Thursday 1 December 2011

Android Community

Android Community


Motorola DROID OTA update rolling out now

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:55 AM PST

For all you folks still clinging to an original Motorola DROID we have good news for you today. Verizon is all set and has finally started pushing the latest over the air update for the OG DROID. Sadly while we don’t have Android 2.3 Gingerbread rolling out today they are at least continuing to update the extremely popular smartphone with a few security and bug fixes.

The original DROID is still extremely popular and many are just about done with those two year contracts when they bought it and are probably patiently waiting for the Galaxy Nexus to get released by Verizon. We first learned of this update late last month but Verizon now tells us the update is rolling out now and users should be receiving it through the next week. If you’ve somehow managed to not root your device this entire time then go ahead and check for updates and give it a run.

The released notes (below in gallery) didn’t reveal much of anything and only state this is a bug and security fix mainly aimed at a few security issues in the browser. We have a feeling a few more things might be included but Verizon didn’t feel like mentioning them. If Android 2.2.3 FroYo isn’t your thing and you’d rather run Gingerbread then click here. Peter Alfonso will keep your DROID as up-to-date as possible for a long while. Feel free to check for updates by going to settings > about phone > check for updates and let us know if you run into any issues.

droid_fix1 Droid OTA
Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Droid
    Manufactuer : Motorola
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : October 28, 2009
    Release Date : November 05, 2009
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 3.70 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x854
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.56 Inch
  • Width : 2.36 Inch
  • Depth : .54 Inch
  • Weight : 169 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1400 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 270 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP3430
    CPU Clock Speed : 600 Mhz
    Core : 1
    Ram : 512 MB
    Internal Storage : .256 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :5 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via Verizon]

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Verizon Visual Voicemail App for Galaxy Nexus hits the Android Market

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:35 AM PST

Well folks, Verizon might finally be making some headway with the Galaxy Nexus rocking those all important 4G LTE speeds. The Galaxy Nexus will come mostly bloatware free and because of that — the Galaxy Nexus will not launch with Verizon’s popular Visual Voicemail application. I personally use Google Voice but to each their own I guess. Today the Verizon VVM application has hit the Android Market being used on none other then the Verizon Galaxy Nexus.

Back in November we mentioned Ice Cream Sandwich was missing a visual voicemail feature and that is because Google has opened it up for carriers to build their own, exactly as Verizon has done. While we are still waiting for the fancy updates to VVM to hit Google Voice this should hold all you Ice Cream Sandwich users over in the mean time.

Between the leaked pictures and video of Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus yesterday, and this new application hitting the market today we could actually be very close to an announcement and release date from Verizon. Best Buy is claiming it will be available starting December 11th. If that is the case Verizon will probably be announcing the Galaxy Nexus with 4G LTE between now and Monday. Lets sit back and hope that’s the case.

Market Link

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Nexus
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : October 18, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As : Nexus Prime
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.33 Inch
  • Width : 2.67 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP 4460
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 900
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

[via Droid-Life]

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Ice Cream Sandwich hidden feature “Android Dreams” Hands-on [Video]

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 10:56 AM PST

The folks over at Google sure know how to have a good time. From adding Easter Egg’s and random things like the Android Nyan Cat to this brand new “Dream” or screensaver feature that was uncovered in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich yesterday. The guys from Android Police gave us the first look but today I have actual hands-on video with a real device, not a render from the Android SDK. Check out this new Android Dream feature on video below.

Apparently this is a feature that was disabled called Android Dreams according to the guys at CyanogenMod. It’s very similar to a screensaver but also doubles as an Android home launcher. It was disabled in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and they were nice enough to flip the switch and let us give it a try. It’s being called the Rocket Launcher and from my image above and video below you can see all your icons whizzing by in what looks to be space. The fun part is you can tap to slow them down and launch any application you choose — pretty neat huh. Here’s the video:

Android 4.0 ICS hidden “Dreams” on the Nexus S with CM9

I’m running CyanogenMod 9 with Android 4.0 ICS on the Samsung Nexus S in the video above and more details and hands-on regarding that device is available right here. I explain things in detail in the video but just in case here is how you can try this yourself.

Running CyanogenMod 9 (or a port of CM9) simply install a third party launcher like Launcher Pro, then add the activity widget to your homescreen and select launcher from the list of activities. That will then bring up a few launchers of choice and the “Rocket Launcher” is listed — then just click and enjoy. I’m sure there is an easier way and Google might be planning something later with this little tid-bit but for now it’s fun to mess with. According to Steve “cyanogen” Kondik the Nyan Cat can be used the same way and we may see some sort of dreams or screensavers in the future from Google on Android.

If that sounds like too much trouble and you’re running Android 4.0 on a device give the new ICS Rocket Launcher App a try from the Android Market. I’ve not tested it but seems to work ok for those interested.

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Android Design Preview tool mirrors PC screens for live previews

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 09:51 AM PST

Here’s a fun hack that should be useful for Android developers and designers, and at least interesting for the rest of us. If you’re designer who’s working on high-quality mock ups for a new app, seeing how they look on your actual device is a bit of a hassle – you’ve got to save the files, copy them over to the device, try it out, then make changes and repeat. The Android Design Preview tool takes all those steps out by allowing your phone to see a one-to-one pixel representation of your computer screen.

In practice, it works kind of like a tiny secondary monitor. Connect your Android phone to your computer using ADB, then start the tool on your computer. Move the preview window to the editing app of your choice (make sure it’s scaled at 100%) and you’ll see the screen appear on your phone. It refreshes automatically, so you can preview multiple screens or elements, or just watch your phone while you edit. You don’t need a corresponding app for Android – everything is handled over the ADB connection. Developer Roman Nurik has released the program as a free Java app, so it should play nice with Windows, Mac and Linux.

Check it out in action below:

So why is this better than a remote access tool, like VNC or SplashTop? Specifically, the pixel-perfect preview size makes it ideal for designers. There’s not a lot of utility elsewhere, since it doesn’t actually extend your computer screen, but designers with a little technical know-how should be able to preview their creations much faster – not to mention wow a few of their less savvy clients.

[via XDA]

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Nook Tablet owners frustrated over 1GB storage, locked bootloader

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 09:18 AM PST

Barnes & Noble’s latest device, the updated Nook Tablet, has done pretty well in the weeks since its release. Nowhere near as well as that other 7-inch tablet/reader, but certainly enough to build upon the success of the Nook Color. But one group of customers isn’t happy with some of the updates: power users. A restriction on the Nook Tablet’s 16GB internal storage and a locked bootloader has many lamenting their $250 purchase.

Over on Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet page, customer reviews are mostly positive, but sprinkled in with 4-and 5-star responses are angry 1-star customers. The most common complaint is a restriction on the 16GB storage space included in the Nook Tablet. As it turns out, only one gigabyte of space is actually accessible to the user via USB mass storage. The rest is reserved for apps, books, videos and other content… most of which must be purchased from Barnes & Noble. Users can still insert a MicroSD card for external storage, but having the better part of the device’s built-in space restricted restricted is leaving many customers feeling cheated.

Unlike the Nook Color, Barnes & Noble has built in restrictions on the Nook Tablet to prevent tampering with the customized version of Gingerbread that it runs on. Chief among them is a locked bootloader, a hurdle that has thus far proven extremely difficult to overcome, even by the talented Android modder community. This is a surprising move, considering that the original Nook Color was wide open for mods and hacks – it’s even included in the list of CyanogenMod supported devices. While some low-level hacking is possible, including access to the Android Market, complete custom ROMs are a long way off at this point.

To be honest, a locked bootloader on a device like the Nook doesn’t bother me. Barnes & Noble is building the future of their digital business on the Nook Tablet, and their business model relies heavily on presenting their content and their partner’s content in a cohesive environment. In order to maintain that business model, at least some degree of exclusivity – not to mention control – is necessary. Barnes and Noble is selling the Nook Tablet as gateway to its digital retail universe, not a do-all superpowered device for advanced users. The Nook Color was a happy accident in that regard; the company simply didn’t predict the level of excitement the product would engender in the mod community. When Verizon restricts access to the DROID RAZR, they’re doing so to try and sell you a $20 tethering upgrade. When B&N does it for the tablet, they’re trying to stay in business.

The restriction on available space are frustrating, however. Part of the advertising for the Nook Tablet is its prowess with music and video, and restricting customers to a measly 1GB of space is no small matter. It’s true that you could simply use a MicroSD card, but why should customers have to, when they paid a $50 premium over the Nook Color to access “double the space”? Hopefully modders can find a way around this restriction with some partition action in the near future.

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Play it again, Sam: Best Buy may release Galaxy Nexus on December 11th

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 08:29 AM PST

Raise your hand if you’re tired of waiting for Verizon to release the Galaxy Nexus. One, two… we may be here for a while. An internal Best Buy screenshot has made its way to Engadget, showing the big box retailer with a possible December 11th release for the much-anticipated Google phone. This contradicts earlier rumors of a December 8th launch, but then, those rumors contradict all the other rumors that have been flying around.

As the source notes, this may simply be a slightly delayed release for Best Buy – it’s not unusual for second-party resellers to get a late start on new products. Then again, discrepancies over some of the listed specifications cast doubt on the validity of the leaked information… not that Best Buy is any stranger to error. The continuing wait for the Galaxy Nexus, and especially Verizon’s total silence on the upcoming release, has many US customers and potential converts seeing red.

But there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Google was the first to finally show off the LTE model that will be gracing Verizon’s airwaves, and at least one person has an apparently completed retail model for spy shots. “Confirmed” pre-orders on Tuesday, November 29th turned out to be completely and utterly bogus – again, a big thank you to Richi Jennings and Computer World for claiming a second-hand conversation with a customer support rep as a reliable source. The continued lack of communication is starting to make eager customers – not to mention self-referential tech bloggers – incredibly frustrated.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : GALAXY Nexus
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : October 18, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As : Nexus Prime
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x720
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.33 Inch
  • Width : 2.67 Inch
  • Depth : 0.35 Inch
  • Weight : 135 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : OMAP 4460
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :5 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 900
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

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Verizon and Rogers don’t use Carrier IQ, Vodafone and O2 “don’t collect info”

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 07:41 AM PST

The media storm over Carrier IQ’s implicit privacy and security violations continues. Yesterday we contacted Verizon Wireless about the intrusive logging software, and a representative told Android Community that the company does not use Carrier IQ software in any of its products. Canadian carrier Rogers joins them today, also stating that Carrier IQ is not present on any of its devices. A company spokesperson confirmed on Twitter that none of the phones or tablets in their lineup use the software.

Over in the UK, things are a little more nuanced. After being accused of using Carrier IQ’s software, both Vodafone and O2 have issued partial denials, saying that they do not collect user information. Carrier IQ has been spotted on devices for both providers. O2 claims that any data collected is handled by device manufacturers, a statement that seems very much at odds with the research of independent Android security analysis Trevor Eckhart. A Google spokesperson stated that none of the phones in the Nexus line – the Nexus One, Nexus S, Nexus S 4G and the upcoming Galaxy Nexus – use the software.

Android Community has contacted all of the major carriers in the United States for clarification on the Carrier IQ situation. So far, only Verizon has responded – there’s no official word from AT&T, T-Mobile or any other U.S. carrier on the presence, or lack thereof, of Carrier IQ logging. Android enthusiasts are understandably upset at the lack of transparency, and they’re now joined by iPhone users who discovered pieces of Carrier IQ code in all current models.

It’s important to note that statements from Verizon, Rogers, Vodafone and O2 are so far unconfirmed by impartial parties. In the case of Vodafone and O2, it’s basically impossible to know what’s done with captured information once it’s sent out from a phone or tablet. Considering that it may include keystrokes, web history, call history, app use and location data, it represents a potentially huge privacy violation. I remind our readers that this information isn’t necessarily being collected maliciously – Carrier IQ’s software is designed to allow carriers to improve their network performance based on a wide array of metrics. That said, the collection and possible retention of such private data, without notification, is still an unacceptable breach of privacy and security.

We await responses from the other U.S. wireless providers, and will report any news if they choose to respond.

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AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket comes in white December 4th

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 07:11 AM PST

There’s only three phones that use AT&T’s 4G LTE network so far: the upcoming LG Nitro HD, the HTC Vivid, and the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. You can get any of them in any color you want, so long as you want black. But come December 4th, you’ll have at least one more choice, as the Skyrocket follows its Galaxy S II predecessors in offering an arctic white option.

The Skyrocket soundly beat its launch partner the HTC Vivid in our head-to-head review, making it the best choice for anyone looking for LTE speeds on AT&T. That’s not to say that the Vivid is without its charms, but the Skyrocket’s brighter screen, better battery life and screaming 1.5Ghz dual-core processor make it one of the best phones available for AT&T right now. That might change when the LG Nitro HD lands, also on December 4th, sporing a gorgeous 720p IPS display – we’ll see.

The white version of the Galaxy S II Skyrocket is otherwise identical to its more somber progenitor, and will come in at the same $249.99 price tag. If you’re tempted by the glossy new facade, make sure to check out our extensive review. Don’t need LTE? You can save a few bucks on T-Mobile with a white version of the original Galaxy S II.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy S II Skyrocket
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : AT&T
    Announced Date : October 31, 2011
    Release Date : November 06, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.5 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 5.11 Inch
  • Width : 2.71 Inch
  • Depth : 0.37 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1780 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Qualcomm
    CPU Clock Speed : 1500 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

)


LG Android phones get 50GB of free Box.net storage too

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST

When winning friends and influencing people, it’s hard to overstate the effectiveness of giving away free stuff. Box.net seems to understand this, as LG is the latest company to partner with the cloud storage service. Users of all LG Android phones now have access to 50 gigabytes of free storage on their Box.net accounts, mirroring recent moves from Sony and HP.

LG Optimus Slider

To activate the extra free storage, just download the Box.net Android Market app on your LG phone and log in, or create a new account. Your storage should be immediately bumped from the standard free plan of 5GB to 50GB, a ten-fold increase for you manufacturer patronage. Just like previous promotions, the extra storage is tied to your Box.net account, not your hardware, and should stick with you for as long as you keep the account.

LG is the third manufacturer to offer free Box.net upgrades to its customers, behind Sony Ericsson and HP. HP first offered the deal to users of the defunct TouchPad, then Sony followed with all of its XPERIA devices. (Note: the Sony deal may not be activated yet – give Box.net another try next week or so if you can’t see your extra storage.) Between the three of them hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of customers have access to a comparatively huge amount of cloud storage for free, a major boon for Box.net – and reason for its competitors to stand up and take notice.

[via AndroidGuys]

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FIFA 12 launches for Xperia Play and more

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 06:36 AM PST

EA Mobile has announced that the FIFA 12 mobile game has launched for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play smartphone. We learned that the game was coming to the Xperia Play back in August as an exclusive until February of 2012. When the game was announced as a limited time exclusive for the Xperia Play we didn't know exactly when it would be coming.

EA’s FIFA franchise is the most popular soccer franchise in the world and Sony Ericsson has scored quite a coup with landing the game as an exclusive throughout the holiday season. The game will let players play as their favorite soccer stars with famous players like Wayne Rooney and Kaka. This game was developed just for Android users.

As it turns out the Play isn’t the only Xperia smartphone that will be able to get the game during the exclusive periods Other Xperia devices can download the title as well including the Xperia arc S, Xperia arc, Xperia ray, Xperia neo, and the Xperia pro smartphones. The new game promises better gameplay, more depth, updated teams, a new replay system, and new stadium designs.

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Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich spied running on ZiiLABS ZMS-20 reference tablet

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 03:54 AM PST

The ZiiLABS ZMS-20 chips debuted back in May of this year and are aimed at use in tablets running Android. Originally, they were specifically for Android 3.0 tablets, but a new video has surfaced on ARM Devices that shows a ZMS-20-based reference tablet running the coming Android 4.0 ICS operating system. If you have forgotten what the chip is, the ZMS-20 is a 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9 MPcore processor that supports 1080p video playback, OpenGL ES 2.0 3D graphics, and more.

The video that has surfaced shows the tablet running Android 4.0 and highlights certain features of the new OS running on the hardware. The transitions that the OS has are very smooth and fluid on the tablet. From what you can see on the video the tablet is also very good for gaming with smooth graphics that look very good.

The demo also shows same of the photo capabilities of the OS and the tablet platform. The slideshow effects zoom in and out with no apparent loss of quality. You can see the video below; beware the elevator music that plays along though.

[via Google+ @ Nicolas Charbonnier]

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Verzo drops Kinzo price, adds non-GPS version

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 03:09 AM PST

A couple weeks back when the Verzo Kinzo debuted the device was overpriced for the feature set by most accounts. It seems that Verzo got an ear full from the consumers out there shopping for a new phone over the price and the lackluster hardware. Verzo is back with a new video explaining that they have heard the complaints and are chopping the price and offering two Kinzo models for shoppers to choose from.

The two models are the Kinzo and the Kinzo Plus GPS. The original price for the Kinzo was $459 and most agreed that for the hardware the cost was too high. Verzo is now going to sell the basic Kinzo for a more palatable $349 for a bit over a $100 discount. The Kinzo Plus GPS will sell for $384, still cheaper than the original device.

There will be a few folks out there that purchased the Kinzo at the original price that won't appreciate this announcement at all. The good news is that if you bought one of the smartphones Verzo will refund you the difference in the price between what you paid and the new lower prices. Check out the video below to see the official Verzo statement.

[via SlashGear]

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ASUS Eee Pad MeMo charted for January 2012

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 10:29 PM PST

The ASUS Eee Pad MeMo tablet hasn’t received nearly as much publicity as the Transformer Prime, but now we know why. ASUS states the MeMo 7″ tablet will launch January 2012 with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on board. MeMo has been through different hardware and design stages as well, when it formerly appeared with a 3D capable display. They’ve since then scratched that, and will focus more on the paired functionality of the MeMic Bluetooth device to the actual tablet – after all, they do ship together.


The MeMic Bluetooth device can be seen as a wild card really. Not everyone may find it captivating, but it will definitely draw its own crowd. To be successful in todays tablet market that’s really what it takes. With the amount of tablets released monthly, only a few break the barrier to bring something new to the table.

Still no word on an actual price for the duo, but you can expect to see it first on carriers before local store shelves. Considering that ASUS spent so much time on the Transformer Prime, I expect them to do the same with this device as well. They’ll want to make sure Android 4.0 is functioning perfect prior to launch, thus reducing bugs and keeping the ASUS good name.

[via NetbookNews]

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ASUS Transformer Prime Official Hands-on

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 10:00 PM PST

Who’s ready for the Prime? The wait is almost over and today we’ll be giving everyone a look at the first quad-core tablet ever — the ASUS Transformer Prime. We’ve talked about it plenty but now it’s here we finally get to enjoy that quad-core power thanks to the superchip NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor under the hood. It’s been seen a few times in the wild and even running Android 4.0 ICS but today we have the actual retail product that you’ll all be able to purchase soon. When I say soon I mean December 19th. Yup that is the official date, not the 8th. Head on down past the break for plenty of pictures, videos and more information on that release date.

Oh man, I must start by telling everyone that we at Android Community are quite excited for this amazing new powerful portable device from ASUS and NVIDIA. Thankfully we were able to get our paws on it and give our readers a closer look. I don’t think I really need to run down the spec list but here they are. Rocking a brilliant and extremely bright 10.1″ Super IPS+ display with a 1280 x 800 resolution. If you were wondering how it compares to the original then yes — the display is even better. We have an amazing 8MP camera on the rear with LED flash and a 2MP shooter around front to chat with friends and family, all wrapped in a brushed radial-spun aluminum shell rocking a grey or champagne color.

We have a wide array of ports including micro-HDMI, micro-SD, micro-USB and more but the main act in this show is all under the hood — and that is the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor. It actually has four main processing cores and a fifth companion core to do all the light jobs while saving battery. Making this powerhouse tablet last for up to 12 hours of decent to heavy usage. This slate has been talked about plenty over the course of the past few months and all the details are available from our official announcement.

prime back prime corner P1170347wtmk

Many planning on making this purchase might also have the original Transformer tablet so we’ll quickly compare the two in this first video, show you a few of the new things, then get into the hardware on our second video below. So for now just sit back and enjoy.

Obviously you can see for yourself in our videos this device looks stunning. It’s super thin coming in at only 8.3mm thick (that is thinner than the Galaxy S II or the iPhone 4) while managing all that power under the hood — a truly amazing feat if you ask me. So far everything looks and feels very impressive. While we sadly are running Android 3.2 Honeycomb it is as fluid and quick as ever. Once this bad boy gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich it will fly, I can almost guarantee that.

In general everything looks and feels extremely similar to the original (only faster) as we still have the same OS. ASUS has incorporated a few changes to make things easier for us with the Prime though. We have a toggle for the IPS+ mode on the display, power options to better use or conserve that quad-core processor and more all available in the easy to access notification bar on Honeycomb. We’ve all seen plenty of pictures and product shots so instead our video shows you the hardware a little while showing you plenty of the new changes and that all important keyboard dock.

We’ll break down everything including the keyboard dock in our full out review so be sure and stay tuned for that. This was just a quick hands-on and tease so everyone could at least get an idea of how awesome this tablet really is. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — ASUS has my money already.

You can expect plenty more videos and comparisons throughout the week while we take a look at features, options, and what makes this tablet special — Not to mention a few hands-on videos with the exclusive Tegra 3 games NVIDIA was nice enough to provide. For now though we can’t wrap up a hands-on of a new quad-core device without a few benchmarks. What we have is a quick run of AnTuTu and the popular Quadrant. I’ll toss up the ASUS Transformer Prime quad-core results here and then a few screenshots from the original dual-core Transformer are also in the gallery below.

While Quadrant results weren’t the best I highly doubt it’s been optimized for quad-core devices so we wont look into that much for now although it did score much higher than any Tegra 2 tablet has. The clear winner here is the AnTuTu results. Blazing all four cores to a lightning fast result of over 10,500. The Xoom and other dual-core tablets don’t even break 5k and even faster 1.2 GHz dual-core devices like the Galaxy S II barely manage to get around 6,000 here. Clearly all four cores are working exceptionally well but until we play more games and benchmark this thing in-depth we’ll just leave you with these few awesome results.

bench_prime_antutu2 bench_prime_quadadvanced bench_prime_cfbench

So far our team is extremely pleased with overall performance, feel, and just the entire package. While the original was great, as was its dock — the Prime truly is an entirely new level. It’s thin and lightweight while being super portable and powerful at the same time. The design has a few awesome improvements and I personally love the volume rocker and power buttons are on different bezels. On the Galaxy Tab series I’m constantly hitting the wrong one as they sit right next to one another. There are plenty of good things to say and strong points with this new Transformer Prime but I’ll save the rest for our in-depth review coming in a few days or early next week.

Pricing and availability you might ask — The official and accurate information goes as such: The ASUS Transformer Prime will be $499 for the 32GB model, $599 for the 64GB model, and $149 for the new keyboard dock in the USA. The tablet will be available in Amethyst Gray (like ours) and Champagne Gold, and per ASUS official statement: "Expect retail availability of the unit to start the week of 12/19 or later and etailer availability the week of 12/12 or later."

We took a few more pictures than the usual hands-on and unboxing type of post and you can expect tons of product shots to follow shortly. Enjoy the gallery below and feel free to ask any and all questions in the comments below and we’ll be sure to try our best and answer accordingly.

P1170344wtmk prime back P1170342wtmk P1170336wtmk P1170320wtmk prime corner P1170347wtmk P1170339wtmk P1170338wtmk P1170337wtmk P1170334wtmk P1170333wtmk P1170330wtmk P1170319wtmk screenswtmk P1170317wtmk P1170316wtmk P1170313wtmk P1170311wtmk P1170307wtmk P1170304wtmk P1170302wtmk P1170301wtmk P1170300wtmk P1170297wtmk nvidiaaddedwtmk menuwtmk homewtmk battery_normal_settingwtmk apps2wtmk apps1wtmk apps_minewtmk bench_prime_antutu bench_prime_antutu2 bench_prime_quadadvanced bench_prime_cfbench quadinsidewtmk bench_trans1_quadadvanced bench_trans1_cfbench bench_trans1_antutu
Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Transformer Prime
    Manufactuer : Asus
    Carrier :
    Announced Date : November 09, 2011
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As : Transformer 2
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : IPS+
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 10.35 Inch
  • Width : 7.12 Inch
  • Depth : .33 Inch
  • Weight : 586 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Polymer
  • Battery Capacity : 6579 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 3.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 3
    CPU Clock Speed : 1400 Mhz
    Core : 4
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 64 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :

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Verizon Galaxy Nexus spyshots leak, video clip included

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 09:58 PM PST

Some spyshots of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus have leaked over at Phandroid just recently, and it they look glorious. And to be honest, you don’t notice how different the two versions of the Galaxy Nexus look until you see these photos. It still looks extremely slim from sideshot below, but it’s obvious the GSM version is the thinner of the two.



Also noted was the fact that Verizon preloaded a couple of their own applications onto the device – My Verizon Mobile and VZ Backup Assistant. This is actually big news as well; Google has never allowed a carrier to include “carrier-specific” apps in their completely vanilla Android experience until now.

The metal look really does the phone great justice, and I would even prefer this version over the other. In the video however, the phone seems to change to a darker black color; it could very well be the camera, but even the texture seems to have disappeared. Maybe an official case for the device? Who knows – it’s lookin’ sharp either way.

[via Phandroid]

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Galaxy S II GPS errors recognized by Vodafone

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 08:30 PM PST

Those of you with a Galaxy S II on Vodafone’s network may have been experiencing some GPS connection issues after your OTA update to 2.3.3. This doesn’t strike me as too surprising, as Samsung Androids have had a brief history of GPS bugs. Whats been happening on these plagued Galaxy S II’s is the GPS either takes too long to home in on your location or simply never does. Unlike some carriers Vodafone definitely took these complaints seriously.


As of now, Vodafone stated that users should “still be able to use location services as normal once their device has locked onto the GPS connection”. Though this doesn’t solve the problem, there isn’t much more a carrier can say until they find out more information on the fix. There’s still no word on when the fix may be, but we’ll keep you posted.

For those of you that don’t receive a signal at all, you may want to consider even rooting your device. It will take you some time reading up on the terminology and processes, but will allow you to load a custom ROM or even roll back to your previous firmware (bug-free). Note: IT DOES VOID YOUR WARRANTY. But definitely don’t rush into it, do your research first. For those of you that have experience rooting already, this may point you in the right direction.

[via Talk Android]

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Google hides “Rocket Launcher” Easter egg in Ice Cream Sandwich

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 07:25 PM PST

What’s that? Ice Cream flavored Nyan Cat isn’t nearly enough geeky madness for you? You crave more functionally useless but smile-inducing hidden gems in Ice Cream Sandwich? Then feast your eyes on “Rocket Launcher”, a Star Trek-style starfield full of flying app icons that lives just below the updated ICS launcher.

Between an obscure Internet meme and a shout-out to scifi fans everywhere, Google is easily extending its lead as the geekiest megacorp in Silicon Valley. The Rocket Launcher app is just about worthless as far as actual utility goes – you can’t even access it from any of the normal ICS apps or menus. YouTube user RougeSheep uses a a loophole in LauncherPro‘s custom shortcut engine to quickly access the hidden command. Once the shortcut is tapped, application icons fly towards the user randomly, not unlike everyone’s favorite Windows 95 screen saver. If you’re quick enough you can tap an app to launch it, but you have to wait for the correct one to fly by.

Check out the Easter egg, demonstrated on an Ice Cream Sandwich SDK:

So, what good is “Rocket Launcher?” None at all. It’s absolutely without value for anyone who wants to get anything done on their high-powered Android smartphone. Isn’t it awesome? We’ll be on the lookout for even more ICS goodies as the Galaxy Nexus (eventually) comes to the US and other phones get AOSP ROM builds.

[via Android Police]

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Android 4.0 Open Source Project released for x86 processors

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 07:14 PM PST

Google’s source code for Android 4.0.1 (Ice Cream Sandwich) has now been released for x86 processors, Intel and AMD alike. It seems there are currently some very obvious compatibility bugs that don’t play nicely with Intel chipsets. Sound, ethernet, hardware acceleration, and camera capabilities are currently incompatible. However, developers coding for AMD processors will find that sound, hardware acceleration and WiFi work perfectly fine.


Now that x86 is practically supported by Ice Cream Sandwich, Android’s growth potential remains strong in this area. X86 processor’s within tablets such as the Intel ATOM haven’t seen much love from Android lately, but I do believe support will grow – especially now that AMD plans to put fourth more work into their tablet market. As for running Android on your desktop at home, I’m not sure how much “fun” that would be. Maybe if your rig sported a capacitive touchscreen monitor it would be a bit more practical.

To go about installing the source code, just follow Google’s directions below to access the repo. And even more lucky for those of you working on MSI’s Brazo Tablet, the image file has been uploaded to their source page.

Hi all, The ics-x86 branch based on Android 4.0.1 is ready.
You may download the source as usual: $ repo init -u git://git.android-x86.org/manifest.git -b ics-x86
$ repo sync or from the SourceForge mirror $ repo init -u git://android-x86.git.sf.net/gitroot/android-x86/x86/platform/manifest.git
-b ics-x86
$ repo sync

[via 9to5Google and Android-x86]

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First of many Ice Cream Sandwich tablets appears in China

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 06:59 PM PST

You know the wave of Froyo and Gingerbread tablets that have been coming out of China for the last couple of years? You know the complete lack of Honeycomb tablets in the interim since the Motorola XOOM launched? That’s because Honeycomb hadn’t been open-sourced, so non-Google-sanctioned tablet makers had to make do with earlier versions. But now that the source code for Ice Cream Sandwich has been made available to one and all, cheap tablets running Android 4.0 will be coming in a torrent out of the east. GizChina has a look at the very first one.

The unbranded tablet has a surprisingly solid specification sheet: a Tegra 2 SOC with a full gigabyte of RAM, 16GB of storage and front and rear cameras on a 10-inch frame. It’s very similar to what you’d get for any entry level tablet from Samsung or Asus. The hardware itself definitely looks a little slapdash, but that’s to be expected – the unit on display is pre-production, and won’t be available for some time. Predictably there’s no word on price or release date, but expect this device and many more to show up in some of the low-rent districts of CES. This device and other are probably running on the Rockchip architecture,which has already received an early version of AOSP Ice Cream Sandwich.

We’ll be seeing many, many more ICS tablets in the coming months, and not just from relatively no-name manufacturers. Mid-range hardware makers like Vizio and Barnes & Noble have the same access to ICS’ source code as everyone else, so you an expect either new versions or upgrades for current units. These will likely do without the Android Market and other Google apps, much as previous 2.2/2.3 tablets do. By Black Friday 2012, you’ll probably be able to pick up an Ice Cream Sandwich tablet for less than a C-note…if you dare.

[via TechCrunch]

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DaVinci is the Tegra 3 steampunk-Doom that one guy has been waiting for

Posted: 30 Nov 2011 05:30 PM PST

We kid, we kid. DaVinci THD gets points for originality, at least – the Tegra 3-enabled first person shooter takes place in the Renaissance era. And since guns were just a little more than small cannons back then, it takes a few liberties when it comes to weapons, not to mention environments and costumes. You can see for yourself in new screenshots that have made it to Nvidia’s Tegra Zone.

Previously known as Project Renaissance, the arena-based multiplayer shooter will be released early next year. The visuals are definitely the star of the show here: while they’re not quite as impressive as some of the new Tegra-enabled games we’ve seen lately, the bright, unique visual style makes Da Vinci one to watch. It includes advanced physics models and dynamic lighting, not unlike one of the demos that Nvidia showed running on the Transformer Prime earlier. THe Unreal 3 engine should keep the game nice and smooth, assuming you’ve got the hardware to take advantage of it.

More interestingly, developer Bridea is bringing the game to both PC and Android. While the mobile version is obviously toned down from the desktop version, it looks like most if not all of the gameplay remains intact – an impressive and important step forward for mobile gaming in general, and Android in particular. At the rate at which hardware is advancing, you’re likely to see a lot more dual releases like this in the coming months. By the time The Elder Scrolls VI comes out, we might just be able to go dungeon crawling on Android and Windows simultaneously, with little distinction between them.

screenshot01 screenshot02 screenshot03 screenshot04 screenshot05

[via Phandroid]

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