Made for Life

Android Community

2012-02-15T16:32:00.000-08:00

Android Community

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:10 AM PST

Some new screenshots and details have appeared, confirming that Samsung has prepped and will be announcing the Galaxy Note 10.1 at Mobile World Congress later this month. Yes a 10″ Samsung Galaxy Note. Samsung’s developer day announcement and invitation calmly mentions the Galaxy Note 10.1″ along with S-pen SDK, the Wave 3 and a few other non Android devices. Check it out.

Samsung casually mentions the already available 5.3″ Galaxy Note and then drops the 10.1″ model right after, with nothing other than the small tip as a teaser. It was spotted on their official blog but has since been removed. At first you’d think this was just a mistake but according to some text documents found by The Verge for a casting call by Samsung for a commercial this same device was listed again. Showing a Galaxy Note 10.1 used for educational purposes.

We don’t expect the new device to have phone capabilities and will basically be Samsung’s first 10″ Android tablet with full stylus “S-Pen” capabilities. We are also hopeful this will come with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but cannot confirm that at this time. I’m praying it will not run on Gingerbread. A Samsung S-Pen SDK has been released for developers, and the WACOM digitizer makes it offer the best stylus support we’ve seen thus far.
Samsung has mentioned in the past the options and great expectations they have for the S-Pen technology and this is their now obvious next step. What do you guys think? Would you buy a 10″ Note for the stylus support, or just stick to full keyboard options like the Transformer Prime?
[via SlashGear]

HTC announces “early access previews” for Ice Cream Sandwich updates

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST

Good news for all the HTC Sensation and Sensation XE owners. Today HTC has literally just announced that the updates to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for both devices that was recently detailed, will actually be available as an “early access preview” in the coming days. Essentially this is a limited public beta test before the official OTA update coming end of March.

Others such as Motorola run limited “soak tests” of their updates, better known as a beta test. Basically this is HTC finally doing the same thing. Giving actual users an early taste of updates to try and test before officially rolling said updates out to the general public on a mass scale. The first public beta or as HTC is calling it, “early access preview” will begin for the Android 4.0 ICS update to the Sensation and Sensation XE to a few hundred users in Europe.
We can expect this same type of preview to shortly follow for the US HTC Sensation. HTC also mentioned this same approach will be taken with other devices in the future, too. They would like to continue working on backend and overall performance, while giving their users an early look of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC’s Sense UI. Here is the official quote from HTC:

“HTC is doing something new and pretty cool in the coming days: we’ll be releasing an “early access preview” of our ICS upgrade for the Sensation and Sensation XE. This will be limited in scope (just a few hundred users and only in Europe) because we’re still scaling up back-end resources for general availability worldwide, and our hope is people will play with it and enjoy getting used to the ICS experience with Sense. We’ll be doing similar previews for other devices in the future, too.”

This is great news. HTC will now be offering public beta tests for their software updates for all the popular HTC devices moving forward. I have a feeling a few of these updates might also get the developer treatment and you can expect builds of ICS for the T-Mobile Sensation and others to shortly follow, ahead of official updates from HTC. Again this first run will be in Europe only but we’ll update when we know the details for more markets and devices. Get ready for Ice Cream Sandwich in the “coming days”.

HTC quad-core debut to be called the HTC One X

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 10:10 AM PST

We’ve been hearing a lot regarding HTC’s upcoming smartphones slated to be unveiled in a few weeks at Mobile World Congress, and with good reason. They’ll be debuting their new and first quad-core device in what we are now hearing will be called the HTC One X. Previous reports and leaks called this phone the HTC Edge and Endeavor but the official retail name will be the One X.

Reports from our friends at PocketNow have confirmed the new naming scheme. Which lines right up with our own tips received detailing that the dual-core HTC Ville will launch as the HTC One S. Obviously they may release the phones on different carriers with another name but we are hearing they will launch under the new “One” branding.
This makes perfect sense given HTC’s earlier comments where they outlined they’ll release less devices, and focus on quality over quantity for 2012. Just like previous reports the One X should come with a 4.7″ HD display, that Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 8 megapixel camera and still be amazingly thin. The HTC One S will come with a 4.3″ display and their popular 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor. It should be their thinnest device to date.
We will be live at Mobile World Congress later this month as HTC unveils these new phones and can’t wait to see what comes from their new studio of employee’s working on “hero devices”. All the details can be found from the links in the timeline below. Keep an eye on our MWC 2012 portal for all the news from Barcelona later this month.

Verizon may get white Galaxy Nexus with reduced price and storage

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 10:19 PM PST

If the Galaxy Nexus LTE on Verizon Wireless seems a little bland to you, and if for some reason you just hate having lots of storage space, you may soon find the perfect phone. Droid Life reports that Verizon will be getting a localized version of the Galaxy Nexus, just like the UK has already. Hold your wallets, Android faithful: their (anonymous) sources claim that this version will be reduced to half storage for a total of 16GB, and that’s no small matter when the phone is already without a MicroSD card slot. This jives with earlier rumors that the 32GB version has been scrapped all together, for both HSPA+ and LTE varieties.

On the plus side, a reduced storage option may indicate a lowered price as well. When Verizon stripped the 16GB card out of the DROID RAZR (which is also available in white) it dropped the price by a cool $100, giving the flagship phone a lower barrier to entry and sending bargain hunters to Google in droves to check the price of a 16GB card. The carrier still offers the 32GB version (16+16) for a full $299 on contract, so it might be using the addition of a white Galaxy Nexus to offer the same phone at a lower price point. This would leave the DROID RAZR MAXX and the HTC Rezound as the last of Verizon’s LTE headliner devices with only a $299 option.
The source claims that the basic metallic gray will also come in at $199 with a reduced 16GB capacity, for those who… just really like gray plastic, I guess. What’s the likelihood of this all being true? Given Verizon’s actions over the last few weeks, we’d say it’s as least as likely as not – keep in mind that the DROID RAZR has been on the market for a month longer than the Galaxy Nexus, so if Verizon’s pursuing a staggered price drop strategy, the timing would make sense. Since Verizon remains the only US carrier to offer the Ice Cream Sandwich developer phone at present, we’d be happy to see it within the grasp of more budget-conscious buyers.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
Resolution : 1280x720
Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.33 Inch
Width : 2.67 Inch
Depth : 0.37 Inch
Weight : 150 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1850 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 150 hours

Software

Android OS

4.0.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MID
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.264 / AVC

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

CDMA

CDMA Band

900
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

CyanogenMod 9 may use Onskreen’s Cornerstone multitasking engine

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 10:00 PM PST

Android’s always been pretty handy with multitasking, but if CyanogenMod is your custom ROM of choice, it may soon be getting even better. The CyanogenMod team stated on a Google+ post that they’re investigating the possibility of including Onskreen’s Cornerstone software in their final CM9 build, based on Ice Cream Sandwich. The sudden addition is due to Cornerstone’s recent move to the world of open source, allowing modders like the CM team to include it in their ROMs for free. “We will probably include this into CM9. it needs some polish, but the concept is just great,” said an official update.

If you haven’t seen our previous posts on Cornerstone, here’s the skinny: it’s a method for Android tablets to display multiple apps on screen at the same time. The software sits in a secondary action bar on the right, and loads up one or two apps in addition to your active app, utilizing a combination of tablet screen real estate and smartphone formatting to create a pretty seamless multitasking experience. Cornerstone is not an app, and needs to be “baked in” to a ROM or OEM software update in order to function properly.
This is far from a sure thing – in an update, the CyanogenMod team noted that they’d only include Cornerstone if it worked well within Android and CyanogenMod itself. “If it is done, it needs to be done right and not break apps all over the market or be a nightmare to upkeep down the line.” Still, it’s yet another example of custom ROMs adding functionality that just doesn’t exist in either “pure” or OEM Android. At least a few lesser-known ROMs have already taken the plunge and begun integrating Cornerstone. As an alternative, check out WebOS favorite Glimpse, coming soon to an Android tablet near you.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus 32GB GSM canceled according to online retailers

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 05:45 PM PST

Bad news has just surfaced today for those looking to get the 32GB version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The GSM model was announced with both a 16 and 32GB model being available but we’ve yet to see the larger of the two. Today according to online retailer Expansys-USA Samsung has canceled the item. It’s possible that it has only been delayed but so far things aren’t looking good.

For those unaware, the Galaxy Nexus does not feature a micro-SD slot for extra storage. Instead we must reply on the built-in storage options available. The Verizon Galaxy Nexus comes with 32GB of storage, but for for the rest of the world and all GSM models they currently only come equipped with 16GB. We’ve been waiting for online retailers to start shipping the 32GB version and have yet to see it come in stock.
If the official comment from Corey at Expansys is true, Samsung has for some unknown reasons canceled or delayed the model but at this time we have no official details. Here is the official comment:

We’ve just been notified this morning that Samsung have dropped the Galaxy Nexus 32GB from production. At this time it looks like they will not be releasing it. Not good news at all.
Corey
EXPANSYS-USA

This might not be a big concern for some, but I know many have been waiting specifically for this version to come with more storage. The 32GB GSM Galaxy Nexus was showing as discontinued earlier today over at the online retailer, but now seems to have disappeared completely from their site. We’ll keep digging for more information and will update if we hear more.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
Resolution : 1280x720
Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.33 Inch
Width : 2.67 Inch
Depth : 0.35 Inch
Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS

4.0.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MID
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

GSM
CDMA

GSM Band

850
900
1800
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

[via XDA] — Thanks Alan

Scalado Remove unveiled, removes subjects to make a perfect photo

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 05:14 PM PST

Have you ever snapped the perfect picture only to have it ruined by someone walking in the frame, or wanted to take an ex out of that awesome picture from your vacation? Well now you can with a new feature from the photo technology firm Scalado, called Scalado Remove. Their app is being called the world's first optical removal software for smartphones. It builds a composite shot from multiple frames captured in swift succession, picking out possible flaws – such as passing cars or people – then lets you delete them with a tap of the screen.

So technically you can’t remove old ex’s from pictures in the past, but you’ll be able to edit out anything that is not stationary. The object has to be moving for Remove to capture and delete the subject. While it will have a few limitations the possibilities and overall functionality is extremely impressive.

Once you take a picture you’ll need to keep the camera still on the particular subject. Scalado will then be able to remove moving objects based on the stationary background. All you do is touch the moving subjects you want gone and it does the rest. We must mention that this will not actually be an application we can all download and use. Instead this will be software added to smartphones and hopefully Samsung, HTC, and others will partner with Scalado to bring this to Android soon.
Scalado will be showing off this neat new technology and software at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona Spain and I’ll be sure to stop by and get some hands-on time with it. This will surely help me get what I call the “money shot”. Would you use this software if your smartphone had the capability?
[via SlashGear]

Portal ported to Android, the cake is not a lie

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 04:47 PM PST

Oh man this news is just awesome. One of my favorite PC games of all times has been unofficially ported to Android. Portal, the popular shooter/puzzle game by Valve has been tweaked and ported with the Unity engine to run on our Android tablets and so far it looks amazing. While graphics are obviously missing and it can be a little glitchy at times this is a very early beta look at the game and we can expect huge improvements to follow.

The cake is a lie! Or according to these developers the cake is not a lie and indeed we will get a surprise in the form of this brain-twisting game on Android. If you’ve never played Portal the above saying wont make any sense, but trust me it should. The video below only shows one of many levels that will soon be coming. For now this is clearly a work in progress but I can’t wait to see what else they have in store.

The Unity engine is what makes this possible and the folks developing this awesome port will update accordingly. For now those looking to get into the action and run some aperture science tests on their Android phone or tablet can do so if they please. You can find a pre-developed and highly unstable APK of the game from this forum post. If you are feeling brave give it a try but you should probably wait for a better, more stable version to be released.
The chance that I can almost fully play Portal on my Android tablet is mind blowing. I sure hope Valve is reading this and plan to bring some games like this to Android in the near future. Portal isn’t the only one and an unofficial version of Counter-strike has also seen a port for Android. If you do give this a try sound off in the comments and let us know how it goes.
[via SlashGear]

Samsung Galaxy Note [AT&T] unboxing and impressions

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 04:26 PM PST

Big phone, small tablet, or unnecessary hybrid? Our man Chris Davies said it best during his initial review of the international Galaxy Note, but today we have the AT&T 4G LTE powered Note on our tables for a quick glance. Below we unbox it, compare the differences from the international version and the size boost over the Galaxy Nexus. Not to mention a few LTE speedtests and pictures so check it out.

First off this device should need to introduction but just in case I’ll run down the impressive specs Samsung has packed into this large phone. The Galaxy Note features a massive 5.3″ Super AMOLED HD display coming in with a 1280 x 800 resolution. Making this one of the highest resolution and best looking displays on a smartphone. Powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor (not the 1.4 GHz Exynos like the international Note) and 1GB of RAM. Samsung’s added 16GB of internal storage although only about 10GB is available for usage.
You pair all of that with an 8 megapixel camera on the rear, 2 MP up front for video, a built-in stylus called the S-Pen with extreme accuracy and pressure sensitivity all ran off Android 2.3 Gingerbread and a huge 2,500 mAh battery it’s destined for success. Or is it too big? For now we’ll quickly show it off, test the LTE speeds and let you check out the video. Then stay tuned for our full review and complete thoughts once we’ve had some time to enjoy it and decide what we truly think.

For those familiar with the international Galaxy Note the AT&T model has a few key differences. For one like mentioned above is the dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm, not Samsung’s in-house Exynos running at 1.4 GHz. So the AT&T model will perform differently. Speaking of performance it might also get better, or worse battery life depending on that new processors efficiency — and how much the 4G LTE sucks down on power usage. All of this will be looked over for our review. If you are on AT&T the choice is pretty clear as this has 4G LTE and will fit nicely as an upgrade from a previous device. The last difference is the hardware home button being replaced with 4 capacitive touch buttons — but that was expected for a US release.
So where do I begin? The phone is big, really big. I thought the Galaxy Nexus was pushing my limits and it clearly is. The Note is huge! This will definetaly be for a certain crowd for the sheer size and lack of portability. If you can get over the size however, this is a truly versatile device. The fact that it’s actually thinner than the Galaxy Nexus really helps, the rounded edges makes it feel smaller than it really is — helping its cause given the size.
The display is gorgeous, and I mean that. The colors are extremely crisp, vivid and bright and it is absolutely impressive to say the least. I love the Galaxy Nexus, but the Note’s screen is just WOW worthy. Throwing the phone to your ear in public might get a few of those “Wow’s” too though. AT&T’s 4G LTE seems to be chugging along just great here with the Note. In a solid signal location in Las Vegas I’m averaging around 12-15 MB/s down and around 7-10 up. Not the fastest we’ve seen but I’ll take it. We’ll be sure to test in more locations later too.

I’ll be sure to test out the S-Pen and the WACOM digitizer and see just how well it really performs for day to day use, and decide if a stylus is something I see myself using daily. For some that wont matter but I’m sure a few are interested in hearing. Enjoy our video unboxing and stay tuned for a full rundown and review coming in a few days.

Galaxy Note AT&T hands-on and unboxing

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 5.3 Inch
Resolution : 1280x800
Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.78 Inch
Width : 3.27 Inch
Depth : 0.38 Inch
Weight : 183 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 2500 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 250 hours

Software

Android OS

2.3.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MID
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

GSM Band

850
900
1800
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

Yahoo! Mail for Android updated with custom notifications

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 01:59 PM PST

Yahoo! has just pushed a much needed update out to the Android Market for their Yahoo! Mail for Android application. Do people still use Yahoo! Mail? Apparently they do because it has tons of users passing 10 million downloads. You’ll all be happy to know the update has brought multiple ways to customize notifications and more.

This isn’t Hotmail we are talking about here. It is the popular Yahoo! Mail for Android and now users will be able to completely customize their notifications based on how they want to be notified. With sound, vibrate for silence, and they can even include or exclude the notification bar up top to keep things clean and simple. The screenshot below shows the new settings as well as the what’s new change log.

The new Yahoo! Mail for Android is freely available and was just updated late last night. Along with the changes outlined above we also now have a select all checkbox similar to the “edit” option before to select and manage multiple emails at once. Something you’d think would be standard but apparently wasn’t available until now. Get the new app from the link below and enjoy. Yahooooo!
Market Link

Android Collectible figures now available from local retailers, get them today

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 01:11 PM PST

Who loves Android? If you’d like to show your spirit or simply love the Andrew Bell Collectible Android series we have some excellent news. Previously these were only limited edition toys that sold out in minutes but it appears they are about to go big. They’ve announced the Open Big Box Edition series 1 today that will be available in large retailers around the country instead of only online.

Local malls and shops such as Urban Outfitters, Barnes & Noble or even F.Y.E are currently, or will soon be offering these Android Collectible toys right in their stores. What’s even better is these aren’t blind boxes either. You’ll be able to see and choose the one you’d like instead of hoping for a good one like the blind boxes sold online.
This new box edition will differ from the special and limited edition sets that have exclusively launched from DYZPlastic but will still be collectors items and wildly popular that is for sure. We are hearing they will cost around $9.99 a pop and are available now. Sure beats paying the high eBay prices we’ve seen since they’ve became so popular as of late. We are still expecting the special edition series 3 to come soon, and were just leaked yesterday so check out the details below.
I’d be headed to my nearest store before all the die-hard Android fans scoop up all the stock on these awesome little figures. I have plenty myself and am about to get a few more.
[via DYZPlastic]

Motorola DROID 3 update coming soon, two builds leaked

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 12:53 PM PST

It looks like Motorola is prepping a few updates to soon roll out to the DROID 3. For starters, no this is not Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and merely just maintenance updates. So far we haven’t heard reports of an update or a soak (beta) test for these updates but they have leaked and are available now for those interested.

Both of the leaked builds (linked below) can be flashed with the stock recovery and on unrooted devices, and are officially signed from Motorola and all. Basically these are beta builds that are pretty final and have been leaked. Good times! Obviously these are nothing official so users should still use caution while flashing, and there is no way to revert back to your previous state so keep that in mind.
So while non-rooted users can flash this, we’d recommend you know what you are doing before you proceed. We are however hearing reports of a better camera, more stable connection, and even increased battery life with the new build and ratios included in these leaks. All the information and downloads are available over at this XDA thread.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4 Inch
Resolution : 540x960
Screen Type : qHD

Dimension & Weight

Height : 4.90 Inch
Width : 2.50 Inch
Depth : 0.50 Inch
Weight : 184 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1540 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 300 hours

Software

Android OS

2.3.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MID
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)
WMV

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

CDMA

GSM Band

850
900
1800
1900

CDMA Band

800
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

[via Droid-Life]

HTC up next to offer Playstation certified devices and gaming

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 12:26 PM PST

New reports are coming in stating that HTC will be the first manufacturer outside of Sony to offer Playstation certified devices to their customers. Bringing awesome games and titles like Crash Bandicoot to HTC phones and tablets. This will be a great move for Sony and allow more customers access to their apps than the smaller group of current Sony Ericsson devices such as the Xperia Play.

Late last year Sony announced that the official Playstation Suite of certified games and applications would be headed to other manufactures and devices come 2012 and it appears that things are right on track. According to trusted sources from Pocket-Lint HTC will be the first to be certified and we could be seeing an announcement as soon as late this month, possibly at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Spain.
Sony’s Playstation Suite is now a full cross-platform system with games available to the PS VITA, and many Android devices from Sony. With HTC on board they will expand even further. We might even see some official gaming smartphones from HTC in the future with slide-out game controls similar to the Xperia Play but that is unlikely. Most likely gaming will be completed with on-screen controls but anything is possible.
Interesting news and once either party confirms or shares more details we will update accordingly.
[via SlashGear]

Acer Iconia Tab A510 quad-core hitting shelves in March

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 11:58 AM PST

Acer is all set to release their next venture into the Android tablet market with the Iconia Tab A510. We’ve seen countless rumors of the new NVIDIA Tegra 3 tablet and after unveiling it back in January we are now hearing it will officially hit the streets and consumers hands in March — complete with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and that quad-core processor.

Acer announced two new Android 4.0 quad-core tablets in the A510 and the 3G/4G sporting A511 and while we currently have no details regarding a US launch like the smaller sibling the A200 that is available now. We do know the A510 will be available across Europe starting next month. Priced around 399 Euro’s ($499 USD) it will be right up there with the Transformer Prime in both price and specs.
Other than the impressive quad-core processor the specs are similar to other tablets. We have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 10.1″ 1280 x 800 resolution display, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. One area that separates the A510 from others is the huge 9,800 mAh battery under the hood that should provide hours of usage. The Acer A510 will be available in black and silver and initially only the WiFi model will be for sale with announcements for the A511 coming later.
As soon as we hear more details regarding the release date and availability here in the US we will be sure to update. I’m sure many would love an alternative to the often out of stock Transformer Prime, but still want a quad-core Android 4.0 tablet.
[via NotebookItalia]

The NVIDIA Blog

2012-02-15T11:47:00.001-08:00

The NVIDIA Blog

Registration For GTC 2012 Swings Open

Posted: 15 Feb 2012 11:33 AM PST

Following a whirlwind tour of Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and China, the GPU Technology Conference (GTC) returns home to San Jose, Calif., for its flagship event on May 14-17, and registration opens today.

Now into its third year, GTC keeps getting better and better. This year's event will feature some of the most advanced scientific research being pursued on the planet – all done with the help of GPUs.

GTC 2012 continues to be for a wide group of individuals interested in the exceptional power and efficiency of the GPU.

The GTC keynote stage, in all its glory

CUDA developers will continue to have their needs championed by the event, with the highly technical and practical programming curriculum that has come to define GTC.

Domain scientists will benefit from learning how to get faster research results. They'll want to check out the workshops and sessions devoted to OpenACC directives programming – the fastest, easiest way to leverage GPU computing with their existing scientific code. They'll also get a chance to learn what their peers are doing with GPUs in areas such as bioinformatics, climate and weather modeling, computational physics, energy exploration, medical imaging & visualization, and more than two dozen other fields.

The Emerging Companies Summit will give investors and others interested in start-ups a chance to learn how dozens of entrepreneurs are trying to capitalize on the GPU to drive new businesses.

You can expect to see some serious education and collaboration happening at GTC. But no conference would be complete without some time set aside for celebration – so don't forget about the GTC Party on Wednesday night.

Come join us at GTC 2012. Register today.

Moving The Workstation Beyond Its Tower

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 02:56 PM PST

The HP Z1 Workstation is about to turn the professional workstation market on its head.

The breakthrough HP Z1 Workstation was unveiled today as the world's first 27-inch all-in-one workstation, featuring a sleek, space-saving design, and NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics.

The HP Z1 with its hood open for easy upgrading

To help design and engineering professionals stay ahead of the curve, the HP Z1's display swings open like the hood of a car so you can easily and quickly upgrade the system. This innovative design allows you to swap out parts and make upgrades to the GPU and other components without the need for any tools.

As you guessed by now, a key part of the Z1 is the introduction of a new, custom line of NVIDIA Quadro GPUs – developed through a multi-year collaboration between HP and NVIDIA. These GPUs, designed for all-in-one workstations, consume less power, generate less heat and require less cooling compared to a traditional workstation. The result is whisper-quiet operation and blazing fast performance.

The HP Z1 gives designers, engineers, digital media and entertainment professionals the kind of uncompromised 3D graphics capability they demand, packaged into a convenient All-In-One form factor.

Check it out for yourself in the video below.

Freedom from the tower. No compromise on graphics power. NVIDIA and HP deliver beauty and brawn with the Z1. Go to http://www.hp.com/z1, open the hood, and kick the tires for yourself. We think you'll like what you see.

Android Community

2012-02-14T20:39:00.000-08:00

Android Community

Android Community WIMM Spring Developers Project Giveaway begins

Posted: 14 Feb 2012 10:55 AM PST

For those looking to get the Android development and brainstorm train going we have just the device for you. The WIMM Android-powered smartwatch. The WIMM platform brings Android apps and development to wearable technology and we are proud to announce the Android Community and WIMM Labs Spring Developers Project Giveaway! What we've got here is a set of WIMM One developer preview kits ready to distribute to you, but what we need in return is your brainstorm of ideas for what the wearable module can do, and some Micro App ideas to help it do just that. This is all about ideas and creativity, and we want to hear your thoughts then send you a WIMM ONE kit to enjoy and start building your own micro apps.

Over the next week or so, we’ll be offering a few of these units (10) to our readers and in return ask that you submit your thoughts or micro app ideas to one of our social network sites. For the first round we’ll be using Google+ so hopefully you’ve joined. If not then you probably should, then follow and circle +Android Community. Don’t worry Facebook fans, because our sister site SlashGear is joining us for the fun. You can enter their contest on Facebook here. Don’t forget to check out the WIMM full review. If you’ve been eying the WIMM One platform, or would like to give it a try we are your direct source.
For this first week's round, we simply ask that you do the following:

1. Follow and circle our Google+ page at: +Android Community
2. Leave a comment in [this thread] on G+ with your idea for a Micro App that would work great with WIMM in the future.
3. We'll pick a set of our favorites and select a random winner every 24 hours starting on the 15th of February!

It's just that simple ladies and gentleman! You can submit only ONCE per giveaway so make sure to put your best ONE idea out there. It will then be adding to the random drawing along with the other top ideas or applications we’ve chosen as a team. Put on those thinking caps and give us some ideas!

In addition, the WIMM One App Store will be going live the week of February 20th with a selection of new Micro Applications from their developer community. Development tools (SDK) are available to registered WIMM developers. Sign up here.
Here's the full rules as well, if you're wondering about all the legalities and what not:

Giveaway begins February 14th, 12:01AM PST, and ends February 24th, 12:01AM PST barring any complications finding winners. A winner will be announced every 24 hours here in the main news feed and at our official Google+ and Facebook pages.
WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their WIMM One unit and have it posted on the front page of SlashGear or AndroidCommunity.com! *Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration.
The giveaway is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. One entry per giveaway per person. Family members of Google and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified Android Community Google+ page; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized.
The winners will be contacted by a SlashGear or Android Community staff member upon being selected and will be expected to respond to that staff member; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, WIMM, SlashGear, and Android Community.
Prize consists of one WIMM One developer unit to be announced at the start of each 24 hour giveaway period. One prize per winner. 10 total winners. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and WIMM reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

Giveaway provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizes provided by WIMM. Any questions regarding this giveaway should be directed to Giveaway @ SlashGear.com

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 1.4 Inch
Resolution :
Screen Type : NA

Dimension & Weight

Height : 1.42 Inch
Width : 1.25 Inch
Depth : .49 Inch
Weight : 22 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Capacity : mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : NA

Software

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

Sensors

Accelerometer

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

FM Radio

NFC

Xvision an4 tablet will release in Japan, Android 4.0 on-board

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:37 PM PST

Electronics manufacturer WSL Japan will release the Xvision an5 will hit Japan’s market in April. From the press release, you’ll notice it sports a 9.7″ display with 1024×768 pixel resolution. It has a great form factor, and will only be 10mm thick. It’ll also be ready to run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) upon release, but then again that is soon to become the norm.

The Xvision an4 will be powered by a 1GHz Amlogic 8726-M3 processor, and carry 1GB of DDR3 RAM. All models will come with WiFi, but 3G and GPS options can be added separately. It will have 16GB of internal storage, but no sign of an included microSD card port. A 0.3 MP camera for video chat is also included, but no rear shooter.
It’s not as speedy as some of the other tablets we’ve reviewed as of late. The hardware isn’t too old, but it definitely doesn’t bring anything new to the table – so it may get lost in the crowd of many others. If priced right, it could do well here in the US, but for now expect this little tablet to reside in Japan alone.
[via Androinica]

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 OTA update hitting WiFi models now

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 09:25 PM PST

A maintenance update should be pushed to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 [WiFi Only] soon, and aims to fix a few common issues. No, this may not be the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update you’ve been praying about, but it still mends some important problems. First off, it should fix rotation issues. Slow rotation on either a tablet or smartphone can get real irritating, so hopefully this speeds things up.

The fixes tend to email attachment issues, improve WiFi reconnection response, and other system file force closes. It should also improve battery life. This improvement could be directly related to previous WiFi reconnection problems, as constantly reconnecting to a network burns your battery faster than normal.
And finally, it installs the latest version of the Android Market. It’s odd Google hasn’t initiated an easier way to upgrade the Android Market; sure you could download the .apk file of the latest and greatest – but many only trust a more “official” approach. I’m sure the Market is one application we wouldn’t mind Android automatically upgrading.
[via AndroidCentral]

Samsung Epic 4G Touch could be the first GSII receiving Android 4.0

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 09:00 PM PST

Samsung Epic 4G Touch owners are probably on the edges of their seats right now. And sources say, it could be the first Galaxy S II to receive Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The Now Network has been punctual at delivering updates in the past, and over on their official forums resides some eye-squinting information detailing an Android 4.0.3 update is imminent. It unveils both the Touch’s model number and software version. Therefore, we should definitely expect an update – hopefully sooner rather than later.

The Epic 4G Touch is currently on Android 2.3.6, so hopefully the big jump to 4.0 doesn’t leave it with any bugs. There’s been an absence of complaints about this device from critics so far, and hopefully it stays that way. But realistically, it shouldn’t surprise us if 4.0 doesn’t agree in exactly the manner we had hoped for. After all, it would be the guinea pig amongst many GSII smartphones slated to receive the update.

The device has been rooted for quite some time, so if an official build leaks out to the public we’ll let you know. Of all devices I’d hoped to see ICS run over, the Galaxy Note and Epic 4G Touch were on the top of my list. The 4.5″ screen will look massive, even sitting beside a Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus has a 4.65″ display, but lets not forget some of it is used to operate the menu buttons – whereas the Epic 4G Touch makes use of the entire display.
[via Phandroid]

Android Community Evening Wrap-Up: February 13, 2012

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 08:04 PM PST

We hope you all had a great weekend, and now that Monday is coming to a close, we’ll play catch-up on any important news you may have missed. The Motorola DROID 4 was cracked open by iFixit today, so head on over to check out all the bits and pieces that make up your new device. DROID 4 owners will also be thrilled to know its already been rooted! You can get it now, and it works much like the method used for the DROID RAZR and RAZR Maxx.

Google’s Motorola buyout was approved by the EU today. Way back when we first heard of the search giant’s purchase proposal, it was obvious they needed to score a few patents. And $12.5 billion dollars later, here we are. This may be just the nudge Google’s been waiting for.
Quadrant Benchmark has updated their software to include ICS and multi-core support. No more wondering how your new device stacks up to some of the older ones! You’ll be able to test this on the Acer ICONIA Tab A200, as it should be receiving Android 4.0 any moment now (if not already).
And finally, more information on upcoming MWC 2012 in Barcelona, Spain! We’ve gotten word that a Motorola smartphone with Intel inside should be unveiled. Android 4.0 should also be on board, yet you probably already knew that – as it should be included in most new devices this year.

Desperate measures: BlackBerry Playbook developer giveaway extended by two weeks

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 05:20 PM PST

Remember that stunk that BlackBerry maker RIM pulled to get Android developers to submit their apps to the BlackBerry App World? You know, the one that essentially gives away the company’s one and only tablet to anyone willing to jump ship? After an excited initial response from Android developers, RIM has decided to extend the promotional program by two weeks. Devs, get those fingers in gear and head on over to the BlackBerry FAQ to get the skinny – you’ve got until March 2nd to submit your app, but only until February 15th (Wednesday) to sign up.

If you’re wondering why RIM is wooing Android devs, it’s because they’ve developed a system for porting Android applications to the PlayBook with relative ease. The company supplies a set of tools and requirements for getting Android apps on the BlackBerry App World, where they can be downloaded and run on the PlayBook’s OS 2.0 software update (not regular Blackberry phones). The PlayBook’s software architecture shares enough DNA with Android that it’s reportedly pretty easy to bring one app to the other, and vice versa.
And man, the PlayBook needs all the help it can get. Originally launched at $500 (with a form factor and internals roughly equal to the Nook Color) the BlackBerry PlayBook can now be had for half that at many online retailers, and BlackBerry apparently still has enough to literally give away. RIM’s market share has been steadily declining ever since Android hit the market. Still, if apps make the platform as popular wisdom dictates, then they’ve got a pretty good strategy – so long as developers can actually sell the apps that they port.

LG G2x and Optimus 2x receive CyanogenMod 9 ICS builds, touch recovery

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 04:47 PM PST

If you are rocking the T-Mobile LG G2x or the Optimus 2x we have some good news today. The awesome developer Ricardo Cerqueira who brought us CM7 to both devices has been working hard and has just released CyanogenMod 9 Ice Cream Sandwich builds for both dual-core Tegra 2 phones. Hurray! Ricardo has been sharing all the details and progress over on his Google+ page.

He clearly states that he’s released CyanogenMod 9 builds for both the p990 (LG Optimus 2X) and p999 (T-Mobile G2x) but that they are unofficial, unsupported, and still a work in progress. Knowing my fellow Android fans I’m sure a few are eager to give these a try and will be flashing it tonight, even though they are still in alpha stages.
Currently these are running quite stable but not without a few glitches or bugs, so flash at your own risk. A few remaining issues with the camera and video are the main hurdles. He mentions no media acceleration, no video encoding or decoding either. Apps specific to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich requiring media acceleration like the new Google Chrome for Android will most likely struggle, and have a few glitches.
However, Face Unlock seems to be coming along and he’s also managed to get ClockWorkMod Touch Recovery working great too. Check out the preview video below then head to the source links for all the downloads. Obviously this is a use at your own risk situation. These are highly beta and not supported so use caution. Enjoy!
Download Links

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.00 Inch
Resolution : 480x800
Screen Type : LCD

Dimension & Weight

Height : 4.90 Inch
Width : 2.50 Inch
Depth : 0.40 Inch
Weight : 142 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 400 hours

Software

Android OS

2.2.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
MID
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)
WMV

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

GSM Band

850
900
1800
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

[via Google+]

ThinkGeek plays to the emulation crowd with 8-Bitty Bluetooth controller

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 04:27 PM PST

Thus far, Android has proven to be a fantastic platform for classic game emulation, especially if your tastes lead you to prefer games made before 1995 or so. But try as we might with grips and even specialized hardware like the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play, there’s just nothing like a classic game controller, with buttons you can count on one hand and a non-existent approach to ergonomics. ThinkGeek, long-time nostalgia enabler and supplier of geeky tools to the poor and the gentry, intends to make your gaming sessions authentic with the iCade 8-Bitty Bluetooth controller.

If the 8-Bitty looks familiar, congratulations: you are not lacking in a proper classic gaming education. It’s a dead ringer for the original Nintendo Entertainment System controller, with the addition of two extra face buttons and shoulder buttons, so it’ll work with Super NES and Genesis games, too. Most popular Android emulators and many games include support for Bluetooth controllers, and even if they don’t, ThinkGeek is creating an open SDK for developers to make sure. If all else fails, Ice Cream Sandwich includes built-in controller support, so modders should be able to get it to work with just about anything on ICS phones, tablets and ROMs.
The best part? It costs a mere $24, making your nostalgia trip a decidedly economy-class one. For the record, that’s cheaper than popular hack victim the Wii Remote ($40) and probably the SteelSeries Ion as well, whenever it comes to market. While ThinkGeek has a price for the 8-Bitty, they don’t have a timeframe – more’s the pity. Oh well, that’ll give developers more time to get their games ready… and for ThinkGeek to get some more appropriate photos.
[via SlashGear]

Motorola DROID 4 rooted already, get it now

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 04:15 PM PST

The Motorola DROID 4 QWERTY keyboard slider has only been available for a few days and was just released late last week. Thanks to those awesome developers it appears that we already have a full root method for the device, as well as a script to make the entire process simple for those looking for a little root access.

We recently reviewed the new DROID 4 from Motorola and our full thoughts and pictures are linked to below. Got Root? Because the method is freely available now and we have all the details. Thanks to Dan Rosenberg and the folks at MyDroidWorld for the below method. Originally Dan was looking for some supporters to donate and get him a Droid 4 but we are hearing he’s now donated the entire bounty to the American Red Cross. Support our developers guys!
The exploit is actually quite easy and all it takes is a simple file to be downloaded and a script ran and you’ll be rooted in no time. Most likely we’ll see a 1-click-root method from XDA shortly but for now this will work just fine. All it takes is a Windows PC. Download the file, unzip, and run and you’re good to go. All the details along with the download and donate links are available from the source link below. Enjoy that root access on your shiny new DROID 4.
DROID 4 Root Download

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.0 Inch
Resolution : 540x960
Screen Type : qHD AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.0 Inch
Width : 2.65 Inch
Depth : .50 Inch
Weight : 179 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1785 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 200 hours

Software

Android OS

2.3.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

CDMA

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

Huawei to announce quad-core Ascend D1 Q and 10-inch MediaPad at MWC

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:49 PM PST

We know Huawei’s got big plans for Mobile World Congress, specifically its brand new “Diamond” line of devices. According to a Webo post spotted by Blog of Mobile, the first phone to get this distinction will e the Huawei Ascend D1 Q. That rather extended product name probably includes “D1″ for the first Diamond phone and (wait for it) “Q” for quad-core. If Huawei intends to break out of its bargain OEM shell at MWC, that could be a very expedient way of doing so.

Also reportedly on the docket is a 10-inch version of the MediaPad. The original 7-inch MediaPad was Huawei’s first and at present only tablet, not counting rebranded variants like T-Mobile’s Springboard. We’ve been impressed by the MediaPad hardware every time we’ve touched – its Honeycomb software, not so much. But with Huawei looking to expand into just about every market, it needs a competitor to Samsung and Asus on the higher end of the tablet spectrum, and they should be able to compete on price as well. Since Huawei seems to have embraced Ice Cream Sandwich whole-hog, expect all of their phones and tablets at MWC to run Android 4.0.
We heard earlier about at least two diamond-class unveils for Barcelona, so unless the 10-inch MediaPad will get the D distinction, there’s at least one other major device left to be discovered. Of course, there’s no photos or serious data on any of Huawei’s lineup, so treat everything except the name of the Ascend D1 Q as rumor for now – that phone’s title was leaked by none other than Huawei Chairman Yu Chengdong. (The above photo is the Ascend II.) We won’t have to wait long to find out: Mobile World Congress kicks off in just a couple of weeks.
[via UnwiredView]

Motorola Android 4.0 smartphone powered by Intel leaks, coming to MWC

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:42 PM PST

What do we have here? Some juicy new photos of Motorola’s next smartphone that will be two firsts for Motorola. We are hearing this phone will be Intel-powered and run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. With Google’s acquisition of Motorola coming along smoothly this afternoon this news comes at the perfect time. Although I still see some Moto Blur UI included sadly. Check out the unique press image leaked.

This Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich device potential rocking Intel under the hood is just breaking the surface so the details are a bit light. Thanks to PocketNow we have a few details but nothing concrete or remotely confirmed. First off the design seems really industrial with those unique aluminum pins on the side — and obviously it has no buttons running on Ice Cream Sandwich.
That is about all we know really — other than sources are claiming this will be powered by Intel’s Medfield mobile processor. Obviously being new to the game Intel probably is still working out the power consumption and it appears this device wont be RAZR thin, but still looks quite impressive. According to the reports we should be seeing this mystery smartphone at Mobile World Congress in Spain later this month — so that is exciting.
Why it has a huge bezel on the bottom when it doesn’t require capacitive buttons sure beats me. Looking at the render we suspect something around 4.3″ for screen size but it’s too early to tell. Stay tuned for more details as we start prying for more information.

Google Motorola deal also gets approval from US Department of Justice

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 03:18 PM PST

We knew this news was coming today, and I’m sure most of you did also. Shortly after hearing the EU approved the Google Motorola buyout this morning, we now have confirmation that the US Department of Justice has too. Giving their seal of approval for the buyout of Motorola Mobility and all their patents to Google.

It looks like Google will be shelling out around $12.5 billion USD to Motorola for the buyout and will take ownership of the company but will let it run on its own as it has been. Just like the European Commission the US DoJ had their own concerns regarding the huge portfolio of patents owned by Motorola — that will now be in Google’s hands. Just like the EU they issued this statement:

"In light of the importance of this industry to consumers and the complex issues raised by the intersection of the intellectual property rights and antitrust law at issue here, as well as uncertainty as to the exercise of the acquired rights, the division continues to monitor the use of SEPs in the wireless device industry, particularly in the smartphone and computer tablet markets. The division will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to stop any anticompetitive use of SEP rights." – USDoJ

SEP standing for “standard essential patents”, the DOJ will also be sure to watch over how these newly acquired patents will be handled and that no anti-competitive acts are committed by Google. With the huge patent lawsuits and battles currently going on from multiple rivals in Apple and Microsoft we can’t help but think Google will use these to some extend.
Google still needs more approvals from others around the world but with these few major steps being taken today most likely the rest will follow suite. We’ll continue to monitor the approvals and update should anything major happen.
[via SlashGear]

HTC Endeavor RUU leaks with hints of HTC Speak, a Siri rival

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 02:40 PM PST

Over the weekend a leak for the upcoming HTC Endeavor (HTC Edge) was made available for download and along with it were tons of goodies and surprises. The RUU contained tons of images of HTC Sense UI 4.0 but what is even more interesting is the HTC Speak app that was also included. Possibly hinting that HTC is bringing a speaking and voice-like application to their devices that will rival Apple’s Siri.

Another interesting note is the image above was also found inside the leak. Looking more like the unknown HTC device that leaked late last week (link below), possibly another Incredible, and not the previously rumored and seen HTC Edge that we all have heard will be called the Endeavor. Either way the HTC Endeavor is expected to be a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 powered device that we will see at Mobile World Congress in a few short weeks.
According to HDBlog there are remnants of an HTC movie editor, and the HTC Speak app mentioned above. Unfortunately other than a few names of said apps we don’t have any other details regarding either of these new applications. If HTC is indeed creating a Siri alternative for Android that will be different from Google’s Majel and Google Voice it would make for some interesting competition. Google has added their own movie editor into Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich but it appears HTC will be making their own editor too. Another way to differentiate themselves from the rest I suppose.
What do you guys think? Would an HTC Speak app similar to Siri be a reason to buy HTC over the others? Or do the Siri commercials and general idea just bother you? I personally use Google Voice Actions daily although I wouldn’t go as far as talking to my phone all day long. Again the HTC Endeavor (Edge) and the HTC Ville should be making an appearance at Mobile World Congress in Spain later this month. We’ll be there live to get all the details for you, available from our MWC 2012 Portal.
[via SlashGear]

Acer Iconia Tab A200 Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich update rolling out now

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 02:26 PM PST

It looks like Acer is up next for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. After initially launching the new Iconia A200 tablet last month and promising a quick update to ICS, we can safely say it is finally rolling out today. It’s nice to see them sticking to their promise. Stating the update would come in February — and here it is. Available for download right now.

The update should be hitting tablets right this moment and as you can see from the screenshot below Acer has updated the slate from Honeycomb to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. Version 4.0.4 that leaked last week was only for the Galaxy Nexus, making the A200 on the latest version officially from Google.

The update brings your tablet to build number Acer_AV041_A200_1.037.00_PA_CUS1 and should only take a few minutes to download and install. As usual the tablet should notify users of an update but you can manually check and get started now. Just go to settings > about tablet > system update and get it started right now. I’m sure many are wondering where this same update is for the older A500 that surely has more owners. Most likely it is coming soon as Acer also promised a timely update for that tablet too.
Give the update a try and sound off in the comment section should you have any problems, or find some special hidden tricks or features.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
Resolution : 1280x800
Screen Type : LCD

Dimension & Weight

Height : 10.2 Inch
Width : 6.89 Inch
Depth : 0.49 Inch
Weight : 700 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Polymer

Battery Capacity : 3260 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS

3.2.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)
WMV

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Sensors

Accelerometer

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 2.0

Location Features

Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

[via Android Police]

Quadrant Benchmark update brings ICS and multi-core support

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 01:13 PM PST

Overclockers and benchmark masters it’s time to update your app and break out the watercooling. The extremely popular benchmark suite for Android has just been issued a much and long awaited update. Quadrant Standard and Advanced has just reached version 2.0 and with it comes some huge changes to the user interface and the benchmark as a whole. We now officially have Android 4.0 ICS and multi-core support.

We’ve been using Quadrant in our benchmarks for reviews, overclocking, and while testing different ROM’s for what seems like forever. Today they’ve finally updated with multi-core support. This has long been debated whether it had support for dual-core devices when Tegra 2 first appeared on the scene, and now with quad-core tablets I’m really interested to see how things score.
The user interface has been improved for Ice Cream Sandwich, not to mention overall user interface tweaks and improvements. There are also the usual bug fixes, support for other languages, and some frame rate changes. Due to it being completely new and supporting multi-core devices the results and comparison chart will need to be rebuilt. So at this time you’ll not get the full list of comparison scores as before. The developers have stated an update will follow shortly with full and past comparisons included.
Just for a comparison, running on a completely stock Galaxy Nexus with the new Quadrant Advanced I scored just over 2,000 as you can see above. On the old non ICS and multi-core version the Galaxy Nexus scores around 1,700 for me (stock). Leading me to believe the changes are positive and will also make results more accurate. Obviously testing against different devices can be subjective but on the same device I’m seeing improvements that seem accurate. We’ll be testing more and will be sure to report back. Get it right now from the Android Market. We don’t have watercooling and LN2 for smartphones yet, but that is probably coming soon.
Market Link

Google’s Motorola buyout approved by EU, will be vigilant

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 12:02 PM PST

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility by Google has been given the green light and thumbs up from the European Union today. This unconditional regulatory approval will allow Google to purchase the device maker and patent holding company for a grand total of $12.5 billion USD. We knew the day was today, February 13th and now the official OK has just been approved.

This is good news for Google, coming right from the European Commission. In addition to the EU, Google also needs the approval from the US Justice Department — also expecting to come today. And we can’t forget the Chinese and Taiwan regulators either. So while this is a step in the right direction, it isn’t a done deal just yet but most likely it will be a smooth transition.
While the EU did give the ok they have their concerns and were cautious. Here is what Joaquin Almunia from the European Commission had to say:

"We have approved the acquisition… because upon careful examination, this transaction does not itself raise competition issues. This merger decision should not and will not mean that we are not concerned by the possibility that, once Google is the owner of this portfolio, Google can abuse these patents, linking some patents with its Android devices. This is our worry. We might be obliged to open some cases in the future. This is not enough to block the merger but we will be vigilant." – Almunia

Motorola's 17,000 patents and 7,500 pending patent applications will soon be acquired by Google and should help them defend themselves and the Android ecosystem as a whole from lawsuits and more from their rivals at Apple and Microsoft. We aren’t sure what the future holds, or if this was just Google playing defense and offense at the same time. Things are about to get interesting that is for sure. We should be hearing more details from the others and their approvals later so stay tuned.
[via SlashGear]

Google TV big announcements coming today, could just be YouTube update

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 11:32 AM PST

Over the weekend Google made some noise about an upcoming announcement for Google TV. Over on their official Facebook page they mentioned some “big announcements” coming today. Google told us to get ready for Monday so that is exactly what we’ve done. We’ll be sure to update as soon as anything “big” drops, but we are now seeing an update on the Google TV Blog from late last night simply outlining a new YouTube app.

We still might be seeing or hearing some exciting news today regarding Google TV — but the chances are getting smaller by the hour. Could the YouTube application for Google TV update be the “big announcement” we were expecting today, or is something else coming? With no other updates to their official blog I’m beginning to have my doubts. I’m still hopeful for more so stay tuned.
Either way they’ve updated YouTube for Google TV with some awesome new features, design changes and more so lets check it out. The update looks awesome and they posted a few screenshots and more of what we can expect. The huge changes to YouTube should be available in the Android Market on GTV devices over the next few days.

So what is new with YouTube? It will now be faster and easier to navigate with a new feature called “discover” you can use to browse categories. The entire app will also be much faster and smoother according to Google. They’ve also added specific channel pages for those wanting to easily find Comedy or whatever you’re in the mood to watch. Other updates include a few features we are already used to. Like see related videos, or video by the same uploader and more. You can see a few more screenshots in the gallery and at the source link below.
So is this all Google will be announcing for Google TV? It is an impressive update and pretty big news but they said “announcements” so hopefully they have another blog post coming later today with something better.

[via Google TV Blog]

Android Community

2012-02-13T11:43:00.001-08:00

Android Community

Dead Zebra Android Collectible Series 3 designs leak
Motorola DROID 4 cracked open by iFixit
LG CX2 phone leaks in new render, including 3D screen
Samsung debuts Galaxy Tab 2: Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget
Google has disabled use of your prepaid card via Google Wallet

Dead Zebra Android Collectible Series 3 designs leak

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 10:57 AM PST

Well folks, the Dead Zebra Android Collectible figures have leaked this weekend. What we have here is a picture showing what to expect from series 3 by Andrew Bell and friends. The first two series were extremely popular, sometimes selling out in a matter of minutes. Now we all know what to expect I have a feeling these will go even faster (if real). This is round three and I’m already eying that Google Inc “Nexus” collectible — I want it now!

From the leaked image above we can see Google has three they’ve designed themselves — surely to be popular collectibles. Also Android Bell as usual has a few of his own, some that we can’t see designs for yet either. It’s also nice to see they’ve added some awesome designers and artists to the collection like Huck Gee. He is great with these types of things and unique art.

If you love Android you’ll want a few of these popular collectibles. If you don’t know, they are little Android vinyl collectibles with movable arms and heads and are extremely popular in the Android Community. I’m really liking the Sket One and the Google Nexus designs and will probably be getting a few of each. The red Google collectible is interesting. Is that for Verizon, Droid, or the next version of Android — Jelly Bean? Stay tuned for more details.

[via AndroidGuys, via Dead Zebra]

Motorola DROID 4 cracked open by iFixit

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 09:59 AM PST

In the familiar and usual iFixit fashion we have another Android device tear down. This time around the Motorola DROID 4 gets cracked open, and tore down to reveal everything under the hood of Motorola’s fourth DROID slider. From the CPU to the 4G LTE chip and more we can see everything and how it works from the images and details provided.

While teardowns are fun I’m not sure how many people would actually do such a thing and fix parts themselves. I’ve replaced a few Android screens and a hard drive on my old iPod Classic but that is about it. With the DROID 4 iFixit quickly reveals that this wont be an easy device to repair should you decide to try. In particular is the built-in QWERTY keyboard. It’s actually hardwired and built right into the motherboard. Most likely making the device thinner in general, but this also means you’ll be replacing the entire thing should that space bar fail at some point during the time you own the device. You can’t just replace a certain part.

Just like on the DROID RAZR, iFixit figures out that the battery is in fact removable, although it has huge warning labels on the top and seems to have some glue in place to help deter people from trying. We noticed the same thing with the original RAZR in this post. All the details, breakdown, and pictures are available from the iFixit full teardown link. Feel free to also enjoy the hands on and full review from our timeline of links provided below.

[via iFixit]

LG CX2 phone leaks in new render, including 3D screen

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 09:17 AM PST

Remember that stretch of a few weeks in 2011 when everyone was thrilled about lenticular 3D displays? LG does, and would like you to think that it’s still every bit as exciting. That’s the inescapable conclusion behind the LG CX2, AKA the Optimus 3D 2, newly leaked by ETnews. The phone is likely strutting its three-dimensional stuff prior to an official debut at Mobile World Congress. According to the leak, the new screen greatly improves both the 3D effect and legibility, thanks to an IPS-based screen.

Details include a .39-inch (9.9mm) profile, considerably thicker than previous rumors which indicated a 7mm device. Those rumors also pointed towards a dual-core processor and a bigger screen, though neither of those bullet points are touched upon today. A bigger screen would seem to be in order, but the render above doesn’t look significantly larger or smaller than the original phone. Based on the icons in the screenshot, it’s running LG’s version of Gingerbread – sorry, Ice Cream Sandwich fans.

Expect to see the CX2 and/or Optimus 3D 2 later this month when LG unveils its “revolutionary” new phones at Mobile World Congress. Assuming that’s the case, anywhere from a month to three months later the phone should start appearing on different carriers. Given how LG phones tend to be re-branded in the United States, there’s no telling what name it might be flying under in America.

[via Droid Dog]

Samsung debuts Galaxy Tab 2: Ice Cream Sandwich on a budget

Posted: 13 Feb 2012 08:42 AM PST

It’s been just under a year and a half since Samsung introduced its original Galaxy Tab, and in that time we’ve seen no less than four extra models, none of which the company saw fit to grace with a sequel moniker. That changes today with the debut of the Galaxy Tab 2, a refit of the original Samsung Galaxy Tab and its pseudo-upgrade, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Most notably, the Galaxy Tab 2.0 will (probably) be the first Samsung tablet to come with Ice Cream Sandwich at launch.

The Galaxy Tab 2 fits in at the bottom of Samsung’s current tab lineup, presumably the first of its third-generation tablet devices. The 7-inch screen keeps the original’s 1024×600 resolution on an LCD (not AMOLED) panel. A 1Ghz dual-core processor won’t break any records, but should be plenty for all the basic tablety tasks, and when paired with a 3MP rear camera it places the Galaxy Tab 2 squarely in the low-end for Samsung. At 10.5mm it’s just a little thicker than the 7.7, 8.9 and 10.1-inch versions, though not terribly so.

Connection comes in the form of WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and HSPA+ connections, the latter of which is probably optional to suit customer and carrier taste. 8, 16 and 32GB capacities can be augmented with a MicroSD card. On the software side of things, you get Samsung’s TouchWiz-altered flavor of Ice Cream Sandwich, along with Sammy’s standard pack-in applications.

Pricing and availability haven’t been mentioned, but given the spec sheet I’d place this one at around $400 USD for the WiFi-only version. It should come to Europe and Asia soon, with US availability coming a few weeks to a couple of months after that. Expect to see more members of the “Galaxy Tab 2″ family to be introduced soon, possibly at Mobile World Congress.

[via SlashGear]

Google has disabled use of your prepaid card via Google Wallet

Posted: 12 Feb 2012 08:08 PM PST

As previously covered, your Google Wallet PIN can now be compromised on any device – rooted or not. Wallet Cracker, an application developed by Zvelo, can easily unveil your four digit PIN protecting your entire digital wallet. It’s a good thing this security firm found the vulnerabilities before a malicious hacker took advantage of them.

Google has now disabled use of prepaid cards to prevent unauthorized use incase your phone falls into the wrong hands. But doesn’t this mean debit cards are at risk as well? Fortunately, they are all safe for now – but that’s just until someone can manage to expose them too.

Until Google can patch this, you can count on people’s trust in the application to slowly deplete. Google also provides “toll-free assistance in case you lose your phone or someone manages to make an unauthorized transaction”. But I’m sure Google doesn’t want to deal with many angry customers everyday; and based on their quick reply to Google Wallet’s vulnerability, we already know they’re taking it seriously.

[via AndroidCentral]

The NVIDIA Blog

2012-02-13T11:22:00.001-08:00

The NVIDIA Blog

NVIDIA Demonstrates Maximum Performance at SolidWorks World

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 05:09 PM PST

We're at SolidWorks World 2012 in beautiful San Diego, to meet with users of SolidWorks – a leading 3D computer-aided design application in use by over 1.3 million engineers – and show off NVIDIA's latest innovations for styling, design, simulation and photorealistic rendering.

If you're at the show, stop by our booth (#501) to experience NVIDIA Maximus technology, which combines the visualization and interactive design capability of NVIDIA Quadro GPUs and the high-performance computing power of NVIDIA Tesla GPUs into a single workstation. Tesla companion processors automatically perform the heavy lifting of photorealistic rendering or engineering simulation computation. This frees up CPU resources for the work they’re best suited for: I/O, running the operating system and multi-tasking. It also allows the Quadro GPUs to be dedicated to powering rich, full-performance, interactive design.

With NVIDIA Maximus technology, you can perform computational simulation or rendering while continuing to do design work in applications like SolidWorks simultaneously on the same system, at full performance.

Dell, HP and Lenovo are demonstrating workstations based on NVIDIA Maximus technology, so make sure to visit their booths as well.

Other demos include side-by-side comparisons of SolidWorks powered by NVIDIA Quadro professional GPUs to show how upgrading to the latest generation of Quadro provides up to 3X faster interactive performance and eDrawings in stereoscopic 3D with NVIDIA 3D Vision Pro. The video below demonstrates the performance benefits of the Quadro 2000.

And, don't forget to check out the various breakout sessions about NVIDIA technology:

Visual Computing: Redefining the SolidWorks Workstation for Productivity – a primer on the trend toward visual computing. Monday, 2/13, 4:30PM – 6:00PM
Break through Development Barriers with Dell Precision and NVIDIA Maximus – learn how Dell and NVIDIA GPU-powered workstations can transform design, simulation, and visualization for CAD engineers, CAE analyst, and industrial designers. Tuesday, 2/14 – 10:30AM-Noon.
Workstation vs. Desktop: Making the Switch – see how the industry has evolved over the past decade, and how the tremendous technological advances from earlier systems can benefit your business. Tuesday, 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM.

If you're not attending the show, you can learn more about how our new NVIDIA Maximus technology and NVIDIA Quadro professional graphics solutions work in conjunction with SolidWorks 2012 software by visiting: www.nvidia.com/solidworks.

Be sure to follow @NVIDIAQuadro on Twitter for additional updates from the show.

Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition

2012-02-13T07:43:00.000-08:00

Platform: PlayStation 3 | Edition: Collector's Edition

Amazon.com Product Description

Mass Effect 3 is a Role-playing Game (RPG) / Third-Person Shooter hybrid set in a Science Fiction universe. Mass Effect 3 is the third game in the popular Mass Effect series, and is rumored to be the final installment. In it players continue the adventures of Commander Shepard utilizing extreme character customization which is the hallmark feature of the series. Additional features include: the ability to import decisions from both of the previous games into the new game, ownership/play of previous games not required, customizable weapons, improved mobility and melee combat, many returning characters (if they were not killed off in previous imported games), an improved cover system that allows for more action and more.
Along with the game, the Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector's Edition contains a wealth of exclusive bonus items. See the complete list below.

Join Commander Shepard in the struggle against the Reapers in the conclusion to the Mass Effect trilogy.
View larger.

Collector's Edition exclusive bonuses.
View larger.

The Final Chapter in the Mass Effect Trilogy

Not everyone will survive. An ancient alien race, known only as "Reapers," has launched an all-out invasion leaving nothing but a trail of destruction in their wake. Earth has been taken, the galaxy is on the verge of total annihilation, and you are the only one who can stop them. The price of failure is extinction. You are Commander Shepard, a character that you can forge in your own image. You determine how events will play out, which planets to explore, and whom to form alliances with as you rally a force to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all. How you wage this war is completely up to you: go into combat with guns blazing or use cover to plan a more tactical assault. Utilize your squad to full effect or take a lone wolf approach. Rain death from a distance or go toe-to-toe with enemies using devastating melee attacks. Mass Effect 3 will react to each decision you make as you play through a truly unique experience of your own creation.

Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector's Edition for PlayStation 3 Contents

Premium metal case featuring commemorative artwork of Commander Shepard
70-page hardbound art book featuring hundreds of unique and gorgeous illustrations from the BioWare development team
Limited edition Mass Effect comic by Dark Horse Comics, complete with unique cover artwork
Join the ranks of the N7 with the premium fabric N7 patch
Exclusive 4x6 lithographic print featuring a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork
A full collection of in-game content that can't be found anywhere else
- N7 Arsenal Pack - Bring the firepower with the N7 Sniper Rifle, Shotgun, SMG, and Pistol
- Robotic Dog - A faithful sidekick to keep you company on board the Normandy
- Squadmate Alternate Outfit Pack - New appearances for your favorite squad members
- N7 Hoodie - For Commander Shepard's casual days on board the Normandy
Mass Effect 3 with the digital soundtrack
A collection of forum and social badges, avatars, and perks

Key Game Features

A Rich, Branching Storyline - Experience a sci-fi epic with multiple endings determined by your choices and actions throughout the game
Massive in Scope - Battle on many worlds across the galaxy as you unite the ultimate force to take back the Earth before it's too late
Large-scale and Intelligent Enemies - Battle enormous enemies and take on a smarter type of foe that will consistently challenge your best combat tactics and put you on the edge of your seat
Unlock a Customizable Arsenal - Tailor each weapon with devastating upgrades including scopes, grips, barrels and dozens of other unique attachments. Each weapon boasts its own powerful impact and visual flair
Unleash Death from Afar or Go Toe-to-Toe - Customize your soldier and squad to engage the enemy on your terms. A huge variety of weapons, abilities and equipment allow you to combat the enemy in your preferred style of play

Additional Screenshots

A customizable arsenal.
View larger.

A rich branching storyline.
View larger.

Large-scale enemies.
View larger.

Multiple play options.
View larger.

Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle with Kinect

2012-02-13T07:21:00.000-08:00

Xbox 360® 250GB Kinect Holiday Bundle

Xbox 360® has more ways to play, now with 2 Kinect games and a 3 Month Xbox LIVE® Gold membership included for a limited time.

Product Description

The complete Xbox 360 experience, including the controller-free fun of Kinect, and now for a limited time get two games and a 3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership. Jump, dance, and get your whole body in the game with the unique experience of Kinect. Or use your controller to play the blockbuster games your friends can’t stop talking about. The spacious 250GB hard drive gives you the space you need to store arcade games, movies, demos, and even full Xbox 360 games. Plus, with built-in Wi-Fi, it‚Äôs easy to connect to Xbox LIVE to access tons of great entertainment — from HD movies and TV shows to live sports. With Kinect, play, pause and rewind the action with your voice. When you are the controller, there‚Äôs nothing between you and the fun.

Product Features

Xbox 360 S Console: The Xbox 360 S console runs whisper quiet, letting you play games and watch movies without interference. Easily connect to Xbox LIVE, play with friends all over the world and experience a world of entertainment.
Kinect Sensor: With the Kinect sensor, you can experience gaming like never before. Easy to use and fun for everyone, the Kinect sensor utilizes revolutionary full-body tracking to put you in the center of the fun. This amazing technology allows the sensor to recognize your body and mirror your movements in the game, making you the controller. All you need is a little room to play, with approximately six feet of free space between you and the sensor. With Kinect, Xbox 360 now has the best controller ever made — YOU.
Kinect Adventures: Float in outer space. Experience the thrill of roaring rapids. Tackle mountaintop obstacle courses. And dive into the deep to explore a leaky underwater observatory — all from your living room. You are the controller as you jump, dodge, and kick your way through exciting adventures set in a variety of exotic locations. Rated “E” for Everyone.
Carnival Games: Monkey See Monkey Do: Twenty controller-free games and attractions allow you to swing into the batting cage, avoid twisting tornadoes and more. Designed for fun-seekers of all ages and skills, it is a perfect fit for families everywhere! Full game downloadable token. Rated “E” for Everyone.
Xbox 360 250GB Hard Drive: The internal 250GB hard drive allows you to save your games and store television shows, movies, music, pictures, trailers, levels, demos, and other content available from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.
Xbox 360 Wireless Controller: This award-winning, high-performance wireless controller features the Xbox Guide Button for quick, in-game access to friends and music. It has a range of up to 30 feet and a battery life of up to 30 hours on two AA batteries.
3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership: Included with your console is a free 3 month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold , the best in gaming and entertainment. Invite friends from all over to connect and play online multiplayer games or watch thousands of HD movies.*
Warranty: The console has a one-year limited warranty.

* Xbox LIVE Gold membership and/or other subscriptions and requirements apply for some Xbox LIVE features. See xbox.com/live. Not all functionality on Xbox LIVE is Kinect enabled. Only media content from Xbox LIVE supports voice and gesture controls. Broadband, games, add-ons and media content sold separately. Inside marked packages, while supplies last.

Product Description

Xbox 360 has more ways to play, now with 2 free Kinect games and a 3 Month Xbox LIVE Gold membership included for a limited time.

PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle

2012-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

Edition: 3G Launch Bundle

PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch BundlePre-order the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle to receive over $55 in bonus content. It comes with an 8GB Memory Card, DataConnect Session Pass, and PlayStation Network Game. All existing PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi pre-orders will be upgraded to the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle. Offer valid when shipped and sold by Amazon.com, while supplies last. Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time. Please read the PlayStation Network terms of use.

Amazon.com Product Description

Sony's PlayStation Vita retains the familiar general form of the PlayStation Portable hardware series while dramatically improving on virtually every aspect of its use with powerful and exciting new features including: dual touch pads at the front and rear, dual cameras at the front and rear, dual analog sticks, a 5-inch OLED screen, GPS, six-axis motion sensors and a three-axis electronic compass and exceptional built-in connectivity via both Wi-Fi* and exclusive to this model, an always on 3G connection.** Taken together this makes for a handheld gaming device that truly signals the entry of handhelds into the world of Next-Gen gaming.

Handheld gaming enters the Next-Gen.
View larger.

Blur the Lines Between Entertainment and Reality.

PlayStation Vita is designed to blur the lines between interactive entertainment and reality in a variety of ways. Reaching beyond the capabilities of every handheld gaming console that has come before it, in this model of Vita players have access to both Wi-Fi and 3G functionality, allowing for maximum connectivity wherever you go. (An additional Vita model allows for Wi-Fi access only) Its 5-inch OLED front multi-touch display brings brilliant images to life and allows for a new touch driven navigational system, while the additional multi-touch pad on its back surface will allow users to interact with games and characters that they encounter within them with a simple movement of their fingertips. The real world and the game world are seamlessly merged with front and rear camera enabled augmented reality. Additionally, services created specifically for Vita will be available on PlayStation Network. These services are designed help users take their gameplay, as well as interaction with other gamers, to new levels.
Additional features include: dual analog stick controls, a 4 core CPU, system-specific flash card media support for game and media saves, mobile PlayStation trophy support, built-in three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer and GPs functionality.

New controls include dual analog sticks, three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer and 2 cameras.
View larger.

Your choice of Wi-Fi or always-on 3G connectivity.
View larger.

Superior design features, including touchpads at the front and rear.
View larger.

The best in content, from classic PS One games to your favorite franchises and new ones going forward.
View larger.

Vita-specific PlayStation Network Functionality

Near

"Near" is a core PlayStation Vita feature composed of location-based services, that utilize PlayStation Network. Near, developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.

LiveArea and Activity Log

Every game title for PlayStation Vita will be provided with a space called "LiveArea" where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and third party developers and publishers through PlayStation Network. Additionally, Vita users will be able to view "Activity Log" which is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.

The Best in New and Classic Content

In addition to containing the best in new handheld gaming hardware technology, Sony's PlayStation Vita provides users with the best in quality content. All your favorite game franchises are coming to Vita, including but not limited to Uncharted in Uncharted Golden Abyss, LittleBigPlanet, Hot Shots Golf, ModNation Racers, WipEout and many more -- including all new game launches -- yet to be announced. Joining these new offerings, players will also have full wireless access to the PlayStation Store. Here, via Vita's improved Wi-Fi capabilities, and/or new exciting 3G connectivity powered by AT&T, owners can download new game add-ons, movies, comics and PS One classics ported over for handheld play. PlayStation Vita also features full backwards compatibility (via download) to all PSP games. Together this powerful merging of hardware and software is destined to create entertainment experiences unlike anything else available in the handheld gaming market.

Vita Features

Multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display
Multi-touch pad on the rear of the device
Dual analog sticks
Two digital cameras (front and rear)
Software titles on small, dedicated flash memory-based cards
Three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass
Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity
Free PlayStation Network access, including trophy support and new Vita features "LiveArea" and "Near"
Vita can play PSP titles, minis, PS one classics, video and comics from the PlayStation Store

Technical Specifications

CPU - ARM Cortex-A9 core (4 core)
GPU - SGX543MP4+
External Dimensions - Approx. 182.0 x 18.6 x 83.5mm (width x height x depth) (tentative, excludes largest projection)
Touch Screen - 5-inches (16:9), 960 x 544, Approx. 16 million colors, OLED Multi touch screen (capacitive type)
Rear Touch Pad - Multi-touch pad (capacitive type)
Cameras - Front camera, rear camera
Game Media/Storage - New dedicated flash-based game medium; dual slots, one for the new game medium, the other is for storage media to be utilized for personal content and download content
Sound
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Built-in microphone
Sensors - Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three-axis accelerometer), three-axis electronic compass
Location
- Built-in GPs
- Wi-Fi location service support
Keys / Switches
- PS button
- Power button
- Directional buttons (Up/Down/Right/Left)
- Action buttons (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square)
- Shoulder buttons (Right/Left)
- Right stick, Left stick
- START button, SELECT button
- Volume buttons (+/-)
Wireless communications
- Mobile network connectivity (3G)
- IEEE 802.11b/g/n (n = 1×1) (Wi-Fi) (Infrastructure mode/Ad-hoc mode)
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (A2DP/AVRCP/HSP)
Battery - Internal/embedded (not removable)

* Connectivity subject to Wi-Fi availability coverage limitations.
** 3G functionality and coverage requires purchase and activation of an additional AT&T data plan. Connectivity subject to 3G coverage limitations.

Product Description

About the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle:
For a limited time at launch complete your portable gaming experience with the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle including an 8GB Memory Card, an AT&T DataConnect Session pass, and a PSN Game- a bonus $55 in value! Get it while supplies last!

Includes:
- Includes: PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi System + 8GB Memory Card + AT&T DataConnect Session Pass + Free PSN Game*
- Bonus $55 Value!
- Play with your friends when you want and in more places with the AT&T Mobile Broadband Network.**

*Promotional Offer expires May 31, 2012. Redemption code must be used within 90 days of issuance and is not transferable, nor redeemable. Limit one per customer. Offer for purchasers of Sony PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi only. Your promotional 250 MB session automatically starts upon expiration of your 1st session plan, if you have activated the redemption code. Offer redeemed is for 250MB DataConnect Pass session only, regardless if you are on the 250MB or 3GB DataConnect Pass plan.) AT&T not responsible for taxes or lost redemption codes. Plans automatically renew, so after your promotional session expires, automatic renewal of your 1st DataConnect Pass plan selected will take effect and you are responsible for charges, unless you cancel auto-renewal before the plan renews. DataConnect Pass Plan: Time begins expiring immediately upon purchase/activation whether you are using the service or not. Once your time expires or your allotted data is used, whichever occurs first, your data access will cease. Coverage not available in all areas. For information on prepaid data plans, visit att.com/buyasession and for full terms, see Session Based Wireless Data Service Agreement at att.com/wirelesslegal.

**Mobile Broadband access requires DataConnect Pass plan for other specified devices. Time begins expiring immediately upon purchase/activation, whether you are using the service or not. Once your time expires or the allotted data is used, whichever comes first, your data access will cease. 30 day domestic plans automatically renew, unless you cancel auto-renewal. Fees are non-refundable. For full terms see Data Connect Pass Wireless Data Services Agreement on www.att.com/wirelesslegal. Mobile broadband coverage not available in all areas.

Here's how to activate your complimentary DataConnect session:
• Select the Connect to AT&T icon
• Select the Start icon
• Select Go to AT&T's Website
• Select DataConnect Pass
• Login with existing userid and password
• Expand "My Devices and Plans" in account overview
• Select your device
• Select "Add a Plan"
• Select "You have earned coupons(s), would you like to redeem?"
• Follow the screen instructions to redeem.

Free game when you activate an AT&T DataConnect Pass*:
Game at the speed of your mobile life style when you want and in more places. Your new PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi, connected by the AT&T Mobile Broadband Network, will change the way you play with continuous access in more places to your gaming community. Experience news feeds, multiplayer gaming, location based gifting, and PS Vita to PS3 system game play.

Sign up today and receive a free game:

1. Select and sign up for an AT&T DataConnect Pass plan.
2. Login to your PlayStation Network account on your PS Vita.
3. 30 days after your DataConnect Pass activation, you will receive a game voucher code redeemable on the PlayStation Store.
*For details and limitations go to us.playstation.com/psvita

About the PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi System:
Your new PlayStation Vita will change the way you play. And AT&T’s Mobile Broadband Network will change where and how you play it. Discover Near, the app that lets you find out what games are hot and who's playing in your immediate vicinity, or how Gifting lets you anchor items like weapons, treasures and power-ups to specific locations where your friends can find them. Check the LiveArea anytime for the most up-to-date news, DLC and Tournament invites for the games you own. Use GPS to explore your environment, discover exclusive content and check in at your exact spot with social apps. Stay connected through in-game conversations with voice chat and text messaging through Party. Download new content and features, and explore an exciting array of games wherever you are. And find out how your PS Vita, powered by AT&T's Mobile Broadband Network, can enhance your life with easy access to internet and emails. Sign up for your AT&T DataConnect plan today to start unlocking the endless possibilities.

Android Community

2012-02-11T11:08:00.001-08:00

Android Community

Android Community Weekly: February 11, 2012
Android Community Evening Wrap-Up: February 10, 2012
This is what a Galaxy Nexus desktop computer looks like
AT&T doubles upgrade fee to $36 Sunday, just before Galaxy Note release
Samsung Galaxy Note and LG Optimus Vu compared: battle of the phablets
Emulate classic Capcom arcade games with CPSEmu
LG Prada Phone 3.0 looks good, showcased by Edward Norton and model Daria Werbowy
Zenonia 4: Return of the Legend hits Android, get it now in HD
LG planning to show “revolutionary” phones at Mobile World Congress
Phones 4U New JUMP offers phone upgrades every 6 months
Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 surfaces — smartphone on a budget
Acer CloudMobile Android 4.0 ICS phone appears with 4.3-inch HD screen
Motorola DROID 4 Review: King of the QWERTY

Android Community Weekly: February 11, 2012

Posted: 11 Feb 2012 09:10 AM PST

This week in tech news we finally saw the Motorola DROID 4 hit shelves, Google released an official Chrome Beta for Android, and yes – Temple Run still isn’t out. Monday, Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus was graced with a leak to Android 4.0.4, and it fixed many of the signal issues people were having. If you already have root and are running a custom ROM, you can flash the radios alone here. Don’t hesitate about this one, as they seem to be 100% effective.

Early on this week, we saw another rumor stating the Samsung Galaxy S III could be a mere 7mm thin. And unfortunately, we also found out Samsung’s March 22nd event is not going to cover the Galaxy S III. It’s too bad, because with all these rumors it would be nice to actually have something concrete.

Facebook will be bringing mobile ads to Android devices soon, the beginning of March to be exact. What do you all think about this? Those with slower network speed already have a tough time navigating through pages via the mobile app; with the addition of advertisements it’s bound to get worse. Now for some good news: That same day Swype let the public know it would be available for Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich devices really soon.

Speaking of the Galaxy Nexus, Samsung has made the white plated variant official and slated to make an appearance February 13th. Those of you with a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 may have seen a system update hinting you to install Instagram for Android; well, you weren’t seeing things – as others saw it too. Instagram still hasn’t released an official word on when we could see it enter the Android Market, but I’d like to see how many downloads it manages within the first 24 hours. On that same note, Temple Run still isn’t out for Android – but their team still says it’s aimed for a February release.

And finally, we saved the best few for last. Chrome Beta for Android has finally hit the Market! It is blazing fast, and for a Beta – is as polished as could be. The tabbed browsing experience completely dominates over the stock browser. Unfortunately it’s only available for Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) devices, but seeing it on Gingerbread would make the masses happy. Check out our hands-on with it here. We’ve also managed to get up a hands-on and official review of the Motorola DROID 4. And those of you waiting for a near perfect QWERTY keyboard are going to be pleased. Don’t forget to head to Google Music and take advantage of their Valentines Day promotion as well; they’re offering entire albums and singles at great prices for the next couple of days.

**Also note, T-Mobile is having a Valentines Day sale offering every one of their devices for free!**

Android Community Evening Wrap-Up: February 10, 2012

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 08:13 PM PST

Earlier today, Verizon finally had the Motorola DROID 4 available for sale. And fortunately, we’ve also finished our in-depth review of the device. Be sure to check it out before heading down to purchase one; although, it proved to be the best QWERTY Android device on the market. So there’s a good chance it’s just what you’ve been waiting for!

Next up, we’ve gotten word the Samsung Galaxy Note will be available in ‘Berry Pink’ soon. However, don’t expect to pick one up for your girl before Valentines Day, as it will release around the week of February 26th. It’s actually hard to tell if this one will ever come to the US. The button configuration is congruent to that of the international version and looks nothing like the one for AT&T.

MWC is right around the corner, and LG just hinted at showing off a set of “revolutionary” phones. They could be referring to the LG Optimus Vu; a phone with a 5″ display and 4:3 aspect ratio. Then again, we’ve already seen such a large screen on the Samsung Galaxy Note – so ‘revolutionary’ may not be the right word.

And have you ever heard of a program that grants you a phone upgrade every 6 months? Well it turns out Phones 4U new JUMP trade-in model does just that. JUMP stands for “Just upgrade my phone”, and acts much like a lease-to-purchase option often seen at car dealerships.

This is what a Galaxy Nexus desktop computer looks like

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 05:22 PM PST

Most high-end Android smartphones include some kind of video-out feature, and Ice Cream Sandwich has built-in support for Bluetooth and USB peripherals like mice and keyboards. This naturally means that you could plug in an HDMI cable, connect your keyboard and mouse, and have something similar to a desktop PC. But is it practical? YouTube user Christian Qantrell aimed to find out. He connected his stock, unrooted Galaxy Nexus to a computer monitor with an MHL adapter, connected an Apple keyboard and trackpad, and tried to replicate desktop functions without any hacking or non-standard equipment.

The experience is surprisingly fluid, and helped in no small way by the trackpad replicating a finger touch. a cursor follows your finger around, and the various taps, holds and gestures in Android make a natural transition. Standard navigation buttons get desktop analogs, like the “back” button being replaced with the Escape key. The Alt-Tab function even brings up Android’s native app switcher – nice. Even with everything connected. Qantrell’s phone keeps running as fast as normal.

Obviously the Android interface isn’t meant for a 20-inch screen, but thanks to the Galaxy Nexus’s native 720p display (which is mirrored on both the phone and the monitor) it works surprisingly well. Replacing a desktop browser or document editor technically works, but the mobile interface holds you back when blown up. That said, the increasingly cloud-based nature of Google’s Android apps makes for pretty good integration. Qantrell’s demonstration is a lot more impressive than Motorola’s various Lapdocks – perhaps carrying a couple of cables and a keyboard and finding an unused monitor may be a better solution all around.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
Resolution : 1280x720
Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.33 Inch
Width : 2.67 Inch
Depth : 0.35 Inch
Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS

4.0.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
AMR
MID
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

h.263
h.264 / AVC
MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

GSM
CDMA

GSM Band

850
900
1800
1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

[via ItProPortal]

AT&T doubles upgrade fee to $36 Sunday, just before Galaxy Note release

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 04:26 PM PST

Just a quick heads up for anyone looking to upgrade this week or in the coming weeks to a new device on AT&T like the Samsung Galaxy Note. Starting this Sunday the 12th AT&T will be doubling the handset upgrade fee from $18 dollars to $36. This wont effect customers on a daily basis, but is double what users have paid all year thus far.

Looking over some information and paperwork provided to BGR earlier today AT&T explains their reasoning behind the changes and this basically confirms any doubts. While the change isn’t major it is a big deal and will surely make a few customers upset. I could see a decent bump or an increase to $24 or so, but double seems a bit steep. Here’s the official word:

"Because the overall costs associated with upgrading to a new device have increased, effective Sunday, February 12, 2012, AT&T will change its upgrade fee from $18 to $36."

According to AT&T the overall costs of upgrading a device with things like LTE and other reasons, they felt this was a good time to start the changes. After the initial reports an AT&T spokeswoman was quick to comment saying that this isn’t anything new, and other carriers charge similar fees. She also points out that AT&T hasn’t changed it in well over 10 years. To them the change is warranted.

Wireless devices today are more sophisticated than ever before. And because of that, the costs associated with upgrading to a new device have increased and is reflected in our new upgrade fee. This fee isn't unique to AT&T and this is the first time we're changing it in nearly 10 years.”

So what are your thoughts? Is this a deal breaker for some, or just something we’ll have to live with. If they’ve really not changed this in 10 years I’d say we were lucky to get this far given the changes to 3G, 4G LTE and smartphones over the past few years. These changes come just before a big release of the Galaxy Note for AT&T. Will you still be upgrading?

Samsung Galaxy Note and LG Optimus Vu compared: battle of the phablets

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 04:17 PM PST

Ladies and gentlemen, 2012 is now officially the year of the insanely huge smartphone. Days ago LG teased its Optimus Vu smartphone ahead of a probably “revolutionary” Mobile World Congress debut, making sure to highlight its 5-inch 4:3 screen. Of course, there’s another gigantic Android phone already on the market: Samsung’s Galaxy Note, headed to the US later this month on AT&T. Wanna see how they compare? Wish granted, thanks to a Korean blogger at helloadam100.blog.me.

The difference in aspect ratios becomes immediately clear in the photo. The Galaxy Note uses a 1280×800 screen with an aspect ratio of 16:10, just a little taller than the standard widescreen TV frame when held horizontally. The Optimus Vu’s 4:3 screen is more like a traditional “tube” TV, early Android phones and the iPhone. As you can see, even though the Vu’s screen is slightly smaller, it’s still wider than the Galaxy Note. There’s no hard data on the Vu’s resolution, though 1024×768 seems like a likely figure.

Both phones run customized versions of Android Gingerbread, and should get Ice Cream Sandwich eventually. While the Galaxy Note is available in most European and Asian markets already, the Vu is waiting for a formal unveiling, and probably won’t be hitting retail until late spring or early summer. We’ll be at LG’s Mobile World Congress event to check out the Optimus Vu, the X3 and anything else that might show up.

[via UnwiredView]

Emulate classic Capcom arcade games with CPSEmu

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 03:42 PM PST

We’re still a little miffed at Capcom for their continually limited Android support, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy their games. If you share our compulsion for the classics of 2D gaming, you can now run arcade games designed for the CP System 2 with CPSEmu, another project from the developers behind the Neo Geo emulator NeoDroid. It works like any standard Android emulator, which means you won’t be seeing it on the Android Market any time soon. Download it from this XDA thread.

For the uninitiated, the Capcom Play System 2 platform was a series of standardized arcade machines designed to run Capcom’s arcade games through the 90s and early 2000s. It enjoys a special place in history as the launch platform for Super Street Fighter II Turbo, widely considered to be one of the finest 2D fighting games ever made. Other notable titles include Alien vs Predator, X-Men: Children of the Atom, and the original Marvel vs Capcom.

The emulator should run on any Android phone or tablet with Froyo or later. It does need at least a 1Ghz processor to run optimally, though if you’re an Android gaming enthusiast, odds are pretty good that you’re covered there. As always with emulators, downloading and playing games that you don’t physically own is illegal – the XDA app is just the emulator software itself. A number of improvements to the developer’s code will be back-ported to NeoDroid soon. And good news, XPERIA Play owners: it works natively with your phone’s slide-out control buttons.

[via DroidGamers]

LG Prada Phone 3.0 looks good, showcased by Edward Norton and model Daria Werbowy

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 03:16 PM PST

Surely a smartphone being marketed by PRADA wants to look good. LG and PRADA have teamed up for a third time with their new smartphone the PRADA by LG 3.0 and it is available now in the UK. What better way to show off their fashionable and sexy phone then with a few excellent models and actors. They’ve done just that and have employed the looks of two well known stars for their new campaign.

LG has launched their new PRADA campaign with Edward Norton (Fight Club, American History X, Primal Fear, The Score, The Hulk) and popular UK model Daria Werbowy to be the face of the fashionably smart PRADA 3.0 smartphone. We received some hands-on with the new PRADA last year and more details on that can be seen below. While Norton is mainly a US actor we most likely wont be seeing the PRADA by LG 3.0 in the states anytime soon, but we can hope right?

The PRADA 3.0 combines PRADA’s elegant and fashionable style with LG’s innovation making the best of both worlds — or they’d like to think so. The device comes equipped with a 4.3″ NOVA display and boasts a 1.0 GHz dual-core processor and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It has been heavily skinned and isn’t too familiar but still looks quite nice. The faces of these stars may or may not help this device sell well but either way we’d love to check it out again if they decide to bring it to the US.

[via Akihabaranews]

Zenonia 4: Return of the Legend hits Android, get it now in HD

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 02:41 PM PST

Folks, today is the day and the extremely popular Zenonia 4 by Gamevil is finally available for Android. This is Zenonia 4: Return of the Legend and you could be playing it right now. Complete with tons of improvements, new levels and impressive HD graphics. If you’re ready to waste the rest of your evening keep on reading below.

Gamevil has just unleashed this game silently to the Android Market and the download links are available below. Get your retro-style PRG hats on because it’s time to play. With Zenonia 4 comes extreme action RPG gameplay. They are calling it the best looking Zenonia ever with excellent and crisp HD graphics. Dynamic combo’s and intense combat included this should be a fun game for all you PvP and RPG fans.

They have expanded multiplayer with excellent 2vs2 arena style battles and even 1vs1 classic action. If you’ve been waiting to get your next fix of this Zelda on steroids for Android this is your game. Are you guys liking the new HD look or do you prefer the 16-bit old school look of the others? Either way hit the link below and enjoy it today — completely free.

Market Link

LG planning to show “revolutionary” phones at Mobile World Congress

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 01:52 PM PST

With Mobile World Congress 2012 soon approaching the invites and press releases keep rolling in. LG has just sent out a few that are saying they will be showing a “revolutionary smartphone for 2012″ that is peaking our interest to say the least. Most likely they are talking about the recently teased Optimus Vu 5″ smartphone linked below but that might not be all.

We’ve already seen or heard reports of 3 new smartphones from LG that all will be bringing something different to the table (All linked below). It almost seems as if they are putting things out there hoping to see what sticks. First off is the most recent and interesting. The LG Optimus Vu 5″ 4:3 aspect ratio phone that is directly aiming at the Galaxy Note from Samsung.

Then we have the leaked LG X3 that will be replacing the T-Mobile G2x and will most likely be LG’s first NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core smartphone. Reported to rock a 4.7″ HD screen, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and of course that quad-core processor. All specs we are hoping to see plenty of in the coming weeks and months from most manufacturers — although phones are starting to get too large if you ask me.

Last is the one I’m least interested in. That is the LG Optimus 3D 2 (C2X) or whatever you want to call it. Being a successor to the mildly entertaining LG Thrill 4G (aka Optimus 3D) smartphone with dual 5 megapixel cameras and a glasses-free 3D display. It shouldn’t be much different from the original but have a better screen and maybe a little thinner. I’m not sold on 3D in smartphones and I don’t think I ever will be, but we’ll see.

I’m most excited to see what they have in store with the X3 quad-core phone as that is the next frontier for Android smartphones and a step many will be taking this next few months as we get ready for the summer smartphone push. Again we’ll be live at in Spain for all the details so be sure and follow us and check our MWC 2012 portal often.

Phones 4U New JUMP offers phone upgrades every 6 months

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 01:11 PM PST

The popular Phones 4U in the UK have been running a trial since last year for a new smartphone trade in model called JUMP. This stands for “Just upgrade my Phone” and will be allowing customers to do just that. Upgrade their phones in as little as 6 months instead of the usual 1 or 2-year upgrade paths we’ve seen in the past.

Their new double agreement system that splits device subsidy from service allows customers to sign a contract for their service, and then an additional agreement with the phone retailer themselves that will allow for early upgrades and various trade-in options. Here is a quote from Phones 4U themselves:

“Technology is moving fast and innovative handsets are launching all the time on the market but to date there's been a disconnect between the frequency of smartphone releases and the length of mobile phone contracts on offer.

We want to give our customers the freedom to own the very latest smartphones like the iPhone 4S without having to wait 18-24 months for an upgrade. The idea for JUMP was born out of research we conducted that revealed people were frustrated by the inability to upgrade their handsets sooner.”

In the UK most carriers lease the phones rather than let customers own them, but then they don’t pay $199 or $599 outright prices like we do either. Now after the initial period users can choose to keep the device, or trade it and possible up to 3 devices in for a trade-in value that will go towards their new device. With the rapid rate of Android smartphones this type of program could really take off. Obviously new phones will still be more than a used device, but this would surely help.

There are many different angles and ways to take advantage of the new system so hit the link below for more details.

[via SlashGear]

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 surfaces — smartphone on a budget

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:26 PM PST

Samsung doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon with their wide array of Android “Galaxy” named smartphones. Recently uncovered is the new Galaxy Mini 2, a follow up to the original Mini. It features similar low-end specs and will most definetaly come with a low-end or free on contract price too. More details below.

Rounding off the high end with the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note it looks like they are ready to focus on the other area’s with the Galaxy S Advance and now the Mini 2. From the image above you should know almost everything you’d need. Packing a 3.3″ HVGA display, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a simple 800 Mhz single-core processor, and hey look at that — 3GB of internal storage.

The biggest complaint about many low-end Samsung’s including the original Mini was the terrible screen resolution. With this new Mini 2 it looks like they’ve stepped it up and will offer a slightly higher resolution HVGA display. It will also be equipped with a 3 megapixel rear camera and Samsung’s TouchWiz UX over Gingerbread.

We’ve recently heard Samsung wont be announcing anything major or impressive at MWC 2012 this year, maybe we’ll see this new Galaxy Mini 2 and the Advance at this years show. Stay tuned for more details.

[via GSMArena]

Acer CloudMobile Android 4.0 ICS phone appears with 4.3-inch HD screen

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 11:59 AM PST

Today ACER has unveiled at least some of their plans, and a new smartphone we can expect to see at Mobile World Congress later this month. Meet the Acer CloudMobile, and yes that will be its name. They have announced both the smartphone, and their new cloud mobile service today and we have a few details below.

The new Acer CloudMobile will rock a 4.3″ HD screen and be powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. While we still don’t know all the details on the rest of the specs we do have a few photos and are hearing they’ve won a few IF design awards for said device. We can expect to see the results of their designs, and the final specs later this month. With a thin bezel and brushed aluminum around the phone you can clearly see from the photos the phone is oozing with style.

You can see from the images above the phone is extremely thin. Hopefully coming in under 8mm thick to compete with current smartphones. The camera looks large and will most likely feature an 8 megapixel sensor. We even have Dolby Digital (Mobile) on board with the branding plate on bottom. Currently Acer hasn’t revealed any other specs or details but will fully announce the phone at Mobile World Congress 2012 in Barcelona Spain later this month. We’ll be there live to capture the details so stay tuned at our MWC 2012 Portal.

[via SlashGear]

Motorola DROID 4 Review: King of the QWERTY

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 11:42 AM PST

We can finally say hello to the Motorola DROID 4, available starting today from Verizon Wireless. Being the first DROID slider with all the essential main ingredients: dual-core, 4G LTE, and obviously a slide-out QWERTY hardware keyboard can this rule them all? Or will it just be another DROID like the rest? If you love a hardware keyboard or are a die-hard fan of the original DROID you’ll want to stay tuned for the verdict.

When the original Moto DROID landed it was a huge success that has slowly lost wind with large screens, improved on-screen keyboards and thin designs. Motorola has held true to what made them so popular and their latest release might be just what you’ve been waiting for. Lets start with our Droid 4 hands-on and unboxing.

Hardware

The DROID 4 contains an impressive 4.0″ qHD display with a 540 x 960 resolution. Same as the larger screened but extremely similar DROID RAZR. Making the screen a little sharper and crisper but it’s hardly noticeable. The chassis is larger than most but given the internal specs and the awesome keyboard that is to be expected. While slightly fatter than the DROID 3 it has that all important 4G LTE. Other than the impressive 5-row QWERTY keyboard with an edge-lit LED design, the rest of the goods are under the hood. That is a 1.2 GHz dual-core OMAP 4430 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and then 4G LTE. We do have a micro-SD port for extra storage, but that is both hidden and extremely difficult to access. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Motorola’s ever-changing interface overlay.

That isn’t all either. Motorola’s slowly made huge strides in their camera performance and the 8 megapixel rear and 1.3 front cameras on the DROID 4 are above average to say the least. Definitely better than the horrid camera inside the Bionic, that is for sure but more on that below. Now regarding size the D4 comes in at 12.7mm thick, being about the exact same as the DROID 3 before it while still packing in 4G LTE. Put it next to the 7.1mm DROID RAZR and it feels extra fat, and extremely heavy — which it is. The extra weight stemming from the QWERTY keyboard, LED lights and added bulk of the larger screen.

Keyboard

First since this is on everyone’s mind I want to mention the new keyboard — it is awesome. It truly has impressed me for the few days I’ve been using it and I’ve became extremely quick and efficient on it. Keyboards aren’t really for me, but this is almost making me rethink it — if only it weren’t so fat and heavy. The edge-lit keys are impressive and the light sensor automatically turns the backlight on or off depending on the situation. Not only does this save battery but it works well and is extremely responsive.

the 5-row keyboard is nicely spaced, and has a perfect sense of height and motion during use. With a PC-like chicklit design and layout you’ll be comfortable right away. The amount of response from the clicks feels great and you won’t ever be wondering if you’ve pushed hard enough. Comparing it to the DROID 3 keyboard I’d say Motorola has made huge improvements to the design, layout, feel, and durability.

It’s safe to say the Motorola DROID 4 is the new king of QWERTY smartphones.

Software

On the software side of things we are graced with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread and the usual array of apps from Motorola, Google, and Verizon. Motorola’s added their visual changes and are almost identical to the DROID RAZR. The new UI seems slightly more polished with glowing lights and fancy widgets. The usual Motorola and Verizon app bloatware is included but they’ve also been improving the Moto Webtop that is installed. The D4 will work with the latest Motorola Lapdocks via the micro-HDMI and USB ports on the bottom side.

From MotoCAST, MotoACTV, Verizon Video, Slacker Radio, Netflix and NFL Mobile you’ll have plenty of things to keep you busy out of the box should you choose. Overall if you’ve used any of Motorola’s recent devices the performance of the software is about the same. Things are smooth, stable, and overall quite fluid. I’m not the biggest fan of the Motorola UI changes but the last few updates are slowly growing on me. We’ll see how that all changes with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich later this year.

Performance and LTE

Performance with the 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 4G LTE are exactly as we’d expect. The dual-core power provides plenty of gas for this phone and you wont see any issues. In Quadrant Advanced the benchmarks were favorable scoring just under 2800 completely stock. Higher than Tegra 2 devices and almost all 1.2 GHz Qualcomm powered HTC handsets.

While 4G LTE results are subjective to the location, market, and signal with two bars here in my local city of Las Vegas I saw decent speeds that weren’t the highest, but not the lowest I’ve seen. Averaging around 9 MB/s down and 7-9 up. The signal seems to be more stable than the Galaxy Nexus, but that is an entirely different story for another day.

Battery Life and Camera

The DROID 4 comes with a built-in (non-removable) 1785 mAh battery that should last plenty long — but it’s no RAZR MAXX. During regular usage the first day I received around 8 hours of medium to heavy usage of calls, texts, gaming, and updates. Lighter days 11 hours was pretty common so it’s safe to say you’ll be able to go an entire day on a single charge. The battery however, just like the bootloader is under a lock and key. A tiny and easy to lose key comes in the box (pictured below) for removing the back. Which also houses the micro-SD card. If you need to change it on the go — good luck. I think this design is a bit ridiculous but to each his own I guess.

Back to that camera. Motorola has finally stepped it up with the camera. The focus is fast, same goes for the shutter speed and the results are no longer fuzzy and over-exposed. They could still use some work but here’s a quick example with more in the gallery below.

Wrap-Up

This is the best DROID yet but when it all comes down to it the hardware is great, but the overall space for this phone in the market is not. With RAZR thin phones, quad-cores on the horizon and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich already on the market this phone is a few months too late. Not to say it doesn’t have upside because it does and can still be considered a top-tier smartphone. If you want a hardware QWERTY keyboard with your smartphone the DROID 4 is absolutely hands down the best device on the market and will make ANY owner happy. If you want the latest and greatest this wont be for you, but it sure comes close. For me the choice is DROID 4 or the Galaxy Nexus — and I own the latter.

If you have an aging DROID 2, DROID Charge or many other Verizon devices and would like to get into a great smartphone the DROID 4 is an excellent choice. You’ll just have to decide if the added bulk and weight from the keyboard is worth it. As long as Verizon doesn’t release a DROID 5 this summer I see this being the best QWERTY smartphone for months to come.

Enjoy the rest of our photos from the gallery below and check out the timeline for more details regarding this device.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name

Manufactuer

Carrier

Announced Date

Release Date

Also Known As

Display

Screen Size : 4.0 Inch
Resolution : 540x960
Screen Type : qHD AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

Height : 5.0 Inch
Width : 2.65 Inch
Depth : .50 Inch
Weight : 179 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type

Lithium Ion

Battery Capacity : 1785 mAh
Talk Time : NA
Stand By Time : 200 hours

Software

Android OS

2.3.x

Audio Playback

AAC
AAC+
MP3
WAV
WMA

Video Playback

MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging

Hardware

CPU

CPU Clock Speed

Core

Ram

Internal Storage

Front Facing Camera

Camera Resolution

External Storage

MicroSD
MicroSDHC

Camera Features

Auto focus
Flash
1080p Video Recording

Sensors

Accelerometer
Ambient light
Proximity

QWERTY

Cellular Network

Network Technology

CDMA

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi

802.11b
802.11g
802.11n

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 4.0

Location Features

Compass
GPS
Cellular location
Wi-Fi location

FM Radio

NFC

Made for Life

Android Community

Android Community

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

The NVIDIA Blog

The NVIDIA Blog

Android Community

Android Community

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Android Community

Android Community

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

The NVIDIA Blog

The NVIDIA Blog

Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition

Amazon.com Product Description

The Final Chapter in the Mass Effect Trilogy

Mass Effect 3 N7 Collector's Edition for PlayStation 3 Contents

Key Game Features

Additional Screenshots

Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Value Bundle with Kinect

Xbox 360® 250GB Kinect Holiday Bundle

Product Description

Product Features

Product Description

PlayStation Vita 3G/Wi-Fi Launch Bundle

Amazon.com Product Description

Blur the Lines Between Entertainment and Reality.

Vita-specific PlayStation Network Functionality

Near

LiveArea and Activity Log

The Best in New and Classic Content

Vita Features

Technical Specifications

Product Description

Android Community

Android Community

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline

Story Timeline