know what you think in the comments and check out our image gallery below.

Read More