Android Community |
- T-Mobile schedules October 29th launch event – Nexus incoming
- LG Nexus 4 leaks again, confirms name and a few more specs
- Huawei Ascend Mate spotted in the wild with ridiculously large screen
- Facebook for Android updated today – lets you choose album for photo uploads
- Nexus 7 3G appears on retailer site – claims 32GB of storage
- Orbitz releases new hotel booking app for Android
- Evernote gets improved premium features, better note editing, and more
- Google likely to have sold close to 1m Nexus 7 tablets
- Samsung UK confirms Galaxy S III Jelly Bean updates imminent for all carriers
- MetroPCS selling Samsung Galaxy S III at select stores this weekend and everywhere Monday
- Sony announces Jelly Bean release schedule for 2012 Xperia phones
- BBC iPlayer gets Jelly Bean update and quality boost
- Google Play Store carrier billing coming soon to Verizon
- Motorola DROID RAZR HD vs MAXX HD vs RAZR M
- Ice Cream Sandwich heads to LG Lucid tomorrow, DROID Bionic soon
- Motorola DROID RAZR HD Review
- Google introduces new Samsung-made Chromebook
- AT&T takes issue with SoftBank’s Sprint buyout
| T-Mobile schedules October 29th launch event – Nexus incoming Posted: 19 Oct 2012 12:09 PM PDT It looks like we need to add one more event to the growing list here for the end of October. It’s going to be a busy few weeks in the world of technology and smartphones. Today T-Mobile has just issued event invites for a product “launch party” on October 29th. Now the first thing that comes to mind is the possibility of them being the LG Nexus 4 launch partner.
Google has their own event set for October 29th in NYC, which most likely will be the stage where they announce the LG Nexus 4 and possibility many other items to the Android world. So far we haven’t heard anything regarding launch partners for the new Nexus smartphone — but this could be it. The Galaxy Nexus launched on the Play Store with no US carriers until Verizon added it a few months later. Before that the Nexus S launched on T-Mobile so they have a history, and we can’t forget the G1 now can we? There’s a lot at play here. Microsoft and their Windows Phone 8 launches that week too, and T-Mobile will be rocking a few of their new devices, but it’s safe to say Android might also make a big appearance. So far the details are rather light at the moment. What we do know is Google will be unveiling their new products to the world on Monday, October 29th in NYC, and T-Mobile will be hosting their own event on the same day. Here’s to hoping for the LG Nexus 4 (or HTC Nexus 5) hitting T-Mobile just in time for the holidays.
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| LG Nexus 4 leaks again, confirms name and a few more specs Posted: 19 Oct 2012 11:09 AM PDT The much rumored LG Nexus 4 has leaked again this morning, only this time from the highly popular and usually dead accurate @evleaks. The Twitter account has been spot on with multiple devices and leaks over the past few months, and this time around we’re expecting the same. We get a pretty generic shot of the front, but the leakster confirms the name and a few more specs.
It looks like the next Nexus will indeed be called the LG Nexus 4. We’re still up in arms as to whether or not we like the name. Then as usual with the quick image @evleaks has posted the full specs which is pretty much exactly what we already knew. They do however mention it being slightly heavier, and a tad bit thicker than the GSM Galaxy Nexus. So basically nearly the same as the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. As we already know but just received confirmation, We’ll be working with a 4.7-inch 1280×768 TrueHD IPS+ display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro “Krait” 1.5 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera, 1.3 front camera, and that non accessible 2,100 mAh battery under the hood. The leakster states the device is exactly 9.1mm thick, and weighs in around 139g. One interesting thing worth noting is here we actually see 16GB for internal storage listed, so it sounds like 16GB models are also out in the wild too. Then they also state (8GB) as an option as well. Pretty much confirming the sad fact that there will only be an 8 and 16GB version of the LG Nexus 4. Jelly Bean MR1 is listed for the OS, so we still aren’t sure if this is Android 4.1.2, 4.2, or possibly even Key Lime Pie. Now we’ll just have to wait until October 29th when Google will unveil the device to the world at their event in NYC. We’ll be there live so stay tuned Android fans!
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| Huawei Ascend Mate spotted in the wild with ridiculously large screen Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:45 AM PDT If your main concern when shopping for a new smartphone is a big screen, then Huawei may just have the perfect phone for you. Spotted by MyDrivers (via UnwiredView), information for a new phablet called the Huawei Ascend Mate has appeared on the company’s website, and it appears that Huawei has big plans to tackle the space that has been dominated by Samsung’s Galaxy Note line-up. Get ready too, because the Huawei Ascend Mate boasts a screen size that can only be described as “absurd.”
Specifically speaking, the Huawei Ascend Mate packs a massive 6.1-inch screen, far outshining the 5.5-inch screen on the Galaxy Note II, at least as far as size is concerned. On the inside, there’s a K3 V3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.8GHz, 2GB of RAM, and a beefy 4,000mAh battery. Not only are you getting a large screen with the Huawei Ascent Mate, but you’re also getting some serious power under the hood. Of course, 6.1-inches might be a bit too much for some folks to handle. Some already struggle with the size of the Galaxy Note or the Note II, so we’re thinking that those folks will have a difficult time with the Huawei Ascend Mate as well. Also, this begs the question of whether or not there’s such a thing as “too big” when it comes to smartphone display size. Huawei obviously doesn’t think there is, as the company appears primed and ready to launch one beast of a handset. We don’t have any images of it yet – only the screenshot you see above – and release information is missing as well. Still, considering that information on the phone has gone live on Huawei’s website, it probably won’t be much longer before we find out more about the Ascend Mate, so stay tuned.
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| Facebook for Android updated today – lets you choose album for photo uploads Posted: 19 Oct 2012 10:34 AM PDT Facebook for Android is getting a decent update today in the Google Play Store. Who’s excited? I know many of you are hoping this would be the new and improved native Facebook app we’ve been hearing about, but sadly that isn’t the case. This isn’t the much anticipated native app but you’ll be happy to know the entire photo upload, sharing, and albums part of Facebook for Android has been improved.
Sadly this isn’t the native app built to replace the current HTML5 app to enhance the Facebook experience — or actually make it usable I should say. It’s just a small update. Facebook’s been under a lot of flack lately for their Android app, and how terrible the experience is. While we still have to wait for that app to arrive, users will be happy to know this update fixes a few pesky bugs. With today’s update Facebook photo tagging will be much faster and more efficient. They’ve also added the option to choose which album you upload photos to on mobile, instead of them all just going under the mobile uploads album. This is by far a huge complaint and something we’re glad to see finally get added — took long enough. Then the usual comments about performance, speed, and bugs is mentioned, but nothing too specific. Facebook does mention that they have solved some bugs around members using different languages as well. As usual the update is available right this minute for all you Facebook fans. Head to the Google Play Store and grab it today.
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| Nexus 7 3G appears on retailer site – claims 32GB of storage Posted: 19 Oct 2012 09:59 AM PDT With a lot of attention lately going towards the upcoming LG Nexus 4 smartphone, we can’t forget about Google’s popular Nexus 7 tablet. There’s been multiple rumors pointing to a few different routes Google will take with their tablet. From a 3G capable device, 32GB of storage replacing the 16GB model, and even a $99 Nexus 7. Today however the 3G model has appeared on a retailers website.
According to the folks at BGR, a few different details have surfaced regarding a 32GB 3G tablet with support for both GSM and WCDMA radios. Not only that but the guys over at tabletblog.de even spotted it clearing the FCC equivalent over in Taiwan called the NCC. Sounds pretty legit right? If you look closely at the image provided above, you’ll notice that third line showing GSM, WCDMA, as well as the usual WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC. According to sources this has cleared the NCC in Taiwan and the 3G equipped Nexus 7 will only be offered in the 32GB option — which until lately has only been a rumor in itself. Whatever the case may be, we’ll find out all the details on October 29th in NYC when Google opens the doors for their Playground is open Android event. Not counting the LG Nexus 4, the 29th should be a big day for Google and Android. It looks like we could end up seeing the 8GB Nexus 7 stay at $199, the 32GB being $249, and a 3G model hit that low $299 price point to edge out the looming iPad Mini. Thoughts? – Thanks to everyone who sent this in! Device Info
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| Orbitz releases new hotel booking app for Android Posted: 19 Oct 2012 08:58 AM PDT Popular travel site Orbitz just released a shiny new Android app designed to help users book hotels from their devices quickly and easily. The app, aptly named Hotels by Orbitz, should make traveling a little bit easier. With this new app, you can not only find a hotel, but you can also book it directly from the app, so there is no need to pull out the computer.
When using the new app, you can search for hotels closest to your current location. This is helpful if you find yourself needing a hotel at the last-minute. If you are looking to book a place in advance, you can search for hotels almost anywhere by simply typing in the location. The app has plenty of ways to sort hotels to help you find the one that works for you. You can sort by price, value, and distance. Clicking on any hotel will let you see reviews, amenities, and the choice of rooms available. This should help you narrow down the hotels to the perfect one. So far the app is getting good reviews on Google Play. As of this writing, it is sitting at 4.9 stars, with a little less than 20 reviews. To go along with the release of this app, Orbitz is offering a 10% discount for any booking done through the app. This deal is good through this Sunday, October 21. If you’ve been meaning to book a hotel for your next trip, now just might be the perfect time.       [via Android Central]
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| Evernote gets improved premium features, better note editing, and more Posted: 19 Oct 2012 08:01 AM PDT Evernote has just launched a new update for its Android app that brings some pretty slick new features. The first thing being touted by Evernote is a major improvement to the premium offline notebooks feature. This update adds the ability to select multiple notebooks at once, which makes it much quicker to set notebooks for offline access.
Evernote also added better action bars to the tablet version of the app. The options here are now context aware, which should make it easier to find the options you need. Evernote also added a new widget to all version of the app. This new widget is available as a separate app on Google Play. This new update should go a long way towards making Evernote even easier to use. Besides the new features advertised, this update also improves the speed and performance of the app. Evernote has also said its next update is already in the works, although they did not mention what features will be coming in the next version. [via Evernote]
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| Google likely to have sold close to 1m Nexus 7 tablets Posted: 19 Oct 2012 07:26 AM PDT Here’s some news that should not be very surprising: people really like the Nexus 7 tablet. At such a reasonable price, it’s not surprising at all that it’s selling so well. According to an analyst, the 7-inch tablet likely sold 800,000 to 1 million units in the third quarter of this year.
The odd thing about this is that Google has not specified any sales figures for the Nexus 7. If the device is doing as well as this report indicates, you would think they would be quick to announce such figures. Google loves to annonce how well they are doing in terms of new Android activations, it would only seem logical that they would be just as quick to announce how well its Nexus 7 tablet is doing. Overall, Google saw a slight decrease in profit this year for Q3. Last year Google generated $2.73 billion in profit and this year that number was down to $2.18 billion. That being said, Google’s overall revenue went up to $11.33 billion. Google cites a 71% increase in expenses as the reason for lower profit. [via ZDnet]
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| Samsung UK confirms Galaxy S III Jelly Bean updates imminent for all carriers Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:45 AM PDT Just yesterday, the Galaxy S III received an update to Jelly Bean on the UK’s Three network. Since then, Samsung UK has confirmed that Galaxy S III owners across all networks will receive an update to Jelly Bean 4.1 very soon. This means that even if you’re not on Three, you will be able to enjoy the features of Jelly Bean before you know it.
Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S III adds some awesome features, and its impending arrival to all UK customers should have people quite excited. UK device owners should notice an awesome speed increase with Project Butter. They will also get access to Google Now and all kinds of other slick features that make the phone better than it already was. It looks as if Samsung is going to beat Sony in getting Jelly Bean to its customers. Sony just announced that they are not bringing the update until next year. Samsung, at least in the UK, has made it quite clear that they take getting the latest firmware to device owners very serious. We will keep you posted withe latest news regarding the Galaxy S III and its software updates as it happens.
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| MetroPCS selling Samsung Galaxy S III at select stores this weekend and everywhere Monday Posted: 19 Oct 2012 06:19 AM PDT MetroPCS has just announced that they are bringing the Samsung Galaxy S III to market this weekend. Select MetroPCS stores will have the device available this weekend. Starting Monday, October 22, MetroPCS will have Samsung’s monster phone available at all MetroPCS retailers and on MetroPCS.com. This is some awesome news for people looking to pick up a top of the line smartphone without getting stuck in a carrier contract.
The Galaxy S III is an ultra high-end phone, and being able to pick it up without a contract is an opportunity not seen often. MetroPCS is the only fully no-contract service provider to offer the top of the line phone. If you’ve been holding off on grabbing an S III because of fear of cellular contracts, now might be the perfect time to run out and grab one. The Galaxy S III on MetroPCS has a 4.8-inch touchscreen, 2GB of RAM and a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor. It also comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera. The one thing MetroPCS did not mention is if it will receive an update to Jelly Bean. Samsung recently announced that they are leaving updates in the hands of carriers, so it remains to be seen if and when MetroPCS will push the update out to its latest smartphone.
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| Sony announces Jelly Bean release schedule for 2012 Xperia phones Posted: 19 Oct 2012 05:35 AM PDT Sony has taken to its official blog to announce plans for releasing Jelly Bean to its phones released in 2012. The list of phones receiving the update is quite large. That being said, there might be some disappointed individuals with phones released in 2011 who will not be getting some delicious Jelly Beans on their smartphones.
Sony also confirmed that the Xperia S, Xperia acro S, Xperia ion, Xperia P, Xperia go and Xperia J will receive Jelly Bean updates. However, for these phones, Sony did not have a timeline available. Sony says they will announce a timeframe for these phones to receive Jelly Bean “in due course.” The last bit of news from Sony is not so good. They announced that all 2011 Xperia models will not receive Jelly Bean updates. They said that after thorough evaluation, updating beyond Android 4.0.4 would bring a less than positive user experience. Of course, they will continue to support these phones with firmware maintenance releases.
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| BBC iPlayer gets Jelly Bean update and quality boost Posted: 19 Oct 2012 02:30 AM PDT The BBC has pushed out a new version of its iPlayer app for Android, bringing the streaming media software up to speed with Android 4.1, and improving the quality of video playback. iPlayer v1.4.2.3 now works with Android devices running 2.2 through to Jelly Bean, and supports streaming over WiFi or 3G.
The BBC doesn’t specify exactly how the playback improvements work, though they’re based on an updated version of the Media Player app the broadcaster also offers. As before, the app allows for TV and radio shows from over the past seven days to be accessed, as well as playback of live content. There’s a favorites option, to automatically flag up shows you particularly enjoy, and the ability to browse through the listings guide to see upcoming broadcasts. You can download the BBC iPlayer app from Google Play, though you’ll also need the companion BBC Media Player app, a download for which is prompted when you first try to access a show. Both are free.
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| Google Play Store carrier billing coming soon to Verizon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 04:37 PM PDT Over the past few weeks we’ve been hearing and seeing a few reports that Verizon would soon be getting their own option for carrier billing in the Google Play Store. Today Google themselves have just confirmed exactly that. Currently other carriers offer this, while Verizon doesn’t. Over the next few weeks that will be changing.
In case you didn’t know, Google has their own Google Play Store Twitter account. Today they took to the social network to announce that carrier billing is indeed headed to Verizon “over the coming weeks.” The other 3 major US carriers all offer this option, and now Verizon is being added too.
This means that users will be able to buy Google Play Store apps, games, music, movies, books, magazines and more and charge them right to their Verizon Wireless account. Obviously there is a limit, as they don’t want you purchasing some of that hardware like the Galaxy Nexus and adding to your Verizon account, but we’re glad Big Red is finally getting the option. Carrier billing will allow those that don’t have credit cards or who’d rather not link their credit card information to their Google account. We know there’s many that fall into this category so it’s a welcomed change. Google’s been making tons of changes to the Play Store as of late. From pre-loading accounts with cash via the web store, to wishlists and more. Check out everything new about the Play Store in our timeline below.
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| Motorola DROID RAZR HD vs MAXX HD vs RAZR M Posted: 18 Oct 2012 04:14 PM PDT Today the folks from Motorola released the all new DROID RAZR HD and DROID RAZR MAXX HD to the world. Both smartphones are available today and we’ve been getting a few questions on which one is right for you, or if the higher price is worth it. While we need to spend more time with the MAXX HD to fully decide, below is a video to show you all three smartphones available from Motorola’s RAZR thin family.
At first glance the RAZR HD and MAXX HD are exactly the same. Being that they only have two small differences you can’t even tell by looking at them. On video you’ll notice just a slight increase in thickness, and that is all. What’s the difference for those wondering at home? The RAZR HD comes with 16GB of internal storage and a 2,530 mAh battery for $199. The RAZR MAXX HD comes with 32GB of storage and a 3,300 mAh battery for $299. That’s all!
Below you’ll find a quick video comparing the size difference between these two RAZR HD smartphones, then just for fun we toss in the impressive budget-friendly RAZR M. The three phones you’re about to see are nicely priced $99, $199, and $299 respectively. The DROID RAZR HD is .33-inches thick, or 8.3mm compared to the RAZR MAXX HD being .36-inch or 9.1mm total. Not a very large difference — and as you saw on our video it’s hard to even see other than the slightly thicker Kevlar back. Honestly once these two devices are in your hands it truly is hard to even tell the difference. The MAXX is slightly heavier but the difference is marginal at best. For now we can’t really recommend one over the other until we do some serious battery testing with the RAZR MAXX HD. Realistically if you don’t need the larger screen the DROID RAZR M for $99 is an absolute steal and an awesome, well rounded smartphone. For more check out our DROID RAZR M Review. We also completed our review of the RAZR HD this afternoon and can safely say that phones battery will easily last most users a full day and more with that large 2,530 mAh battery. If you’re truly worried about battery life, always on the go, or seriously need the additional storage the RAZR MAXX HD for $299 is a good pick. Whether it’s worth an additional $99 is your choice until we test this bad boy further. We’ll do some battery tests and report back soon!       Device Info
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| Ice Cream Sandwich heads to LG Lucid tomorrow, DROID Bionic soon Posted: 18 Oct 2012 03:31 PM PDT Verizon has finally dropped some information about the Ice Cream Sandwich updates for both the Motorola DROID Bionic and the LG Lucid. Of course, we heard earlier in the month that the ICS update for the Bionic was in testing, but today we know we’re getting close to release. Verizon hasn’t announced an actual release date for this Ice Cream Sandwich update yet, but with the support documents now up on the carrier’s website, it can’t be too much longer before Ice Cream Sandwich is in the hands on eager Bionic users.
The LG Lucid is another story entirely, though. The Ice Cream Sandwich update will be hitting the Lucid starting tomorrow, and it’ll be going out over the air, meaning that the updating process will be about as hands-off as possible. Like the Bionic, support documentation for the Lucid’s update has gone live on Verizon’s website, detailing all of the new features users can expect when Ice Cream Sandwich eventually lands on their phone. With the Lucid, some of the things Verizon focuses on are the customizable lock screen, the launch bar on the homescreen, the enhanced notifications panel, and the ability to create folders. It’s much the same with the support documentation for the Bionic, so users of both phones will be in for some exciting new features when these updates begin rolling out. It’s worth pointing out that after these updates are applied, the Lucid will support FOTA updates, while Bionic users will have new versions of a bunch of apps at their disposal, including Amazon Kindle and Motorola Smart Actions. So, sit tight, Lucid and Bionic users, as Ice Cream Sandwich will be headed your way soon. As we said earlier, the Lucid will begin getting Ice Cream Sandwich tomorrow, while it may take a few days before the OTA update for the Bionic makes an appearance. Keep it tuned right here to Android Community – we’ll let you know when Ice Cream Sandwich begins rolling out to the DROID Bionic!  
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| Posted: 18 Oct 2012 02:31 PM PDT Motorola and Verizon’s DROID RAZR was a pretty big hit last year, and today they are back with the evolution of their flagship device with the DROID RAZR HD. Today the 4.7-inch touting DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD are both available in stores as we speak. To help you make up your mind on if this is the right phone for you read on for our full review.
With the natural evolution of smartphones Motorola has pulled out all the stops with this new device. The RAZR HD has been improved in all areas over its predecessor. We now have a bigger HD display, faster processor, a newer improved user interface, experience and more. Below will give you the full rundown on the Motorola DROID RAZR HD. Hardware
The RAZR HD employs a 4.7-inch AMOLED HD display with a 1280x720p HD resolution. Bigger than last years, HD, and has a pixel density of 312PPI. While the new HD display looks great sadly they’ve still used PenTile technology and you can clearly tell when looking at greens, blues, and the battery meter up top. As far a the rest of the device goes, everything is stellar. We have Qualcomm’s 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor like the RAZR M, Galaxy S III and others powering the device. You’ll enjoy 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and a micro-SD slot to expand storage options as well. Just like last years phone Motorola’s tossed in an 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash — only the camera has seriously improved but more on that below. As usual with Motorola we have micro-USB and micro-HDMI on the side, and a 1.3 front facing camera. The entire phone is powered by a 2,530 mAh battery. Which is pretty large considering the competition.       As you can see the entire phone is wrapped in a brushed aluminum ring, then protected by that popular Kevlar coating on the rear. This year the entire back is covered in Kevlar for a soft-touch yet extremely durable and scratch resistant design. I’m actually a huge fan of the way it looks, feels, and handles the elements. The Galaxy S III is extremely slippery and will slide right out of your hand with ease, that isn’t the case here. The power button has a nice textured design to make it stand out during usage — which is a nice touch — and the volume up/down rocker sits on the same right side with little lips on each end so you’ll never misplace your finger. The left side real estate has the USB and HDMI ports, as well as a door (key provided) to open the side for SIM and micro-SD access. Sadly the battery isn’t user accessible and there’s two large screws on bottom keeping potential tinkerers from opening the device. The Motorola DROID RAZR HD gets a pretty big thumbs up regarding hardware, but then again Motorola’s always had some of the best. Sadly the aluminum around the phone isn’t all uniform in color which should have been addressed, and it also causes a few sharp edges you’ll notice during daily use — or we did at least. Overall the 131.9 x 67.9 x 8.4 mm size is quite large, but the Corning Gorilla Glass 2 on the front and Kevlar on the rear ensures this will be a durable device for years to come. Software
As of late Motorola’s versions of Android have had the least amount of changes compared to HTC and Samsung, and they’ve slowly improved the experience to something that’s quite favorable. Their circle widget offers time, weather, and battery stats all with ease. Then a quick slide to the left will unveil all those quick setting toggles we love. The image above is a good idea of what to expect. You’ll be working with everything we know about in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Face Unlock is included, all of Google’s apps and Motorola’s smart actions for enhancing battery life is available as always where it will adjust based on users needs. As usual we have tons of bloatware from Verizon although we do enjoy a few awesome games and NFL Mobile. Bloatware includes: Amazon, Color, Modern Combat 3, My Verizon, Quick Office, Real Racing 2, Slacker Radio, Verizon Tones, Verizon Video, Verizon Voicemail, and of course Verizon Navigator. Here’s a rundown with a few apps we’ve installed ourselves too.
Just like the DROID RAZR M, the RAZR HD is an awesome device in terms of software and performance. The dual-core Snapdragon runs extremely quick and stable, efficient, and once Jelly Bean arrives this device will be even better. We’ve experienced basically zero lag with daily use and are slowly but surely enjoying Motorola’s “blur” user interface. Benchmarks
The new 1.5 GHz dual-core is just slightly faster in terms of numbers over last years RAZR and its 1.2 GHz dual-core, but there’s much more going on under that chip. The performance is almost double, battery is much improved and extremely efficient. The RAZR HD will easily beat the older sibling across the board for those wondering about an upgrade. Is it needed? No, but will you notice a difference? Probably.
Camera and Battery       Battery life also is rather impressive with the new RAZR HD. Thanks to the massive 2,530 mAh battery (original was 1,780) and the efficient dual-core Snapdragon S4 you can expect almost 30% better battery life — even though we have a bigger, faster phone, and HD display. With light usage my RAZR HD lasted just under two days. With heavy usage I still managed to achieve almost 30 hours of use. This will certainly last almost all users the entire day and beyond.
Phone and Speaker
Wrap-Up
With Google taking over Motorola we’re expecting updates to become more timely. The software is already quite excellent but everyone always wants the latest and greatest so that’s worth mentioning. In the end the new DROID RAZR HD is everything we expected from Motorola. Nothing groundbreaking but a nice evolution from previous models. Having extremely similar specs to the Galaxy S III the choice is a bit of a toss up. Either way the brand new Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD are available starting today, October 18th from Verizon. Go get one!                  Device Info
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| Google introduces new Samsung-made Chromebook Posted: 18 Oct 2012 01:13 PM PDT To many, Google and Samsung are two companies that go hand-in-hand, mostly because Samsung is the world’s biggest manufacturer of Android phones. It’s only fitting, then, that Google has picked Samsung to produce a new Chromebook. The idea behind it is still to give consumers a speedy browser-only laptop, but it appears that this new device brings a number of changes over Chromebooks of the past.
The biggest change is the price, as this new Chromebook will only cost $249, which is a far cry from the $449 price tag Chromebooks used to sport. Google was able to bring the price down so much because of the changes it made to internal hardware. The new Chromebook comes running an Exynos 5 Dual ARM processor, something our friends at SlashGear point out leads to a Chromebook with no fans and no moving parts at all. Aside from the processor, you’ll be working with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. You’ve got a 11.6-inch screen running at 1366×768 resolution, along with two USB ports and an HDMI-out port. The whole package comes it at 2.5 pounds and is only 0.8 inches thick, so this new Chromebook will be keeping with the current trend of super-portable laptops. The changes stop at hardware and pricing, which means that you shouldn’t expect any significant differences in the software. If you pick one of these up, Google will give you 100GB of free Drive storage, though this promotion also applies to any other Samsung Chromebooks currently on the market. If this has caught your eye, you’ll be pleased to know that pre-orders open today, and Samsung’s new Chromebook goes on sale next Monday. Are you picking one up?
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| AT&T takes issue with SoftBank’s Sprint buyout Posted: 18 Oct 2012 12:28 PM PDT SoftBank‘s intention of purchasing a 70% stake in Sprint is one of the month’s bigger news stories (at least so far), so it’s no wonder that today we’re seeing other carriers coming out and stating some issues they have with the proposed acquisition. One of these carriers is AT&T, which is warning FCC regulators today to closely examine this buyout and its potential consequences. Specifically, AT&T seems concerned over the fact that SoftBank acquiring Sprint means that SoftBank will also take control of Clearwire, giving it a large amount of wireless spectrum.
AT&T vice president Brad Burns voiced the company’s concerns in a rather short and succinct statement. At the same time, AT&T manages to voice its concerns without making any whiny demands, presumably because the carrier could use this buyout to its advantage should it be approved by the FCC. Have a look at it below:
Of course, AT&T hasn’t forgotten the fact that FCC didn’t approve the company’s proposed buyout of T-Mobile, so it’s easy to see why AT&T feels the need to make this statement. It isn’t as if companies making these kinds of warning statements when a major acquisition is in the pipeline is anything new, either – as AT&T said, this acquisition would give SoftBank a significant amount of US spectrum, which would make it that much harder for the carrier to get ahead in the highly competitive mobile market. Whether or not the FCC will pay attention to AT&T’s precautionary statement is another thing entirely, though. You can bet that the FCC will already be closely examining the sale, however, just as we can be sure that other mobile companies will soon be coming out of the woodwork to voice their own displeasure with the Sprint buyout. Stay tuned, because things will definitely be getting much more interesting soon
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