Android Community |
- Samsung Galaxy S III has Pentile AMOLED screen
- Samsung S-Voice is a Siri rival for Galaxy S III
- Samsung Galaxy S III coming to multiple US carriers
- Samsung Galaxy S III vs HTC One X hands-on
- Flipboard comes to Android as Galaxy S III exclusive
- Samsung Galaxy S III revealed: 4.8-inch quadcore monster
- Samsung Galaxy S III hands-on [Video]
- We’re live at Samsung’s Galaxy S III event!
- Pantech Racer Vega 2: serious Galaxy S III competitor for Korea
- EA backs off: won’t disable older mobile games
- Bell Canada gets HTC One V now, HTC One S later
- LG Optimus L7 now on sale in Europe
- Kia bundling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with new K9
- HTC Rezound gets a newer official ICS ROM
- The Samsung Galaxy S III: what we know so far
- Toshiba Excite 13 spotted at the FCC
- EA Mobile taking away games you’ve paid for – you don’t own them
- Alt Mounter brings Android USB Mass Storage back to OS X
- Deal Alert: refurbished Acer Iconia Tab A500 on eBay for $239
- Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4.0.4 radios improve 3G/4G [Download]
| Samsung Galaxy S III has Pentile AMOLED screen Posted: 03 May 2012 11:46 AM PDT Sorry, videophiles – that rumor that the Galaxy S III will be using a non-Pentile display turned out to be false. It’s using the same Pentile Matrix technology that previous Samsung phones (among others) relied on. We had heard that the new Samsung flagship would use the sharper and more expensive “Super AMOLED HD+” layout (i.e. a standard pixel grid) but we can confirm here at the Mobile Unpacked event that this is not the case.
If you don’t know what the big deal is, it has to do with the way that pixels are displayed on a screen. The standard pixel grid for LCD screens uses red, green and blue sub-pixels for each pixel, combining the colors in different intensities to create a value for each pixel. In a Pentile Matrix layout, each green sub-pixel shares a red and blue sub-pixel with those around it, creating a picture that’s less sharp. According to some, this lowers the screen fidelity by about 30%, at least on a technical level.
There’s no doubt that the 4.8-inch 720p screen on the Galaxy S III is brilliant, thanks in no small part to Samsung’s Super AMOLED display technology. It’s also got a much smaller bezel and saves on battery life versus the model on the Galaxy S II. But those who have a problem with Pentile displays (a small but vocal contingent) may be better served by other phones, like HTC’s One X with a 4.7-inch 720p screen with a standard LCD. For more breaking news, be sure to keep an eye on our Galaxy S III page. Device Info
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| Samsung S-Voice is a Siri rival for Galaxy S III Posted: 03 May 2012 11:42 AM PDT Samsung has literally just taken the wraps off of their new flagship Galaxy S III smartphone, and we have all the details, specs, and hands-on video. One of the many new impressive features is S-Voice, a Siri rival specific to Samsung’s Galaxy S III. With voice actions similar to what we’ve already seen in Google Voice Actions, but taken a step further.
Samsung has improved on Google’s already available voice actions to take on Apple's Siri with its S-Voice system. Which allows you to unlock the phone with a customizable verbal command, and then instruct it to load apps, set calendar appointments, do searches or other tasks simply by speaking at the phone. "What's the weather for today?", "I want to take a picture" and "Cheese!" are all supported. If you're listening to music, you can tell S-Voice to skip, go back, play and pause, with the Galaxy S III automatically spotting your commands in among the music.
One important feature that is a step above Siri is the fact that with Samsung’s S-Voice you can actually open and launch apps with your voice, not just check the weather and set an alarm. While driving you can launch Spotify to stream music, open Google Maps, and many other things all with S-Voice. This brings total hands-free usage to an entirely different level that Samsung has imagined daily users can truly use and enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, Zooey Deschanel is cute in that Siri commercial, but I want Kate Upton in a Samsung S-Voice commercial then we’ll really be rocking. Check out all of our Samsung coverage, pictures, videos and everything else from the timeline below. Who wants the Galaxy S III? I know I do!       Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy S III coming to multiple US carriers Posted: 03 May 2012 11:19 AM PDT In the hooplah surrounding the Galaxy S III event, Samsung wanted to make sure that Americans knew their new flagship phone is headed stateside. In a short statement, the South Korean company confirmed that at least two versions of the phone will be released in the United States, with both HSPA+ and LTE represented. Samsung did not say which carriers would get the Galaxy S III, but the statement points at availability in the summer.
Here’s the word, straight from the horse’s mouth:
We’re fairly confident that at least one of those LTE Galaxy S III models is heading for Verizon, since it was spotted in a user agent string earlier this week. Other carriers are spotty, but it’s hard to believe that AT&T isn’t planning a Galaxy S III release as well. North American versions of the phone, specifically Verizon’s, may be using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor instead of the Exynos 4 Quad. Remember that three out of the four largest carriers got the Galaxy S II, and all four got the original Galaxy S in modified forms. The Galaxy S III was revealed moments ago at Samsung’s London event. The international model has a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display, a quad-core Exynos processor and Android 4.0 with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. For more information, check out our hands-on video from the Unpacked event. Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy S III vs HTC One X hands-on Posted: 03 May 2012 11:17 AM PDT The day has finally arrived and the Samsung Galaxy S III is here. We’ve waited through all the leaks and all the details have finally been revealed. After the excitement calms down you’ll be wondering what your next phone should be. The Galaxy S III, or maybe something like the HTC One X. We have pictures and hands-on video below to help you make up your mind on what superphone is right for you.
Both of these phones are extremely impressive in their own right. Both coming with quad-core processors, impressive 8 megapixel cameras, and huge 720p HD displays. While we don’t have all the details or answers regarding the US models, overseas the HTC One X is powered by NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3, while the Galaxy S III runs with Samsung’s own Exynos 4 Quad processor. These both run at 1.4 GHz and come complete with 1GB of RAM and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. We’ll just show you, check out our comparison video for all the info you’d need. While both phones are almost the same size, and have went with similar capacitive touch buttons rather than on-screen keys like the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy S III is actually a hair thinner and about 3 grams heavier — so basically even. While not a big difference, the Galaxy S III comes with a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED HD display compared to the barely smaller 4.7-inch screen from camp HTC, and until we get more time with both devices we can’t really comment on display quality as they are both excellent. Both offer 720×1280 HD resolutions and crisp vivid colors. Once we are able to bring this beautiful Galaxy S III come we’ll be sure and run multiple benchmarks and comparisons to see how well the new Samsung Exynos quad-core handles tasks, but if it’s anything like their previous processors it will be blazing quick. This was just a quick short preview of the two and stay tuned for more in-depth hands-on coming soon.         Device Info
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| Flipboard comes to Android as Galaxy S III exclusive Posted: 03 May 2012 11:11 AM PDT It’s finally here! Samsung has just unveiled the impressive new Galaxy S III here in London, and one of the exciting inclusions (along with 50GB of Dropbox storage) is they have an exclusive with Flipboard for Android. Flipboard is a highly popular social news reader similar to Google Currents, Pulse, News360 and many others and until now was only seen on iOS devices. Check it out in our hands-on video below.
This will be the first time Flipboard has been available on Android, and Samsung tells us they have an exclusive window on the app, but other phones and devices will get the popular app soon. As for the app, it’s similar to Google Currents only with a better, smoother, more gesture featured interface. The entire magazine feel is ever so present with Flipboard, and it makes complete use of the 4.8-inch 720p HD display on the awesome new Galaxy S III. Just like the iOS version, you can login to your social networks and have links aggregated straight to the app, along with your favorite sites (Android Community and SlashGear), as well as your RSS feeds and more.
The tile interface is simple and easy to use, and once again very beautiful on this impressive AMOLED screen — and will look great on all Android phones of course. Especially those with higher resolution displays. The cover stories in the tiles shown above will be suited to your reading and site habits, making sure you’ll get all the content you love. As usual with Android, Flipboard has an awesome widget to toss right onto the homescreen of your choice for quick, simple, and easy reading access. You can scroll through and pick you favorite story, then launch the full app just like any widget. From our limited time using the new app we’d say it is very impressive. The pages load and flip smooth and with ease, and the content is HD and looks stunning. So far Flipboard for Android is highly impressive and probably our new favorite reader, but then again the quad-core, Super AMOLED HD packing Galaxy S III might be helping its cause. Samsung doesn’t have exact details on how long it’ll be a SGSIII exclusive, but we can expect an announcement and more details form Flipboard for Android soon — not to mention the public getting a hold of it and releasing it to the world.                
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| Samsung Galaxy S III revealed: 4.8-inch quadcore monster Posted: 03 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S III, the company’s “next Galaxy” and perhaps the most eagerly anticipated Android smartphone of the year. Packing a 4.8-inch 720p HD Super AMOLED display into an 8.6mm thick chassis, it runs Samsung’s 1.4GHz quad-core Exynos 4 Quad paired with an 8-megapixel camera.
There’s also HSPA+ 21 with support for LTE in select markets, a 1.9-megapixel camera for 720p HD video recording, 1GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB/64GB of internal storage with a memory card slot for up to 64GB microSD cards. A 2100 mAh battery, WiFi (with support for channel bonding and WiFi Direct), Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, digital compass, proximity sensor, gyroscope, barometer and NFC round out the key wireless and sensors, along with microUSB with MHL-HDMI. Available in marble white or pebble blue – each plastic-bodied and with a “hyperglaze” coating to the polycarbonate that Samsung says gives the feel of ceramic as well as more resilience to scratches – the Galaxy S III measures 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm and weighs 133g. The 720 x 1280 display runs at 306ppi. Samsung hasn’t left Ice Cream Sandwich alone, and Android v4.0.4 gets a new version of TouchWiz with a nature-themed refresh. Raindrop taps on the lockscreen, with accompanying water ripples, along with less childlike iconography keep the UI looking more professional. Samsung has thrown plenty of widgets at the homescreens, as well as the debut version of Flipboard for Android, which the Galaxy S III has a temporary exclusive. Buyers also get 50GB of DropBox storage for two years.
Android Beam has been modified, becoming S Beam with the addition of automatic WiFi Direct for larger file transfers. There’s also AllShare Case, for mirroring the phone’s display on a DNLA-connected TV, and AllShare Play for viewing and editing files stored in the cloud or on remote computers from the phone. Meanwhile the camera app has been updated, adding dual controls for grabbing stills while video recording, and introducing a burst mode which can capture up to 20 stills at up to 6fps. Best Shot technology uses facial recognition, smile shot, exposure and blur measurements to pick out the image the Galaxy S III believes is the best. During photo playback, meanwhile, facial recognition is used to identify those people in the user’s Contacts and automatically sort shots into different groups; it can also float Google+ and links to Facebook profiles above them, while Buddy Photo Share allows you to push images to those contacts directly from the gallery. Face Slideshow creates individual portrait slideshows by zooming into the faces in each group image.
Smart Stay switches the face tracking to the front camera, keeping the phone’s backlight turned on while the user is looking at the phone. Meanwhile Direct Call automatically dials the current on-screen contact in the Messages, Call Log or Contacts app, simply by holding up the Galaxy S III to your ear. Finally, Samsung has taken on Siri with S-Voice, using Vlingo voice recognition technology to enable spoken command control of the Galaxy S III even when the handset is locked. Users can customize the wake-up command, ask questions like “What’s the weather today?”, boot apps and fire off photos, set tasks, alarms and calendar entries, and control audio playback, with the Galaxy S III capable of picking out commands even if background music is playing. Samsung says the new Galaxy S III will go on sale in initial European markets at the end of the month, with North American availability likely over the summer. No word on pricing or carriers yet.    Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy S III hands-on [Video] Posted: 03 May 2012 11:00 AM PDT Expectations are high for the Samsung Galaxy S III, and from our hands-on playtime with the new Android flagship we’ve a feeling users will be pleased. Samsung may not have lived up to the pre-launch hype, but it has delivered a phone that improves on all areas of its predecessor: better screen, faster processor and more usable camera.
It’s a bigger phone than the Galaxy S II, but it doesn’t feel so huge thanks to slimmer bezels and curved edges. The plastics aren’t as high quality as the HTC One X, but neither are they quite as cheap feeling as before; the coated polycarbonate doesn’t quite live up to Samsung’s “it feels like ceramic” billing but it should help avoid too many scratches. Performance from the modified Ice Cream Sandwich and new TouchWiz is slick and smooth, with no lag or slow-down observed on the Exynos quadcore. We’ll have to wait for full benchmarking for all the details, but the Galaxy S III could comfortably play an HD video in a floating box above a full webpage, with no impact on zooming or panning. Samsung Galaxy S III hands-on: The new camera tweaks work well, particularly the burst photography mode. HTC’s One Series may have rapid capture too, but it lacks the Samsung’s useful automatic suggestion as to which it believes is the best shot. In our experience, we generally agreed with its selection. We had less time to play with the facial recognition linked to social networks in the gallery, though, without our own contacts and images loaded on the phone. According to Samsung, contacts will automatically be recognized and links to Google+ and Facebook floated on top of the frame. Samsung’s Siri alternative, S-Voice, struggled in a busy briefing room. Much like Siri, it uses server-side processing to do natural voice recognition, opening apps and setting alarms. We managed to coax it into setting an alarm and telling us today’s weather, as well as doing basic searches, but otherwise it proved frustrated by ambient noise. Overall, though, there’s plenty to like about the Galaxy S III. Samsung had a best-seller on its hands with its predecessor, and we’ve seen nothing to suggest that the Galaxy S III will be any different. Great speed, distinctive looks and a brilliant display that’s perfectly suited to multimedia add up to a fitting flagship.                                                                                Device Info
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| We’re live at Samsung’s Galaxy S III event! Posted: 03 May 2012 09:55 AM PDT The day has finally dawned: Samsung will announce “the next Galaxy” in just over an hour in London. Android Community is live at the Unpacked event to get all the details, including photos and videos – though with the unprecedented amount of rumors and leaks, the announcement itself has become something of a formality. We’ll be reporting live as the announcement comes in, but you don’t need a liveblog for the Samsung event… unlike some other manufacturers we could name.
If you want to see it all unfold as it happens, point your browser towards Samsung’s Facebook page. They’ll be hosting a live video stream of the event, and The Next Galaxy teaser site will have a live look at the Twitter chatter surrounding the Galaxy S III/SIII/S3. Naturally, we’ll have hands-on photos and video just as soon as Samsung lets us get our greedy hands on the new device, along with all the specs and release details we can find. We’ve got a pretty good idea of what the Galaxy S III will look like from previous news: 4.8-inch 720p Super AMOLED screen, quad-core Exynos processor (for the international model, anyway) and Ice Cream Sandwich. If you just can’t wait for the event itself, check out our own roundup of what we know and don’t know. The event starts in just over an hour (2PM Eastern Standard Time) so get your popcorn ready.
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| Pantech Racer Vega 2: serious Galaxy S III competitor for Korea Posted: 03 May 2012 09:32 AM PDT All eyes are on Samsung today, but that doesn’t mean that their in-country rivals are going to sit back and take it. Fellow South Korean manufacturer Pantech has just revealed their new flagship, the Vega Racer 2, and it’s a stunner. The phone will be out on the three biggest South Korean cellular carriers next week, though pricing is still up in the air.
Stop me if these specs sound familiar: a 4.8-inch 720p screen. a Snapdragon S4 processor, Ice Cream Sandwich (With the obligatory custom UI – sigh) and LTE connectivity. Yup, Pantech’s aiming straight for the Galaxy S III with this one, and it’s no coincidence that the official announcement came just before Samsung’s London event. The phone doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of today’s super-thin models at 9.35mm, but it makes up for it with a 2,020mAh battery – about 20% larger than most of the flagship devices out there. There’s something interesting in the Vega Racer 2′s design: virtual navigation buttons, a la the Galaxy Nexus. Most tier one manufacturers seem to have ignored Google’s hint that on-screen buttons are the way to go, including HTC with their one series and the more reliable leaks of Samsung’s Galaxy S III. Currently there’s no word on distribution outside of Asia, and with Pantech’s position in America and Europe, it’s not likely. [via The Verge]
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| EA backs off: won’t disable older mobile games Posted: 03 May 2012 08:47 AM PDT EA, never the most beloved of America’s gaming companies, made a major goof yesterday: they sent a message to players of the iOS version of Rock Band that the game would shut down on May 31st, flat-out denying the app to thousands of players who’d paid $4.99 for it. As you might expect, reactions were almost universally negative, including our own. EA has now recanted that particular message, saying that “Rock Band for iOS will remain live – the in-app message users received yesterday was sent in error.” Sure, guys, sure – we’re just glad you’ve seen sense.
The message was sent along with an update FAQ stating that EA was closing down the support (i.e. the servers selling additional songs) to focus on other mobile games. This was little comfort to those who had paid for the game and extra songs and would be left with a disabled product in a month. Technically EA wasn’t doing anything illegal – their terms of service for pretty much all games on all platforms says that you’re not buying a product, you’re buying a “license”, and that your license to play the game (which, again, you paid for) can be revoked at any time and for any reason. This bumble is the latest in a long line of anti-consumer moves from Electronic Arts that’s given them the reputation as one of the worst game publishers in the industry, at least from a business and consumer perspective. Restrictive, overbearing terms of service, expensive DLC packages (which many think are purposefully left out of final console and PC games) and a reliance on heavy-handed DRM and the Origin PC platform aren’t winning the company any fans. Their developers and the triple-A titles in their stable will probably keep them going, but a continually abusive stance towards their customers is creating a larger and larger contingent of dissatisfied gamers. [via Cnet]
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| Bell Canada gets HTC One V now, HTC One S later Posted: 03 May 2012 08:09 AM PDT Good news, Canadians: you’ll soon be able to choose between two of HTC’s latest and greatest Android devices. Mobile Syrup reports that the HTC One V is now selling on Canadian carrier Bell, free on a three year contract or $299.95 with no commitment. Even more exciting, a leaked Bell document indicates that the HTC One S will be sitting pretty on Canadian airwaves on May 17th. On-contract pricing isn’t mentioned, but the One S may cost $599.95 outright.
The One V is the baby of HTC’s new design family, taking after the older Hero model in size and function. Its 3.7-inch 800×480 screen covers a 1Ghz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM and just 4GB of storage, though it’s the only international One phone to get a MicroSD card slot. Even with relatively mundane specs, the One V runs Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 4.0. The camera is a little underwhelming at 5MP, but it gets the same F2.2 lens as the other One phones. The HTC One S is currently wowwing Americans on T-Mobile, and why not: it’s a great phone with a great design. The slim unibody covers a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED QHD display powered by a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor and a full gigabyte of RAM. The One S has 16GB of on-board storage (but no MicroSD card slot) an 8MP camera and of course, Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 4.0. You can read our review of the unlocked HTC One V here, and the One S here. Device Info
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| LG Optimus L7 now on sale in Europe Posted: 03 May 2012 07:06 AM PDT There’s a brand new smartphone making waves in Europe today… and it isn’t the LG Optimus L7. But id the top end of LG’s stylish new trio is what you’re craving, you won’t have to fight the press in London to get a peek at it. LG announced that the L7 is going on sale in major retailers across Europe today, spreading joy through an 8.9mm profile and Ice Cream Sandwich at launch.
As far as we can tell, the Optimus L7 is the first LG phone anywhere to get Ice Cream Sandwich – a fact worth celebrating, as the South Korean manufacturer has a less than stellar reputation when it comes to software. It’s still running a customized and familiar-looking interface, though. Other charms include a 4.3-inch display and styling modeled after LG’s PRADA series, but the hardware underneath is a little uninspiring with a 1Ghz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of storage and a 5MP camera. LG didn’t say how much the Optimus L7 would cost, but a previous European listing had it set at €319 unlocked ($420 USD) or free on contract. The L7 is showing up a little late across the pond, so who knows when its little brother the L5 will appear. Currently there’s no news of an American version, but Rogers in Canada is set to get the Optimus L7 later this year. [via the Verge]
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| Kia bundling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with new K9 Posted: 03 May 2012 06:40 AM PDT If you’re looking for both a car that sounds like it belongs to the animal handler in your local municipal police precinct and a solid Android tablet to boot, Kia’s got a deal for you. The South Korean automaker has teamed with its electronics neighbor Samsung to offer free special edition versions of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to those who pre-order a Kia K9, the new large-scale luxury sedan debuting in June. It appears that the offer is only valid in South Korea.
If you’re interested, the K9 comes with a 3.6-liter V6 engine rated for 285 horsepower, a step down from the V8 in its design cousin the Hyundai Equus. The company claims that the weight distribution ratio is nearly perfect across the wheelbase, which should provide for exceptional handling. We’re not exactly experts when it comes to autos, but the K9 looks pretty slick for a budget vehicle – or at least a budget vehicle that’s projected to sit at the top of Kia’s lineup when it comes to North America, presumably under a different name. Kia isn’t the first car company to try this: their South Korean neighbor gave away iPads with certain new car purchases back in 2010. But now that Android tablets have come into their own, with Samsung making some of the best among them, it looks like Kia is going patriotic with their pack-ins. And of course, we can’t help but admire their taste. [via Ubergizmo]
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| HTC Rezound gets a newer official ICS ROM Posted: 02 May 2012 05:57 PM PDT We’ve already seen HTC’s Verizon flagship Rezound get a leaked official Ice Cream Sandwich build, but it’s been so long that another is apparently ready as well. The latest Android 4.0 version is build 3.13.605.7, and the folks over at Android Police have hosted it for download. Unfortunately there are a few issues for would-be flashers: you’ll need a stock ROM and a locked bootloader or an S-OFF device. Those of you who used HTC’s official bootloader unlock will have to sit tight or find a ROM Update Utility (RUU).
There are numerous changes for this latest Ice Cream Sandwich build, though it’s still running the only slightly outdated Android 4.0.3. It includes a new kernel and new radios, though apparently the Rezound software is still a long way from completion. A few bugs noted already include random reboots, issues with the WiFi hotspot feature, a darkened camera in some apps, and problems with Exchange account verification. The official update has been promised by both Verizon and HTC, but we’ve still got no definitive idea of when it’s coming. Best Buy played a cruel joke on Rezound owners when an internal document indicated that the Ice Cream Sandwich update was coming in April. This latest ROM may indicate that we’ll have to wait a while longer. According to a leaked Verizon document, Ice Cream Sandwich testing will end on May 9th. Device Info
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| The Samsung Galaxy S III: what we know so far Posted: 02 May 2012 05:19 PM PDT Tomorrow’s the big day, Android fans: we’ll finally be able to put months and months of rumor to rest, and begin months and months of arguing over whether the Samsung Galaxy S III or the HTC One X is top dog in the smartphone world. The Galaxy S III is, without exaggeration, the most rumored, leaked, faked and anticipated Android phone yet, so we figured we’d do a roundup of what we’re likely to see at Samsung’s London even tomorrow.
Form Factor: Basically identical to the Galaxy S II, only bigger. Numerous leaks point to a device similar in size and feel to the Galaxy Nexus. Screen: Somewhere between 4.6 and 4.8 inches. This leaked screen protector, when compared to the 4.7-inch HTC One X, shows that it’s likely to be just a tiny bit bigger. There’s no doubt that it’ll be a Samsung-made 720p Super AMOLED panel, and probably a non-Pentile Super AMOLED HD+ one at that.
Processor: Samsung itself has said that they’ll be using the brand new Exynos 4 Quad in “the next Galaxy”. That’s certainly the case for international models, but we’ve heard tell that at least some American versions will go with the popular Snapdragon S4 from Qualcomm instead. Today’s look into a Verizon user agent string seems to confirm that – perhaps the latest Exynos isn’t quite ready for LTE networks, or at least those in the US.
Operating system: Ice Cream Sandwich and the latest version of TouchWiz, without a doubt. One of the later leaks shows version 4.0.4 running, but it’s still possible that the final hardware will still be on 4.0.3 when it’s announced tomorrow.
Body: Like HTC, Samsung seems to be sticking with physical buttons despite Ice Cream Sandwich’s virtual nav button functionality. The same leak showed a layout similar to the previous Galaxy phones with a slimmer and more angular Home button. According to a retail listing, the phone will come in white and blue initially.
Camera: We’ve heard rumors that Samsung was going with a 12 megapixel rear camera on the Galaxy S III, and this AnTuTu benchmark listing seems to bear that out. Other leaks seem to indicate a more conventional 8MP sensor. Connection: European versions of the Galaxy S III will almost certainly run with HSPA+ bands to start with – LTE simply isn’t widespread enough yet to justify the expansion. American versions for Verizon, AT&T and/or The Now Network will probably include LTE, as will at least one version in Samsung’s home territory of South Korea.
Carriers: Those of you in Europe or Asia probably won’t have to much to worry about – Samsung and other manufacturers tend to play nice with everybody, since unlocked models are so readily available. Here in the States it’s a different matter. While all four major carriers got a crack at the original Galaxy S, and only Verizon sat out for the Galaxy S II (for an early shot at the Galaxy Nexus) we’re not sure what the situation for the Galaxy S III is. Verizon seems to have the phone up its sleeve, or at least something very similar: the “SCH-I535″ was spotted earlier today in a user agent string. Name: Now here’s one thing we’re not sure of. Continuing the Roman numeral scheme with “Galaxy S III” seems most likely, but we’ve seen Samsung’s official Kies program call the phone “Galaxy S3″ and a few other outlets label it as “Galaxy SIII” (no space). But who really cares – we’d be just as excited if they called it the Galaxy S Cauliflower.
There’s still a few things we’ll be looking out for at Samsung’s announcement; the more far fetched early rumors of a waterproof ceramic case are probably duds, but we want to know about battery capacity, MicroSD card options and storage capacity. And, of course, price. Join us tomorrow afternoon as we lie blog the Samsung Unpacked event from London – and place your bets now.
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| Toshiba Excite 13 spotted at the FCC Posted: 02 May 2012 04:32 PM PDT We’d already heard that Toshiba’s ridiculously oversized Godzilla tablet was coming stateside eventually, but just in case you needed some confirmation, the FCC got their hands on the Excite 13 earlier today. There’s no surprises here, with the possible exception of the fact that the FCC boys managed to fit the 13-inch tablet into their testing machines. The last that we heard, the Excite 13 was headed for retailers in June, so the customary stop off at the FCC is quite expected.
In case your memory’s a little fuzzy, the Excite 13 packs a whopping 13.3-inch screen with a 1600×900 resolution on a traditional TFT panel. NVIDIA’s ever more ubiquitous Tegra 3 quad-core is aboard, as is what looks like mostly stock Ice Cream Sandwich – Huzzah! The tablet has some monster dimensions at 10.1mm thick and 2.2 pounds, and uses that bulk to cram in four SRS speakers and a capacity of 32GB or 64GB. The tablet will cost $649.99 and $749.99 repsectively when it hits retailers in June.
The more pedestrian Excite 10 is scheduled to come out sometime in the next few weeks, and the smaller Excite 7.7 (with a fabulous 720p Super AMOLED display) will also hit in June. Both of the smaller tablets get a Tegra 3 processor, though they’ll be considerably less expensive: the Excite 10 starts at $449.99 and the Excite 7.7 will go for $499.99. [via Liliputing]
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| EA Mobile taking away games you’ve paid for – you don’t own them Posted: 02 May 2012 03:51 PM PDT Sadly there is a story going around in the Apple and iOS world today that rattled my cage a little bit. Usually I don’t sympathize with the iCrowd but this story is pretty upsetting. Basically my title should be “You don’t own your games or apps” but I wanted to toss in EA Mobile so everyone knows who I’m talking about. Apparently even if you buy a game (and pay $4.99) they can pull it from you at will, it’s only a license.
I first saw this story on our sister site SlashGear this morning, and figured I’d see what the Android Community thought of the situation. This morning EA Mobile started sending out a message to those who’ve purchased and played their popular Rock band game saying this: “Dear Rockers, On May 31st, ROCK BAND will no longer be playable on your device. Thanks for rocking out with us!”
Basically the game has made them TONS of money over the past two years since being released on iOS, and they’ve since came out with newer and better games and are now leaving the original in the dust. Apparently they’ll be shutting down the servers and users will no longer have access to the music required to play the game — and the app will most likely disappear from the app store. Thankfully on Android I have Titanium Backup, or Astro App backup and can save these types of apps from shady developers for later use, even though that won’t help the server side. The Consumerist, in their last annual awards show awarded EA Sports for being The Worst Company in America. Whether I agree with that or not, this is a pretty bad situation. I love their games, I love Madden on Xbox and Android, I love Crysis, but this story made me pretty angry. We never get updates for our apps to begin with, and now if they start pulling them at will I have a feeling they’ll be in for a world of hurt. Basically what this all comes down to is you don’t own your apps or games on Android or iOS, you are licensed to use them until the developer says otherwise. I think I’ll be uninstalling Madden 12 right about now and probably won’t pay for 2013 either. Thoughts on the situation? Can you imagine if everyone who paid for Angry Birds suddenly couldn’t play?
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| Alt Mounter brings Android USB Mass Storage back to OS X Posted: 02 May 2012 03:42 PM PDT Hands-down one of the most annoying features of the few Android phones that implement it is the MTP storage standard, which is frustrating on Windows PCs and nearly useless on Mac. Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich devices (and even some Samsung Gingerbread phones) have adopted MTP over the older and generally more reliable USB Mass Storage, much to the consternation of Android users everywhere. Luckily, there’s a new project on XDA that gets around it and returns sweet, sweet USB mounting to your Android device and your Mac: Alt Mounter.
Basically, Alt Mounter creates an alternate connection between your phone and your Mac, sidestepping the MTP protocol for a separate connection. You’ll need a separate application running on your Mac in addition to the FUSE package. Install the apps on your phone and your Mac, tap the widget on your homescreen and you’re good to go with blessedly fast, old-fashioned file transfers. Currently the program is only available for Mac, but the developer is thinking about creating Windows and Linux versions as well. It’s also in beta, so tread with caution. You can download both the app and the OS X program at this file reservoir. Go now, Mac users, and transfer files with reckless abandon! (And by the way, if you don’t want to mess with any extra desktop software, try AirDroid and a local WiFi network.)
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| Deal Alert: refurbished Acer Iconia Tab A500 on eBay for $239 Posted: 02 May 2012 02:44 PM PDT If you’re craving some Ice Cream Sandwich goodness but can’t quite justify $399 for a new ASUS Transformer Pad 300, we feel you. Times are tough, and tablets – we freely admit – are a luxury. But if you can scrounge together about $240, you can grab a brand new Acer Iconia Tab A500, which has just been updated to Ice Cream Sandwich with a free helper app to boot. Sure, it’s not the best 10-inch Android tablet out there – but right now, it’s the best 10-inch Android tablet for $240.
The deal is going on over at eBay. Don’t worry, this isn’t somebody who picked up a shipment of tablets off the back of a truck: Acer’s selling them from their official corporate account. Shipping’s free too – something an old-school eBay user like yours truly learns to check for. Yes, the units in question are refurbished, but they also come with a 90-day warranty and are more than a hundred dollars off the list price, plus sixty dollars off similar refurbished tablets elsewhere. If your memory’s rusty, the Iconia Tab A500 uses a Tegra 2 processor, a full gigabyte of memory and a 1280×800 10.1-inch display. The model on sale on eBay is just 8GB, but you can augment that with a MicroSD card. It’s also got a handy HDMI-out port. If you’re still not sure, read our review. For those of you who pull the trigger, go here to get the skinny on how to update your tablets to Android 4.0 right away. Device Info
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| Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4.0.4 radios improve 3G/4G [Download] Posted: 02 May 2012 02:37 PM PDT Verizon has finally started pushing out the update to Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich for the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus, or so that is what we are hearing the past 24 hours. If the update hasn’t hit for you yet, or you’re running a custom ROM we have the latest radio that comes with the update available for download.
Many Nexus users are probably still on the Android 4.0.2 update, and some might be using the leaked 4.0.4 from a few months back but the newest version rolling out today is said to seriously improve 3G and 4G hand-offs and improve signal strength. Users will see faster 3G/4G switching and in return — improved battery life. You can wait for the update yourself, or if running a custom ROM (CM9, AOKP) or many other different ROM’s you can simply flash the file below in recovery. This is a ZIP and needs to be flashed in a custom recovery like TWRP or Clockworkmod, not fastboot, and will replace the CDMA, LTE, and bootloader files. As a warning the CDMA takes well over a minute so if it seems to be taking too long just let it finish. We are hearing this works with ANY Verizon Galaxy Nexus build and I’ve flashed it myself and seem to have similar results as before, but will report back later as I use it throughout the day. Download and flash the latest Android 4.0.4 IMM76K radios for the Galaxy Nexus (Thanks to XDA) and let us know how your speeds and 3G/4G goes in the comments below. Download: 4.0.4_IMM76K_radio.zip [mirror] Device Info
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