Android Phone Fans |
- Android 4.4.1 coming soon to Nexus and Google Play edition devices [RUMOR]
- Upcoming Google toolkit will help developers create Chrome apps that also run on Android (and iOS)
- What’s the best Android tablet to buy as of December 2013?
- HTC One successor could launch as early as February, according to UK Judge
- Highly anticipated VSCO Cam now available for Android (Spoiler: it’s awesome)
- HTC One Mini sales banned in the UK following Nokia injunction
- Samsung Galaxy S5 could use metal after all
- Amazon will donate $20 to charity for every Kindle Fire HDX you purchase on Amazon Smile through Sunday
- Meizu MX4G rumored to have ridiculous 5.5-inch 2560 x 1536 display
- Google fixes Glass Store, offers select Explorers a chance to buy second Glass unit
- CyanogenMod 10.2 (Android 4.3) hits stable status, KitKat work begins
| Android 4.4.1 coming soon to Nexus and Google Play edition devices [RUMOR] Posted: 03 Dec 2013 05:20 PM PST
It’s been about a month since Android 4.4 KitKat first dropped onto the scene. Since then, the update has had it’s fair share of hiccups, causing issues on some devices like the Nexus 4 that eventually lead to release of the KRT16S build. What’s next? Well, we’ve seen reports of users having problems with Exchange being broken (kind of a big deal), and there was the whole Google Experience Launcher remaining exclusive to the Nexus 5. Well, perhaps 4.4.1 will fix some of these concerns. According to @LlabTooFeR on Twitter — an Android modder who often gets his hands on leaked software builds — Android 4.4.1 is already heading to the HTC One Google Play edition, coming in hot with build KOT49E. Digging into Phandroid’s own analytics reports, we’ve seen a spike in devices visiting our site over the past few weeks, reportedly running Android 4.4.1…. and Android 4.6.7, and Android 9.9.9 (Android Upside-down Cake). Okay, so this is extremely easy to spoof, along with the location where these devices are allegedly coming from. Fun? Sure. Definitive proof? Not so much.
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| Upcoming Google toolkit will help developers create Chrome apps that also run on Android (and iOS) Posted: 03 Dec 2013 04:09 PM PST
It looks like Google is preparing to release a toolkit that will soon allow developers create Chrome apps that extend, not only run on the desktop, but Android (and iOS) devices as well. The boys at The Next Web made the discovery after stumbling upon Mobile Chrome Apps repository on Github, revealing Google’s upcoming plan to effectively extend beyond the browser. Google declined to comment on their upcoming plans, saying that while they’re not ready to make anything official just yet, developers are more than free to use their tools that were uncovered. Using the new toolkit, developers can modify, tweak, and test their apps for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Once everything is running properly, these hybrid apps can immediately be published to the Google Play Store where you’ll be able to download and install them like any other app. It looks like, for the time being, only Android 4.o+ devices will be supported, with an expected release as early as January of next year. We’ll keep our eyes peeled in the meantime developers can hit up the source link for more info on getting started with Chrome apps for mobile. [via TNW] |
| What’s the best Android tablet to buy as of December 2013? Posted: 03 Dec 2013 03:54 PM PST Earlier this week we talked about what the best Android phone to buy this month was, and now it’s time to go over the best Android tablets your hard-earned money can buy leading up to that glorious Christmas day. This space doesn’t move quite as fast as smartphones, but we’re about ready to head into what should be an interesting holiday season with a few new tablets leading the way. 5 – Nexus 10 by SamsungThe Nexus 10 is quite old, and is rumored to be supplanted by an updated offering at some point in the near future, but as it stands it’s still one of the better tablets to buy. A lot of that is on price and principal — who can say no to a Nexus device? And who can say no to a Nexus device with these specs for $400?
The specs I’m referring to include a 10.055-inch 2560 x 1600 display, Exynos 5 Dual (which is an ARM Cortex-A15 dual-core chipset with Mali T604 graphics), 2GB of RAM, 16-32GB of internal storage, WiFi + MiMo, Bluetooth, NFC, and more. And the fact that it’s already on Android 4.4 KitKat should allow you to buy one of these bad boys with confidence. 4 – LG G Pad 8.3
LG’s G Pad 8.3 jumps to number four this month, and for good reason. Spending a bit more time with the tablet reveals LG really did get the whole “feels just right in your hands” thing just right. Ergonomics aside, the G Pad 8.3 is one fine tablet on all of its other merits, too, with a Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8.3-inch 1920 x 1200 display, 16GB of internal storage, a 5 megapixel camera and more. It looks great, too, which isn’t something we would have said about LG’s offerings from a couple of years ago. 3 – Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 EditionIn our Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition review, Rob Jackson noted some pitfalls of the entirety of the experience, the biggest of which being a laggy user interface when flipping through MyMagazines or trying to use popup apps.
That was enough to keep it out of our first spot, but not nearly enough to kick it out of our top 5. The Note 10.1 2014 edition reads like a fantastic device on paper, with specs being comprised of the following:
Samsung still has yet to address these issues with any sort of software upgrade, so it has taken a backseat to a couple of other worthy devices this month. If you just have to have the S Pen experience and don’t mind parting ways with $550, though, you can’t go wrong here. 2 – Amazon Kindle Fire HDXThe HDX line of Kindle Fire tablets is the latest in Amazon’s series. This changes the game up quite a bit by Amazon’s standards, a company whose modest first step into the tablet arena has since been bested with better offerings each year to follow. The HDX comes in 7-inch and 8.9-inch flavors, giving users a decent balance between screen real estate and portability.
The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX includes 2560 x 1600 resolution, storage options of 16-64GB, 4G LTE, a quad-core 2.2GHz processor (likely a Snapdragon 800), and more. As we all know by now, though, it isn’t the specs Amazon is hoping will win your hearts. It’s the deep integration with their various services, including Prime Instant Video, MP3, Cloud Storage, Kindle e-Books, the Amazon Appstore, and a whole lot more. Content is king in Amazon’s world, and it’s something they have been very good at for quite some time. This is definitely one of the better buys of the holiday season, especially for a starting price point of $229. 1 – Nexus 7 2013This 7-inch ASUS-made wonder slides in at the number 1 spot thanks to that nice 1920 x 1200 resolution (323 ppi), quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16-32GB of internal storage, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, dual-band WiFi N, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and more.
Google really does make it a bit unfair with their willingness to throw profits aside and offer this device up for dirt cheap, but that doesn’t make us feel reluctant or guilty for awarding the Nexus 7 2013 the top spot anyway. Oh, and did we mention you can get KitKat on this thing? Honorable MentionsAmazon Kindle Fire HD It’s not quite as powerful as the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 or 8.9, but the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD still holds its own where it counts. Amazon couldn’t care less about the profit from device sales here, though, which is why it’s so cheap at a starting price of just $140. As with the HDX, it’s all about apps and services for Amazon. Specs include 1280 x 800 resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8-16GB of internal storage, 10 hours of battery life and more. Samsung’s Note series has become the go-to for performance and features in the tablet space, so the more weildy of the bunch — the Note 8.0 — deserves a bit of recognition in the top 5. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0′s HD resolution and quad-core chipset are quite nice, and that all-important S-Pen functionality pushes this as one of the better “small” tablets to consider at the point of sale. This is the latest product from ASUS that will allow you to transform your tablet into a netbook. The Transformer Pad TF701 is a 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 device with NVIDIA’s Tegra 4 processor on board. This powerhouse also includes a 5 megapixel rear camera, a 1.2 megapixel front camera, HDMI-out and more. And when you dock the tablet inside the dock, you’ll get a combined 17 hours of battery life (which is much more than any of today’s Netbooks can claim). Tablets to look forward toHere are just a few tablets to look forward to in the weeks and months to come. None of them are available for purchase yet, and some aren’t even official, but it’ll give you a good idea of what to expect once that ever-difficult purchasing decision arises this holiday seasons. This marvelous phone/tablet combo pack is set to launch sometime soon. ASUS was one of the first companies to make our “use a powerful phone as the guts of a tablet” dreams come true, and now they’ve gone and outdone themselves with the announcement of the Padfone Infinity.
The phone bit includes a 5-inch 1080p HD Super IPS display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of internal storage with microSD, 13 megapixel rear camera with a 2 megapixel front camera, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi N, 2,400mAh battery and more. Dock the phone into the rear of a device that has a 10.1-inch HD display and a huge battery, and you’ve got yourself one of the most powerful tablets, as well. Sounds pretty damned good to me, and worth keeping an eye out for once ASUS makes these available. Motorola DROID tablets Motorola has a tablet or two launching soon. We’re not sure what they are. We’re not sure how they’ll look. We’re not even sure when we’ll be seeing them. All we know is that they’ve confirmed some tablets are in the works, and that one of them will most certainly be headed straight for Verizon’s DROID lineup. With the great work they’ve done with the Moto X and the latest DROID phones, Motorola definitely gets a good deal of our attention. What say you?And that’ll do it for our list of the best Android tablets to buy. Things should be even more interesting by the time we put the next installment out, but take some time to go over the list for December, and think about where you stand on it. Feel free to disagree — we all have our own thoughts and opinions about these sorts of things, so you won’t be hurting our feelings! We want to hear all about it in the comments section below, so have at it! PS: don’t forget that you can talk all about these tablets, and more, over at AndroidForums.com. Be sure to make an account and join the millions of folks currently driving some very healthy discussion over there. |
| HTC One successor could launch as early as February, according to UK Judge Posted: 03 Dec 2013 02:01 PM PST
Rumors surrounding the followup to the HTC One have circling the net these past weeks. With the future of HTC on somewhat shaky ground, some have been wondering on the timing of such a sequel — could HTC be planning to release a full fledged sequel sooner than the usual 12 month time frame? Or might a sequel get pushed back down the calendar in order to give the HTC One Max and One Mini a better chance to gain additional market share? Revealed in the aftermath of HTC’s legal battle with Nokia (over, what else, but patents), some newly discovered court documents are giving us a better idea on what HTC could have planned. According to a ruling published by High Court Judge Richard Arnold, a followup to the HTC One could be released in the UK as early as February or March of next year. While the 1 year anniversary of the original HTC One (March) sounds like a no brainer, you may remember that the device was actually delayed in most parts of the globe due to supply constraints. If HTC could manage to churn out a sequel as early as February — getting the jump on the Samsung Galaxy S5 — it might put them in a better spot than last year’s fiasco. It should be noted that this information still isn’t 100% solid and like most things corporate, is subject to change. But given this judge was presented with evidence not disputed by HTC, that ultimately lead to his ruling, he’d know better than anyone. For those sitting on an upgrade and are looking for a new smartphone this holiday season, you now have a new date worth considering. [via BBC] |
| Highly anticipated VSCO Cam now available for Android (Spoiler: it’s awesome) Posted: 03 Dec 2013 12:39 PM PST
VSCO Cam sample after using a picture taken with my Sony NEX 5R We gave you guys the quick spiel about VSCO Cam yesterday. A powerful set of photo editing tools, VSCO Cam looks to take your Android photography to that next level. Using a sleek minimal interface (more akin to Windows Phone than Android) users can take photos from within the app, apply professional grade filters (not that kiddie Instagram stuff), or further tweak photos using the usual exposure/saturation/contrast/sharpen/etc..
It’s in VSCO Cam’s filters or “Presets”, where the app really shines. Off the bat, VSCO Cam makes available 10 of the more popular filters and for most shooters, this will be enough. Those who really enjoy taking photos and tweaking them will probably look to purchasing their Preset packs, categorized by their different effects (desaturated, instant, portrait, vivid, etc.). Right now, all 16 packs with 38 Presets can be purchased for only $6 (about 50% off and a no-brainer for Android photogs).
Images snapped can be shared to Twitter, Facebook and more directly through the app. Images taken with stock camera found on your Android device can also be imported into the VSCO Cam library using the normal Android share function inside the Gallery app. VSCO Grid — where users can upload their VSCO photo collection and share their photos with others — is said to be coming to mobile in the future. Different from the usual social networks, Grid is simply meant for sharing beautiful photos, not getting trapped in the commenting system featured in social networks like Instagram. My own personal VSCO Grid can be found here.
There is still a key feature missing from VSCO Cam on some Android devices compared to its iOS counterpart. Right now, only a few devices can 2-finger tap when using the camera to separate focus and exposure. This is apparently due to hardware limitations, and not an oversight on VSCO’s part. Overall, we though the app performed great, although the UI — while nice and clean — was a bit too minimal, with no text or hints as to what the icons represented. Also, it wouldn’t have killed VSCO Cam to feature a swipable side menu (which would follow Android’s design guidelines), instead of having to tap the icon to access other settings. Ready to get started on your photo journey? You can download VSCO Cam for free right now via the Google Play link below, just in time for the Holidays.
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| HTC One Mini sales banned in the UK following Nokia injunction Posted: 03 Dec 2013 10:53 AM PST HTC and Nokia are in the middle of a patent spat right now, with the former being accused of violating the latter’s EP 0 998 024 patent in the UK. The patent details a “modular structure for a transmitter and a mobile station,” which specifically ties into the HAAC microphones HTC has been using in many of their latest phones.
The High Courts of England have found that HTC has infringed on the patent, and has such granted Nokia with a temporary injunction on sales in the UK for devices which violate the documents. HTC was able to get a stay of injunction on their 4.7-inch flagship HTC One while they go through the appeals process, but they weren’t so lucky with other phones caught in the crossfire. The HTC One Mini has suffered an immediate ban, putting HTC in a tough spot as they await a potentially lengthy appeals process to be carried out. HTC won’t just sit on their hands while they wait for the courts to make a decision, though — they’re looking to address the issue with the help of their chipset vendors as soon as possible. We’re not sure how long it would take for them to go from research and development on a new component to full production of new models of these smartphones, but it’s going to have to be something that is prioritized if they want to make sure unit sales for all their latest products aren’t affected. We’re still in the early days of this thing, but we’ll be keeping an eye on it to see which path HTC is forced to take from here. Read on for HTC’s full statement to the press on the matter.
[via Bloomberg] |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 could use metal after all Posted: 03 Dec 2013 10:01 AM PST
Trying to figure out when Samsung would be ballsy enough to make the switch to a metal chassis for their phones hasn’t been the easiest of tasks. The company has been rumored to do it for the past two renditions of the Samsung Galaxy S4, and we’ve been disappointed each time. We saw them give it a go inside the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, but that particular device wasn’t sold as widely as the original Galaxy S4. According to new reports, Samsung could finally be ready to make the jump to metal. No, seriously this time… I think. The report comes out of Korean outlet EMSOne, who claims that a Taiwanese company named “Catcher” has been tapped as the provider of the metal for this undertaking. They will be the faucet for the first 10 to 30 million units, according to the report. BYD out of China and Ju Teng out of Taiwan are said to provide the remaining units. It’s no secret Samsung has been a bit hesitant to move away from the plastic they know and love, because it’s been working for them for quite some time (to the tune of them being the world’s top Android smartphone manufacturer by a long shot). It’s understandable that they’ve been taking an “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach all these years, but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t ready for something new. The company tried their hand at something a little different with the Galaxy Note 3, a phone that features a faux leather backplate. It makes for a nice, different look, but it still isn’t the metal piece of wonder we’ve all been dreaming of. Recent rumors say we should be seeing Samsung starting mass production as early as January, so it shouldn’t be long before we find out if they really are ready to move on from the fantastic plastic train. [via SamMobile] |
| Posted: 03 Dec 2013 09:25 AM PST
Amazon has announced a neat little promotion that should make the philanthropist in you happy. For every Kindle Fire HDX you buy through AmazonSmile, you can have them donate $20 to one of your favorite charities. The cheapest Kindle Fire HDX model is the 7-inch 16GB WiFi model with offers, which comes in at about $230. AmazonSmile is the company’s alternative point-of-sale where the goal is to shop knowing you are helping someone out in the process, thus putting a “smile” on your face and those you’re helping around the world. They support tens of thousands of charities, so if you really have your heart set on a specific cause you can help them out and shop ’til you drop at the same time. Be sure to keep AmazonSmile in mind for your next purchase if this sounds like something you want to take part in. If you want to take advantage of the $20 donation opportunity, Amazon’s giving you until Sunday. Go forth, charitable ones! |
| Meizu MX4G rumored to have ridiculous 5.5-inch 2560 x 1536 display Posted: 03 Dec 2013 08:09 AM PST
Display technology is growing at very rapid rates, and 2014 should bring us many interesting breakthroughs. Meizu looks to be the next player to make some noise in that space, with their “Meizu MX4G” rumored to be coming with a 5-5inch 2560 x 1536 display. That gives us a pixel density of about 542ppi. Some might argue that the human eye wouldn’t even be able to make having such technology worth it, with many folks believing anything far beyond 300ppi is overkill. Regardless, it’d be exciting to see just how sharp this display looks up against some of the 1080p beasts of today. We don’t know much else about this phone, though the “4G” in its name does tell us we can expect speeds faster than 3G. But with such a high resolution and Meizu’s reputation for not holding back, we suspect we won’t be disappointed once the full details come to light. [CTech via PhoneArena] |
| Google fixes Glass Store, offers select Explorers a chance to buy second Glass unit Posted: 03 Dec 2013 07:03 AM PST It looks like we’re about to see even more Google Glass units in circulation soon. Google has contacted select Glass Explorers inviting them to buy a second pair of Google Glass for themselves or a friend. This is different from the extra invites program, where Glass Explorers could invite up to three friends to buy a pair of Glass.
The price tag hasn’t changed, folks — it’s still $1,500 — but if you or someone you know have that much money and don’t know what to do with it, this would be an interesting buy. For your money, you’ll be treated to the latest prototype, which will soon support prescription lenses, and comes with a connection to use a mono earbud for improved unit audio. Speaking of those earbuds, Google is reminding folks who had trouble accessing their Glass store that accessories are available to purchase. You can get the mono earbud for $50, stereo earbuds (designed specifically for Glass, and with interchangeable color caps) for $85, as well as replacement pouches, charging / data cables, and the clear shield attachment. Be sure to check your email if you’re a Glass Explorer to see if you’ve received another purchase code. You can find the full email being sent to Glass Explorers below.
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| CyanogenMod 10.2 (Android 4.3) hits stable status, KitKat work begins Posted: 03 Dec 2013 05:52 AM PST
The CyanogenMod team has announced that they have finally hit stable status for CyanogenMod 10.2, which is the release based on Android 4.3. While many of you have been enjoying release candidates and milestone releases for quite some time, this stable release means the device is ready for public consumption, and the CM team will shift focus to the next major version of Android (Android 4.4 KitKat, in case you’ve been under a rock the past month or so). The team says the stable release will come to all the devices officially supported in release candidate 1, though there’s a chance more could be added (whether officially or unofficially) down the line. Despite the team’s new focus on Android 4.4 KitKat and CyanogenMod 11, they have reassured us that security patches and bug fixes for major issues in CM 10.2 will be on the way. With that, we’re being told that folks will have something to flash “very soon,” whether you’re a fan of super stable work or bleeding edge experiments. That’s as close as we’re going to get to an ETA until the team is ready to announce the first bits of release information, so don’t clog their inbox up with questions asking for a release date. Be sure to grab the latest GAPPs package while you’re downloading your stable CM 10.2, and always remember to back your data up before flashing — it never hurts to be too safe. [Download via CyanogenMod] |
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