Android Community |
- T-Mobile gives Kansas City, Missouri a 4G boost
- iPad Mini event announced – Nexus 7 need not worry
- Nexus 7 32GB appears in Staples Advantage listing
- ASUS posts behind-the-scenes video with the Padfone 2
- First generation Nook Color successfully booted with Open webOS
- ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Ultra 960C coming to Alltel Wireless
- Rdio launches new beta app for Android
- Gameloft launches Real Soccer free on Google Play
- T-Mobile ISIS Mobile Wallet test program launching October 22
- LTE in the US costs 10 times more than Sweden
- ASUS PadFone 2 announced for December release in Europe and Asia
- Motorola XOOM WiFi getting Android 4.1.2 update
- Archos GamePad 7-inch tablet gets shown off in new video
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S getting Android 4.1.2 OTA update today
- LG Optimus G hands-on and unboxing
- Android 4.2 to feature dual notification bars for Quick Settings
- LG Optimus G pre-orders open at AT&T tomorrow for $199
| T-Mobile gives Kansas City, Missouri a 4G boost Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:57 AM PDT If you live in or around Kansas City, Missouri and you happen to be a T-Mobile customer, you might be experiencing better 4G speeds today. That’s because T-Mobile has improved its 4G offerings at many “popular locations” around the city, specifically mentioning that 4G speeds are now available in “Arrowhead Stadium, Westport, Power and Light Districts, The Legends and in surrounding areas including Jackson, Johnson and Wyandotte counties” in its announcement. T-Mobile customers are getting better voice and data coverage with this roll out, and the company says that you can expect faster data speeds if you’re using an unlocked device.
This roll out in Kansas City is just one small part of T-Mobile’s larger plan to enhance its 4G network across the country. The struggling carrier is plopping down a whopping $4 billion for this 4G expansion, so you can tell that it isn’t fooling around. This Kansas City announcement comes just a few weeks after the carrier boosted its 4G network in Las Vegas, and there’s much more to come. T-Mobile is obviously hitting the big markets first, focusing its initial efforts places like New York City, Seattle, and Los Angeles. As time goes on, we’ll see the carrier begin to hit more rural areas of the country, with the hope of patching up its currently spotty network in an attempt to pull people away from AT&T and Verizon. In its announcement today, T-Mobile reminds potential subscribers that they can bring their unlocked phones in to save a bit of money on data plans over the big guys – something to consider if you’ve been on the lookout for a new carrier. Just recently, T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom confirmed that its moving forward with plans to acquire MetroPCS, which should do a lot to beef up T-Mobile’s network here in the United States. With that purchase, T-Mobile could potentially become number three behind Verizon and AT&T, but it might have that opportunity snatched away from it thanks to SoftBank’s freshly-announced acquisition of Sprint. Regardless, it’s an exciting time to be a T-Mobile subscriber, as the carrier’s 4G network will continue to get better in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned for more information on this roll out!
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| iPad Mini event announced – Nexus 7 need not worry Posted: 16 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT Some big news dropped today from the folks at Apple, only this time in a smaller package. Of course we’re talking about the much-rumored iPad Mini. Today Apple sent out invites for an October 23rd reveal of the all new iPad Mini — or at least that’s what all the rumors and leaks have us believing. Will this 7.85-inch smaller iPad pose a threat to Google’s Nexus 7? Read on to find out.
Yes, this is an Android site and we’re talking about the iPad Mini. You aren’t in the wrong place and accidentally clicked to our sister site SlashGear. The iPad Mini will be a big deal for Apple, and since this will be some strong competition for the Nexus 7 and Android as a whole — we’re talking about it. After all, in the end competition is a good thing. Right? As the rumors go, the iPad Mini will be a new 7.85-inch 1024 x 768 (same as iPad and iPad 2) resolution tablet. It will be rocking a dual-core processor, probably slightly less powerful than the iPad 3 — er the “new iPad,” and obviously the new lightning connector. For any and all news about the iPad Mini you’ll want to head to SlashGear for the full rundown. Here we’re talking about Android! Oh and don’t forget, Apple makes the coolest adapters — according to Samsung. Without getting into a hot discussion too much here (we’ll let you do that in the comments) we just want to share a few quick thoughts, leaks, and rumors about the Nexus 7 that well, puts it in a great position even with a looming iPad Mini. First off the iPad will obviously cost more than the Nexus 7, even though we can’t confirm that multiple rumors are slotting it in around $299 or $319 for the lowest 8GB model. Compare that to the 8GB Nexus 7 for $199 and things are still looking pretty bright for good ol Google. From there the prices only go up — except for the Nexus 7 — which is rumored to actually be getting a price drop and more storage. Rumors are claiming the 32GB Nexus 7 will arrive on October 24th (day after Apple’s big reveal) and be priced at just $249. To add credence to those rumors, it also has been spotted online this morning at Staples for less than the 16GB model. Next up is connectivity. We’re also still seeing multiple reports and rumors about a 3G Nexus 7 from Google also hitting the Google Play Store in October. If this ends up being true — which we are hearing it is — Google will have a 3G and HSPA+ 4G capable Nexus 7 just in time for holiday sales, as well as the competitions sales. For those seeking to jump ship for an iPad Mini with connectivity — Google will also have that covered. Obviously none of this has been officially confirmed, nor do we even know if Apple will have anything other than a WiFi iPad Mini. Recently Carphone Warehouse confirmed the Nexus 7 is their best selling tablet ever, which certainly is good news. In the end there is a lot of uncertainty around these rumors, as well as what we expect from Apple. Will the new iPad Mini make current or future Nexus 7 owners jealous and eventually jump ship? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. I certainly won’t be selling my Nexus 7 anytime soon! Thoughts on the iPad Mini, or the Nexus 7 as competition and more? Leave us a comment below! Device Info
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| Nexus 7 32GB appears in Staples Advantage listing Posted: 16 Oct 2012 10:36 AM PDT By now, it seems that a 32GB Nexus 7 tablet is all but confirmed, but just in case you aren’t convinced that Google is plotting a reveal, Staples has some more evidence for us today. Spotted by Android Police, a listing for a 32GB Nexus 7 has appeared on the Staples Advantage website, giving us even more reason to believe that the tablet exists. The fact that the 32GB Nexus 7 has appeared in a Staples listing isn’t the interesting part, though – what’s interesting is the model’s price.
Staples Advantage gives the new Nexus 7 variant a price of $248.37, which is exactly $3.11 less than the Staples price for the 16GB model. Recent rumors claim that the 16GB model will be phased out once the 32GB variant is on the scene, and this listing backs up that claim. In other words, if you were thinking of picking up a 16GB Nexus 7, it might be a better idea to wait and see if the 32GB model gets an official announcement. At this point, we’re very tempted to say that it will, but in the world of tech, nothing is for sure until there’s been official confirmation. Still, there has been an absurd number of leaks surrounding the 32GB Nexus 7, which leads us to believe that it’s only a matter of time before the big G makes its announcement. The listing for the 32GB Nexus 7 says that the new model will be available on October 18 – just two days away – but we’re going to agree with Android Police and assume that’s just a placeholder date.
In truth, Staples probably doesn’t yet know when the 32GB Nexus 7 will launch. We’ve been hearing that Google could ship the new variant on October 24, which is a much more believable date than October 18. In any case, an announcement should be coming up soon, so stay tuned, because this probably isn’t the last leak the 32GB Nexus 7 will suffer before its eventual reveal.
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| ASUS posts behind-the-scenes video with the Padfone 2 Posted: 16 Oct 2012 09:38 AM PDT In case you missed the news this morning, ASUS unveiled and officially announced their new Padfone 2 tablet smartphone hybrid. This time around they’ve really improved the design, specs, durability and every other facet of the device to deliver a more polished product. Now that the Padfone 2 is official, enjoy this quick 4 minute video from ASUS.
The original was more of a beta product if you ask us, toying with the idea of docking a phone into the tablet for an all in one solution. This time however, everything has been improved and polished. Most importantly the docking system in which you slide that 4.7-inch smartphone into the 10-inch tablet “docking station” for the ultimate tablet experience. ASUS mentions intuition and the device being intuitive more than once — and that was clearly what they were going for with the Padfone 2. From an improved and sleeker design, better materials, better sound, enhanced productivity and more. The video is actually pretty neat as it shows us the device in a more detailed look. Take a peek below. Neat video right? Did that make you want the new and improved Padfone 2, or did you want one already? As a quick refresh the Padfone 2 employs a 4.7-inch 1280x720p HD IPS display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 2,140 mAh battery and more. They’ve even equipped the smartphone with a 13 megapixel Sony BSI camera, which conveniently makes the tablet have the best camera on the market once the phone is docked. The tablet itself has an additional 5,000 mAh battery for enhanced battery life, and ASUS promises Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is coming soon. Did the video above make you want one? Device Info
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| First generation Nook Color successfully booted with Open webOS Posted: 16 Oct 2012 08:55 AM PDT Open webOS, the open source tablet OS, has been successful booted onto a Nook Color, which normally runs Android. Ping-Hsun Chen of Taiwan managed to get webOS up and running on a Barnes and Noble Nook Color recently. This is a great first step for users looking to mod their old first generation Nook Colors, but it’s just that, a first step.
It’s clear from the video demonstration, that this was done mainly just for the sake of doing it. It’s not clear at this point how much more work is going to be put into bringing the open source webOS to the masses. Still, anytime someone figures out a way to bring some life back to a tablet that is a little dated, it grabs our attention. If this build does improve, and come to masses, a Nook Color is quite cheap, so it could prove to be a great way for someone to get into the webOS scene without spending a ton of money. A first generation Nook Color, which is the one this is demoed on, is available on eBay for under $70 as of this writing. That is a low barrier to entry that could bring a bunch of new users to the webOS scene. [via webOS Nation]
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| ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Ultra 960C coming to Alltel Wireless Posted: 16 Oct 2012 08:55 AM PDT ALCATEL ONE TOUCH and Alltel Wireless just announced that they are bringing the ONE TOUCH Ultra 960C to stores and online. It comes with a 4.3-inch capacitive multi-touch display, which is not going to set the world on fire, but it’s available for a very affordable price. This is certainly not a top of the line Android device, but for new Android users not looking to drop big money on a phone, this might be a good choice.
The ONE TOUCH Ultra 960C comes with a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and 720p HD video camera. The camera has touch focus and digital image stabilization. The device is really thin, and the lower megapixel camera allows it to keep a slimmer form factor. The device is designed to be affordable, and it’s only $19.99 with a 2-year contract. For users looking to snag one without commitment, Alltel Wireless has them for $199. While it may lack some of the power of high-end Android devices, it seems like a perfect starter phone, especially at $19.99.
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| Rdio launches new beta app for Android Posted: 16 Oct 2012 07:40 AM PDT Rdio, one of the more popular competitors to Spotify and Microsoft’s new Xbox Music, has just launched a new beta version of its Android application. This new app is not available on Google Play yet, so if you are interested in being a beta tester, you will have to join Rdio’s Google Group and download the application for yourself. Rdio has not announced when the final version of its new app will hit Google Play with a final version.
The beta of the app also includes a new remote control feature designed to make controlling your music easier. They also added a new feature that syncs your music across the browser and mobile app, so you can pick up a song right where you left off. You can also choose the play later option and have it sync across multiple devices. As this is a beta, they are looking for user feedback on the app. They plan on issuing frequent updates based on user feedback before they release the final version of the app on Google Play. Installing the beta will replace the current version of Rdio, so keep that in mind if you install the beta on your device. [via Rdio]
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| Gameloft launches Real Soccer free on Google Play Posted: 16 Oct 2012 07:20 AM PDT Android gamers who love Soccer are in for a treat. Gameloft has just released Real Soccer 2013 (Real Football 2013 outside the US) on Google Play for free with in-app purchases. Now, you can get your soccer on without spending a dime if you should so choose.
Gameloft has retained the FIFPro license for its latest game. Gameloft has personal names and portraits of over 3,000 top players because of this license. Gameloft will push updates to keep the game current with player transfers and roster changes, so your game will always be current. The gameplay looks very similar to last year’s version. It has some slick visuals and over 700 motion captured animations to bring some serious realism to the game. It features a deep mode where you start with a rookie team and build them to the top of the league while upgrading your facilities to improve the skill level of your young players. Overall, it looks like a solid soccer game, and it’s available for free, so there is no reason not to check it out. [via Android Police]
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| T-Mobile ISIS Mobile Wallet test program launching October 22 Posted: 16 Oct 2012 06:47 AM PDT ISIS, the mobile payments platform we’ve been hearing about for months, is finally going to launch on October 22 of this year. Well, it’s not a full launch, more like a pilot to test the service, but it’s still a step in the right direction for sure. A leaked image of what looks like a T-Mobile internal document posted by TmoNews clearly shows that they plan to have this app hit Google Play on the 22nd.
As is the case with most pilot programs, it will only launch in a few major markets, and then it will roll out to other places in time. The initial markets for this program are Salt Lake City, Utah and Austin, Texas. As this rolls out to other markets, it could be a huge success and put T-Mobile at the forefront of mobile payments. Only time will tell. One thing to note, is that the screenshot specifically mentions that devices using ISIS cannot be rooted. We do not know if that is something that can be worked around, but at this point, it looks like your device will need a clean install to use ISIS. As always, we will keep you posted with news on ISIS as it gets closer to launching in its initial test markets. [via TmoNews]
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| LTE in the US costs 10 times more than Sweden Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:51 AM PDT Everyone knows that getting data on a cell phone is expensive. Those hefty cell phone bills build up quickly, and our data plans are a huge part of the large cost. If you consider overage fees for going over your data allotment, the cost can become downright obscene. If you think 4G LTE is expensive, well, you’re right, but you will think it’s much worse when you realize how much more the US pays for data than other parts of the world.
The study used Verizon wireless to compare prices with European prices. They found that Verizon charges $7.50 per gigabyte of data received. In Europe, the average charge for a gigabyte of data is only $2.50. That is the average of Europe as a whole, when you get down to individual countries, the results look even worse for the US. Sweden is the most shocking example, where customers often pay as little as $.63 per gigabyte of data. Verizon was quick to cite that the plans shown also feature unlimited minutes, texting, picture messaging, video messaging, and Verizon’s personal hotspot. If you strip away those extras, Verizon is still charging $5.50 per gigabyte of data, which still puts it a long way off of the European average and so far from the price in Sweden that it’s almost a different universe entirely. [via SlashGear]
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| ASUS PadFone 2 announced for December release in Europe and Asia Posted: 16 Oct 2012 05:31 AM PDT ASUS is getting ready to roll out the sequel to its tablet-in-phone, aptly named the PadFone 2. ASUS originally announced it for a Taiwanese release, but later said it was coming to most of Asia and Europe. The PadFone 2 will feature a much better designed phone holder in the tablet that is designed to keep the phone held in place, even during violent shaking and movements. After all, no one wants the phone to fall out while going GANGNAM STYLE.
The device also has 2GB of RAM, Corning Fit Glass, and NFC. It features a fixed 2,140 mAh battery and, sadly, it has no microSD slot for expandable memory, instead, ASUS gives buyers 50GB of WebStorage. It comes with ICS installed, but ASUS says a Jelly Bean upgrade is coming shortly. The tablet portion features a 5,000 mAh battery, measures 10.1 inches, and weighs 514 grams (without the phone plugged in). The PadFone 2 will roll out in Europe (Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden) and Asia (Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, U.A.E) before the end of this year. It will launch in other countries sometime after that. The device will sell for €799 for the 32GB model with another €100 getting you up to 64GB of storage. Those prices are for the phone and the tablet dock.    [via SlashGear]
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| Motorola XOOM WiFi getting Android 4.1.2 update Posted: 15 Oct 2012 04:19 PM PDT It looks like the Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus aren’t the only ones getting Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Over the weekend Motorola and Google also started pushing out the update to the WiFi Motorola XOOM too. We’ve seen multiple reports that the update has been arriving all weekend for multiple users.
For the most part Android 4.1.2 JB doesn’t bring many changes to Android as a whole, but Google’s keeping their promise and updating all their Nexus and flagship devices to the latest and greatest. Last week Google rolled out 4.1.2 to AOSP, then shortly after it arrived for the Nexus 7 tablet first. Then earlier today we reported both the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus S are also getting the same OTA update, bringing them up to the latest iteration of Android currently. Now the eldest of them all has been confirmed. The WiFi XOOM is indeed enjoying the latest from Google as of Sunday from our sources. As usual this update is rolling out in stages to all XOOM users, but many should already have it. If you’re still waiting for the update make sure to head to settings > about tablet > and check for updates. Optionally, you can also download and install it straight from Google using a stock or 3rd party recovery. Now we’re just stuck with the Galaxy Nexus from Verizon waiting for the update — which we have a feeling will be a while. Enjoy that fresh out of the freezer Ice Cream Sandwich XOOM owners. Device Info
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[via Droid-Life]
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| Archos GamePad 7-inch tablet gets shown off in new video Posted: 15 Oct 2012 03:35 PM PDT Remember that Archos GamePad with a 7-inch display and a built-in gamepad we mentioned back in August? Well today the tablet gaming hybrid device is making an appearance online in a new video showing off those unique gaming features. This certainly isn’t an ordinary 7-inch tablet so lets take a look.
Back in August Archos announced this 7-inch 1024×600 tablet rocking Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor (confirmed Rockchip RK3066) and the key point here is they’ve built it into a dedicated gaming pad with all the controls, triggers, and bumpers many gamers are familiar with. The original announcement slated it for an October release but we’ve not heard anything regarding it since. Today however the folks from Armdevices.net were lucky enough to get about 7 minutes of hands-on time with the device. Below you’ll see the 7-inch gaming tablet playing a few emulators, mapping on-screen controls to the built-in gamepad, and much more. Check it out! Interesting right? One of the most important features aside from the physical controls is the built-in automatic key mapping system. You can even see within the first few minutes of the video just how easy Archos will make it to map the controls for the ultimate gaming experience. It might not be a PS Vita, but then it does come with Android, HDMI-out and everything else we love about Android tablets. Originally we reported this would arrive at the $200 mark with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, but according to reports Archos is aiming for a $149 price point and it will be running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Who’s interested now? Device Info
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S getting Android 4.1.2 OTA update today Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:49 PM PDT Do you, by chance, own a Samsung Galaxy Nexus or a Nexus S? If you do, then here’s some news you’re bound to like: both phones are slowly getting an update to Android 4.1.2, and you don’t have to do that much to get it. Since it’s an OTA update, all you need to is select the software update option from your settings menu and you’ll be good to go.
Before you get too terribly excited, however, our pals at SlashGear point out that only GSM Galaxy Nexus phones are getting this update today. That means if you’re using Verizon‘s version of the phone, you’ve got a little while to wait before the update becomes available for you. We’re not sure how much longer that wait will be, but it seems like the update should be coming down the line shortly. It shouldn’t take too long before you’re running Android 4.1.2 on your Galaxy Nexus or Nexus S either, as the whole thing is only 15.1MB in size. Whereas the update to Android 4.1.2 gave Nexus 7 users a long-awaited landscape mode last week, this update is giving Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S users increased notifications functionality – now, you can expand notifications with a single touch. There are of course some some bug fixes included in the update, but we’re not getting any specifics as far as bug and stability fixes go. See? There isn’t much to this update, so even though Verizon users have to wait – and indeed, even if you’ve got the right version of the Galaxy Nexus, it still might be a little while before it hits your individual phone – it isn’t as if this Android 4.1.2 update brings any new features you need to have right away. Have any of you Galaxy Nexus or Nexus S owners received your OTA update to Android 4.1.2 yet?
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| LG Optimus G hands-on and unboxing Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:02 PM PDT Today we have the pleasure to give you all another look at LG’s new flagship smartphone. Of course that is the LG Optimus G quad-core 4G LTE powerhouse. We have it here to quickly unbox and get our hands all over once again. LG announced this device last month in Korea, and it will be arriving soon for multiple carriers here in the US. Lets take a look at the Now Network version below.
Sadly this smartphone won’t be headed to Verizon, but the folks at AT&T and the Now Network will both be offering the Optimus G with 4G LTE either late this month, or early November. It was announced by both carriers but we still don’t have pricing or an official release date — but both are surely coming soon from the respective carriers. So what’s all the hype about? On paper this is bar none the best Android smartphone to date so lets dive in. We got a detailed hands-on back in Korea, so this will be more of a second round for those here in the US, especially if you have the Now Network — which was just purchased by SoftBank in Japan. The specs need no introduction but just for kicks we’ll list em again. The LG Optimus G powerhouse rocks LG’s new ZeroGap technology 4.7-inch TrueHD IPS+ display with a beautiful 1280×768 HD resolution. The ZeroGap enables the display to be closer to the front glass for a crisper image, brighter colors, vivid text, and a better more accurate and responsive experience. Under that beautiful display is Qualcomm‘s (also brand new) Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor running at 1.5 GHz. You’ll get 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage — which is not removable and swappable like the AT&T model — 4G LTE speeds, a 2,100 mAh battery and a massive 13 megapixel rear camera. Yup, unlike AT&T the Now Network will still use the 13 megapixel BSI sensor for awesome images. Then you’ll get a 1.3 front shooter as well. Here’s the skinny in our hands-on and unboxing video. As you can see LG’s enhanced their lockscreen and animations, and that quad-core really makes everything blistering fast. We’re really liking the few subtle changes LG’s made this time around to what is Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. This morning LG announced the Optimus G will see Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in December, so that’s good news. So far thanks to Android 4.0 and that quad-core processor things are amazingly fast, fluid, stable, and overly exciting. This phone is the best on paper — and so far we’re liking what we’re seeing and feeling in hand too.
Obviously we’ll be giving this a detailed review in the coming days, but we just wanted to share a few pictures, video, and of course benchmarks before we dive in for the full review. Running on the latest Cortex A15 based quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro from Qualcomm this thing surely gets good benchmark results right? Of course! We’ve never seen a stock device hit the numbers this phone is seeing. With Quadrant we were able to jump to over 7400 overall. The important bit, being CPU and I/O was the best with CPU getting 18,704 — while I/O saw a little over 5,600. AnTuTu wasn’t as impressive overall, but in general the Quadrant results are mirroring our hands-on experience — which is absolutely excellent so far to say the least.    The brand new flagship LG Optimus G hasn’t received an official release date from the Now Network, but the folks from AT&T have announced theirs will be available on November 2nd — so we have a feeling others will be right around the same time. I’m already imagining this smartphone with rounded edges and Android 4.2 in what we’re hearing will be the LG Nexus 4. If you’d like to see or hear anything specific regarding the new LG Optimus G with 4G LTE from the Now Network drop us a comment below and we’ll surely check it out for the full review which is coming soon.               Device Info
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| Android 4.2 to feature dual notification bars for Quick Settings Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:11 PM PDT Android 4.2 is coming, and coming soon. While we don’t know what to expect from Google and Android 4.2 or their upcoming LG Nexus 4, the details are slowly starting to leak through the cracks. What we have today is something that can’t fully be confirmed at this point, but it looks like Google will be introducing a dual or second notification pulldown bar for quick settings. Check out the video below.
The notification pulldown bar in Android has always been one of my favorite features. Showing users anything and everything in one neat and easy to access place is awesome. Google revamped this with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and introduced expandable and collapsible notifications — which now gives us tons of additional details and the option to instantly react with notifications like never before.
You’ve all seen those WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, brightness, and more toggles that grace almost every custom and manufacturer build of Android right? If not see above. Well Google might have solved that problem. Check this out! They are calling this “Quick Settings” which is a secondary notification pulldown bar that will provide us with quick settings for everything. The video above is reportedly the LG Nexus 4 running a newer build of Android 4.2 and the image provided above is actually from a system dumb. That is the actual image currently in the second pulldown bar, and soon it will be replaced with all those widget and settings toggles we love. To access this, after you swipe down to reveal your notifications (which now show the clock and details again) a second swipe will reveal the new and improved Quick Settings — I love it. With Jelly Bean’s notifications getting bigger and expanding with details, we need all the space we can get. Why waste two lines up top with quick settings when a simple swipe can bring them up (or down) with ease? For now we just have a placeholder image but I can’t wait to see more about this — if indeed it is true and not just some fancy hack from developers. Stay tuned as we’re about to learn more and more from Android 4.2 coming soon. [via Android Police]
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| LG Optimus G pre-orders open at AT&T tomorrow for $199 Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:31 PM PDT AT&T customers waiting on the LG Optimus G were given some good news today, as the carrier announced that the phone will be available at its stores on November 2. The phone will set you back $199.99 with a two year contract, and if you want to make sure you get it on day one, you can pre-order it beginning tomorrow. The LG Optimus G has the distinction of being the carrier’s first quad-core 4G LTE phone, so we’re expecting it to be pretty popular with AT&T customers.
Of course, 4G LTE capabilities are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the LG Optimus G’s list of features. Specifically, the Optimus G comes equipped with a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor clocked at a speedy 1.5GHz, and with the 2GB of RAM this beast is packing, you’ve got one powerful device on your hands. You’ve also got 32GB of internal storage at your disposal, but the Optimus G comes with a microSD slot too, so you should rarely want for more storage space if you pick up this phone. Sadly, it won’t come running Jelly Bean out of the box, with LG opting for Ice Cream Sandwich instead. You can bet that the Optimus G will be high on LG’s list of phones that will eventually get an update to Jelly Bean though, so the fact that it’s running Ice Cream Sandwich initially isn’t such a bad thing. With the Optimus G, you’ll get a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display running at 1280×768 resolution, and to top things off, there’s an 8MP rear-facing camera to shoot pictures and video with. So, the LG Optimus G sounds like a good candidate if you’re in the market for a new phone. It’s worth pointing out that the $199 price tag only applies if you sign a two-year contract, sign up for either a Mobile Share Plan or Voice Plan that costs more than $39 per month, and a DataPlus or DataPro plan, so keep that in mind. Just over two weeks to go before the LG Optimus G arrives at AT&T – are you picking one up? Device Info
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[via AT&T Consumer Blog]
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