Friday, August 31, 2012

Top 10 Android app updates: Solid Explorer, PayPal, IM+

Welcome back to the return of our weekly

This Week in the Life of DROID: 8/31/2012

bugdroid splatter dark droidlife 1920x1200 650x406 This Week in the Life   of DROID: 8/31/2012

Seeing as how it's a three day weekend, we are going to cut out just a wee bit early this Friday. We hope you all have a

Contest Phosphor’s Epic Masterpiece Horn Released for Android – Win a Nexus 7 Tablet to Celebrate (Update: Winners Picked!)

Horn Header 650x434 Contest Phosphor's Epic Masterpiece Horn Released   for Android – Win a Nexus 7 Tablet to Celebrate (Update: Winners Picked!)

Previewed back at Google I/O, Phosphor Game's Horn has finally arrived for Android. If you didn't know, Phosphor is the same team that brought us Dark Meadow, which is another epic piece of mobile gaming. Thankfully, Horn is no different. To get an idea of just how epic this game is, the additional download after the 8MB apk is installed is a whopping 1.8GB of data. If you're on a tiered plan, you might want to find a WiFi spot for this one.

HTC: We’re Aware We Missed the Deadline For ICS on the Thunderbolt

HTC Facebook 650x280 HTC:  We're Aware We Missed the Deadline For ICS   on the Thunderbolt

Many Thunderbolt owners may be asking themselves today, "Where's my Ice Cream Sandwich? I could have sworn HTC said it would come this month." Well, unfortunately HTC has basically confirmed that they will indeed miss the August update deadline for ICS. Funny enough, HTC pokes that they are working with Verizon to get the software out to users as soon as possible.

Sorry Thunderbolt owners. We'll keep you posted.

Via:

Activision Anthology Hits Google Play – Check Out This Blast From the Past

Activision Anthology 650x487 Activision Anthology Hits Google Play –   Check Out This Blast From the Past

What better way to head into the holiday weekend than with the Activision Anthology?

Dozens of apps marked down to $0.99 for Google Play End of Summer Sale

Early this morning we noticed Max Payne was on sale, and now it we find Google Play is throwing an End of Summer Sale over the next couple of days. For a limited time you can purchase dozens of popular apps and games for only $0.99. There are some awesome games like Modern Combat 3 and N.O.V.A. 3, plus some great apps like Swiftkey 3. See the full list after the break.

$0.99 GAMES

$0.99 APPS

Samsung and Dropbox Reach Deal For 50GB of Storage on Note 2 and Galaxy Camera

GALAXY Camera D2 650x433 Samsung and Dropbox Reach Deal For 50GB of   Storage on Note 2 and Galaxy Camera

Once again, Dropbox has teamed up with an OEM to offer a large amount of storage just for purchasing a device. This time, Samsung has promised future owners of the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy Camera will get 50GB of storage at their disposal. This is especially enticing for owners of the camera having a huge space to immediately put all of your photos.

Only question is now: which of the carriers will actually let this deal stand? We have seen Verizon be extremely resistant to offers like this in the past, maybe we'll see a change this time around?

Via:

Gameloft Celebrates Labor Day With Three Big Name Games Only $.99 in the Play Store

Gameloft Gameloft Celebrates Labor Day With Three Big Name Games Only   $.99 in the Play Store

For most of us, the end of today means the beginning of the 3 day Labor Day weekend. Any extended break from work or school is exciting, but Gameloft is looking to make your Labor Day a bit better with a sale in the Play Store. This weekend only you can get 3 of their top games, N.O.V.A 3, Gangstar Rio: City of Saints or Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation all for only $.99.

Samsung’s Galaxy Stellar 4G LTE to Launch Sept 6 According to Leaked VZW Document

   Samsung's Galaxy Stellar 4G LTE to Launch Sept 6 According to Leaked VZW   Document

According to a newly leaked image from Engadget, Samsung's Galaxy Stellar is expected to launch September 6 for the price of $99. As you may have gathered from earlier posts, the Stellar is Sammy's budget offering for folks looking to take advantage of VZW's 4G LTE, but still have money left over in their wallet. The Stellar is powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, runs Ice Cream Sandwich, and has a 3.2MP back-facing camera for your snapshot needs.

Hisense and Samsung tune in to Google TV

Google TV has struggled to gain adoption in consumer's living rooms, but it's one of my favorite Android powered platforms and I believe it still has huge potential left. VIZIO recently started selling the $99 Co-Star and this week Hisense and Samsung both announced they would offer Google TV products later this year.

The Hisense Pulse is a small Google TV box, very similar to the Co-Star in design. It features the same

Reminder: Don’t Forget to Enter for Your Chance to Win One of Three Nexus 7′s

nexus7 9 650x432 Reminder:  Don't Forget to Enter for Your Chance to   Win One of Three Nexus 7′s

Attention shoppers, on aisle five we're having a giveaway of three Nexus 7 tablets to three lucky people. We've teamed up with NVIDIA to celebrate the launch of Horn onto Android and what better to do that then with free tablets. For your chance to win, click that giant link below.

Enter Here

Sprint Starts Marketing Campaign to Encourage You to “Say No to Sharing”

Screen Shot 2012 08 31 at 12.03.05 PM 650x347 Sprint Starts Marketing   Campaign to Encourage You to

We are not exactly fans of Shared Data plans that AT&T and Verizon have adopted lately, but the other carriers, Sprint and T-Mobile, are not impressed either. Sprint has long been touting they have one of the last true unlimited data plans in the country and to hammer home that fact they are breaking out a new advertising campaign to remind you that you don't have to share.

How to: Change Lock Screen Settings on Android Beginners’ Guide

android lockscreens 650x384 How to:  Change Lock Screen Settings on   Android Beginners Guide

The lock screen on your Android phone will forever be your most visited screen. Every single time you turn your phone on or wake it up, you have to do something at the lock screen. For some, a simple slide of the lock icon will unlock your phone, but for others, a level of security is required. This is a quick tutorial on how to change to the various lock screens, so that you can keep your phone secure.

Video: Samsung Posts Fully Detailed Hands-on with Galaxy Note 2

Galaxy Note II 650x358 Video:  Samsung Posts Fully Detailed Hands on   with Galaxy Note 2

If you can't get enough of Samsung's new Galaxy Note II, Samsung Mobile has gone ahead and posted their first official hands-on video with the device. In the video, the device's hardware and software take center stage as every bit of this device is gone over in full detail by a well-versed Samsung employee.

Contest: Annual Droid Life NFL Eliminator Challenge is Open, Chance to Win a Phone of Your Choice

 Contest:  Annual Droid Life NFL Eliminator Challenge is Open, Chance to   Win a Phone of Your Choice

Yeah, I'd say I'm ready for some football. Just like we did last year and the year before, it's time for the annual Droid Life NFL Eliminator Challenge. In last year's contest, we upped the stakes by giving a way a phone of choice to the winner. Since that seemed to go over well, and our winner walked away with a brand new DROID RAZR MAXX, we're sticking to that formula. For 2012, if you win this challenge, you get to choose a brand new phone from any carrier in the U.S. up to $650 in value. Ready?

Qualcomm explains the system of tiers for Snapdragon S4

Last year Qualcomm reorganized how it named its Snapdragon processors and divided them up into different series. Snapdragon S1 represented the first-gen chip found in the HTC Nexus One, then we had S2 and S3, followed by S4 that is currently featured in almost every 4G LTE phone in North America.

For awhile this made things simple as we could just reference the series of chip instead of having to call out the exact model number like MSM8960. When Android fans hear "Snapdragon S4″ they think of the super fast chip that is found in the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III, but there are actually four different tiers of S4 and they are not all created equal.

A perfect example is the Snapdragon S4 Play, featured in the new HTC Desire X. One could see the "S4″ and think they were getting Qualcomm's latest 28nm Krait CPU and faster Adreno GPU, but this budget chip uses the older 45nm process technology and slower Cortex-A5 CPU and Adreno 203 GPU.

If our numbers are correct, there are currently 15

Rockstar Game’s Max Payne for Android Marked Down to $0.99 Win

Max Payne Rockstar Game's Max Payne for Android Marked Down to $0.99   Win

Mobile game lovers, to celebrate the Labor Day weekend, Rockstar Games has lowered the price of Max Payne to just $0.99. At that price, who can't help but get into some crime fighting, gun blasting, street justice action? Wish I could say the same about GTAIII, but that one is still $5. Either way, good deal right here.

Play Link

Cheers Chris!

Withings reveals new Wireless Scale WS-30 with Bluetooth

Today at IFA 2012 Withings unveiled their second generation wireless scale, which now includes Bluetooth connectivity in addition to WiFi. Thanks to the enhanced

Rockstar Games slashes Max Payne Mobile to $0.99

If you wanted to grab Rockstar Games' classic shooter Max Payne, now is your chance.

Samsung teases Android fans with aluminum smartphone

Samsung is known as the King of Plastic to Android fans, so it was a little bit shocking to see them unveil a new smartphone this week with at IFA 2012 a metal casing. The new Samsung ATIV S features a

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Android Rookies: 10 new apps worth checking out

New apps need lovin too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the detention they deserve. We have shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights, so we are bringing back our weekly column for new apps with less than 100k installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy.

JELLY BEAN KEYBOARD

jelly bean keyboard 630 Android Rookies: 10 new apps worth checking out

Pitch: Annoyed with the crappy keyboard that came with your Android device? Install this stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean keyboard ported from the Android Open Source Project.

KARAOKE BY PURESOLO

karaoke by puresolo Android Rookies: 10 new apps worth checking out

Pitch:

PayPal Receives UI Makeover With Version 4.0

new paypal android 650x359 PayPal Receives UI Makeover With Version 4.0

PayPal for Android receive a massive UI overhaul today when it was bumped up to version 4.0. Sending payments, receiving cash from friends, and shopping on-the-go never looked so pretty. You can see that the designers followed parts of the newest Android design and theme guidelines, but went with an orange tint in favor of the ICS blue. Overall, it looks a heck of a lot better than it did in version 3.0, is easier to navigate through, and should make managing your online funds a breeze.

Besides the stylish new look, they also added in these features:

  • View your total, available, and pending PayPal balances
  • Take a picture of your credit or debit card to easily add it to your account
  • Find local merchants who are using our new PayPal Here service
  • Enhanced support for Ice Cream Sandwich
  • Bug fixes

Play Link

Cheers Josh!

Samsung: If Apple Releases an LTE iPhone, We’re Ready to Sue

Apple Logo iPhone 650x434 Samsung:  If Apple Releases an LTE iPhone,   We're Ready to Sue

And the

Angry Gran 2 Released to Play Store, Travels the World with Her Deadly Newspaper

Screenshot 2012 08 30 17 16 31 650x365 Angry Gran 2 Released to Play   Store, Travels the World with Her Deadly Newspaper

Sometimes the best mobile games make absolutely no sense. Why is this Grandma so angry? Why is she taking it out on everyone that she sees? We may never know the answers but Angry Gran 2 releases this elderly assassin into the world, having you travel to different locations while beating up people for the money in their pockets.

The gameplay is simple enough, hold your finger on the screen to charge your attacks and then

Cell Broadcast Settings Menu Came With Jelly Bean for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus

Screenshot 2012 08 30 13 09 40 365x650 Cell Broadcast Settings Menu Came   With Jelly Bean for Verizon's Galaxy Nexus

After digging into settings menus in the Jelly Bean update that was released this week for Verizon's Galaxy Nexus, a handful of readers noticed that a new "Cell Broadcast settings" area was now included. This new area appears to give you control over emergency alerts that could push through to your handset. For example, a child abduction notification could appear on your phone should one happen near you. I'm assuming that a notification of some sort would also pop up if say a hurricane were blowing through, if an earthquake just went down, or if some sort of terrorist activity that threaten lives was happening. You can even set your phone up to speak them out loud as they appear on your device.

We hadn't noticed these on any other phone before, even a GSM Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean, and wanted to share. We aren't sure if this is something that is only showing because this is a test build or if this is indeed going to be a new standard in Android going forward. Pretty neat, though, right?

To access the menu, head into Settings>Wireless & networks>Cell broadcasts.

Cheers Steven and

Hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Camera video roundup

Samsung is no stranger to taking an idea that has been poorly executed in the past, and getting it right. But even for the world's number one Android manufacturer, building a successful point-and-shoot camera powered by Android is no easy task.

Where others have failed, Samsung is looking to succeed. They're taking the best the company has to offer from their successful line of Galaxy smartphones, and throwing it into a bonafide high quality camera. For the hyper-connected, always on urban photographers out there, the Galaxy Camera is a dream come true. WiFi, 3G/4G access, a 4.8-inch HD display. Complete access to Google Play apps.

If Samsung gets this right, photo sharing will never be the same. We've yet to get our hands on one ourselves, but judging by the reactions of people who have, the Galaxy Camera is definitely worthy of wearing the Galaxy name.

By taking their popular, household Galaxy branding and applying it to more than just phones and tablets, Samsung is not only looking to expand their marketshare, but mindshare as well. They want Galaxy to be synonymous with high-end innovative technology.

Personally, I couldn't possibly be more excited to get my hands on the Galaxy Camera. How about you?

Google’s Larry Page and Apple’s Tim Cook Talking Nuclear Patent Disarmament?

New Google Logo 650x233 Google's Larry Page and Apple's Tim Cook   Talking Nuclear Patent Disarmament?

After the shock of last week's verdict against Samsung in the case against Apple, the Android scene as a whole has been a little uneasy. No one wants the same outcome to happen to their favored company and everyone seems to be waiting to see what happens next. Reports from

HBO GO for Android Updated With Jelly Bean Support and Bug Fixes (Update)

hbo go android e1346347755721 HBO GO for Android Updated With Jelly Bean   Support and Bug Fixes (Update)

Well, not that this is the best timing ever seeing as how True Blood season five just ended, but better late than never I guess. HBO GO for Android has been updated to support Jelly Bean devices in Google Play. Once installed, you'll be watching your favorite HBO movies and Eastbound and Down in no time.

Play Link

Update: Well, HBO has removed the Jelly Bean support line from the changelog in Google Play so maybe we're back to waiting. We'll keep you posted.

Cheers Chavez6!

Amazon Appstore Updated – International Users Supported and New User Interface

Amazon Appstore Old1 650x575 Amazon Appstore Updated – International   Users Supported and New User Interface

If you're an avid Amazon Appstore user who loves picking up their daily free applications, then you may have noticed some major changes today. Starting this morning, Amazon has enabled international users to take part in the Appstore for Android and have even given the entire app a nice and shiny renovation for the launch.

Hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Note II video roundup

When Samsung first launched the Galaxy Note, it received more criticism than praise. People said it was too big. A gimmick. And it had a stylus? It had to be a joke right? As it turns out, the Note was a huge hit. People couldn't get enough of that vibrant display, the ultra-sensitive S Pen integration and sleek, surprisingly more pocketable than not design.

Yesterday, we got our first real taste of the true successor to the Galaxy Note throne.

Giveaway: Leave a comment and win an ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity to play Horn

Android has a new flagship adventure game and we want to give you the best Tegra 3 tablet to experience it on. Today Phosphor Games released their highly anticipated game Horn to the Google Play store. Their previous title Dark Meadow featured the best graphics we have ever seen on Android, so we have really been looking forward to this new game that some are comparing to Zelda.

The Trailer

Phosphor Games describes the title: "Horn

Galaxy Note II will be priced at €639.90 on Vodafone

And one of the last pieces of the puzzle for the Galaxy Note II can now be slotted into place. Engadget spotted a sign from Vodafone at IFA indicating that the price for the Galaxy Note II off contract will be

“Recommended For You” Section Appears in Google Play Store

recommended android 650x575

Hey, look! Recommended apps in the Google Play store! At some point in the last 24 hours, Google activated a new section to help you find apps that are liked by your friends, popular in your area, or that are popular with users similar to you. Once in the "Recommended Apps" section, which can be visited by entering the main Apps section and scrolling down a bit, you can either tap to install or click the "Don't show me this app anymore" button, aka the circle with a line through it.

It's a welcomed move by Google. The Play store can be overwhelming now that it has thousands of apps, so anything to help make the experience more user-friendly is a plus. Depending on how well they recommend, this may remove the need for the other dozen or so "Recommended Apps" apps.

Feel free to cruise around in this new section and let us know if you find anything fun.

Cheers

Celebrate National Marshmallow Toasting Day the Android Way

071812 Android Mashmallow wallpaper 1440x1080 650x487 Celebrate National   Marshmallow Toasting Day the Android Way

Did you know that August 30 is National Marshmallow Toasting Day? Well, you do now! Before you head off to the store to pick up your marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate, you should take a look at this awesome Android-ified wallpaper to

Is This the New Kindle Fire?

 Is This the New Kindle Fire?

You may be looking at the brand new Kindle Fire. According to a report out of The Verge, this is the device (or one of) that Amazon will unveil next Thursday. There aren't many details to accompany the image above, but you can see that the custom Amazon skin is present and that a front camera is housed at the top. Other than those two things, the rest is a mystery.

It's probably safe to assume that even if they do deliver both 7″ and 10″ tablets, that they'll remain at reasonable price levels. Now that the original Kindle Fire is sold out, Amazon is going to have to fill the $199 space in the tablet industry that they created. The real question then becomes, "How much will they charge for a larger model?" Any guesses?

Via:

Huawei unveils Emotion UI because stock Android is too confusing

If you find Android too confusing, Huawei might have the right device for you. Today the Chinese company unveiled their new Emotion UI that will be making its way to Android devices later this year.

The new UI is designed to fix the one thing about Android that the company found confuses new users.

First picture of new Amazon Kindle Fire leaks out

Amazon is expected to announce their new lineup of Kindle devices on September 6th, and we might have our first glimpse of the next Kindle Fire. Chris Ziegler of The Verge

Amazon’s Kindle Fire Completely Sold Out, Holds 22% of US Tablet Market

amazon kindle fire 650x432 Amazon's Kindle Fire Completely Sold Out,   Holds 22% of US Tablet Market

This morning, Amazon announced that their Kindle Fire tablet holds a massive 22% of the U.S. tablet market share and that the Fire is now completely sold out. Bummer. But don't worry, Amazon has a press

Miss Samsung’s IFA Presentation and Galaxy Note II Unveiling? Watch it Here

Galaxy Note 2 Header Miss Samsung's IFA Presentation and Galaxy Note   II Unveiling? Watch it Here

We know not everyone is free to watch an hour and a half long presentation at work, so if you happened to miss Samsung's unveiling of the new Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Camera, and their new line of Windows 8 products, feel free to sit back and take part in the magic right here.

DROID RAZR M Hangs Out on Video, Shows Off Its Giant Chin

RazrMBIG1 650x494 DROID RAZR M Hangs Out on Video, Shows Off Its Giant   Chin

The DROID RAZR M is sure getting its fair share of play these days, but that's expected since it will likely be announced next week at Motorola's NYC event. In today's footage, we get actual video of the device, giving us a great view of that almost edge-to-edge display. For a smaller device, this thing doesn't look half bad. Well, if you can get over the giant chin at the bottom of it. While I'm a big fan of thin phones, I'm not a big fan of squashing and flattening (which leads to giant chins) in order to achieve said thin status.

It's tough to tell from such a short video, but it seems to be speedy while jumping through menus. With a Snapdragon S4 inside, that should be expected, however, if Motorola's Blur hasn't been fine tuned, you never know what the experience will be like. Just look at the Atrix HD.

Take a look at the boot animation below and the drop us some candid thoughts in the comments.

Via: Engadget

Contest Phosphor’s Epic Masterpiece Horn Released for Android – Win a Nexus 7 Tablet to Celebrate

Horn Header 650x434 Contest Phosphor's Epic Masterpiece Horn Released   for Android – Win a Nexus 7 Tablet to Celebrate

Previewed back at Google I/O, Phosphor Game's Horn has finally arrived for Android. If you didn't know, Phosphor is the same team that brought us Dark Meadow, which is another epic piece of mobile gaming. Thankfully, Horn is no different. To get an idea of just how epic this game is, the additional download after the 8MB apk is installed is a whopping 1.8GB of data. If you're on a tiered plan, you might want to find a WiFi spot for this one.

HTC unveils the affordable Desire X

Today HTC announced the Desire X, an affordable take on their One series. Just like the One X and One S, the Desire X features HTC's

Rovio: Something “PIG” is Coming – An Angry Birds Spin-off?

Bad Piggies 650x310 Rovio: Something

So, it looks like Rovio is finally coming out with a Angry Birds spin-off. Took 'em long enough. According to their Facebook and newest trailer, something pig is coming. The Facebook page is titled "Bad Piggies," but who knows if that title will stick when the game is finally revealed.

Amazon claims 22% of tablet sales in the US, ready to take on Europe next

Amazon has a major product announcement set for September 6th, and today the company made two important announcements that reveal their plans for next week. First, the Kindle Fire is now sold out just nine months after it launched. And now the Amazon App Store is coming to Europe.

In

Goodbye, Android and Me, and thank you

I've written hundreds of posts for Android and Me, and this is by far the most difficult I've had to write. In just two short days, my time as a writer and editor for the best Android site out there is coming to a close. I know the Wimberly men will take the site in awesome new directions, and each and every one of you are in good hands. I can't thank Clark and Taylor enough for taking a shot on me as a writer, for giving me the opportunity to build my voice, and allowing me to play an integral role in the behind the scenes aspect of the site.

As far as the rest of the motley crew, I can honestly say I've never worked with such a great group of people, and each and every one of them has influenced me in some way or another. If I haven't said it enough already, you guys are in truly wonderful hands, and far better writers than I will continue to bring you top-quality content.

Finally, the readers. You guys absolutely rock, and have wonderful, deep, and thoughtful conversations in the comments section. It has truly been my pleasure to engage with you as we figured out the Android world together. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you, and for challenging me to do better and better work.

As I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, you can read my very first post on Android and Me, my official review of the newly-released Twitter for Android application from back in May 2010. I wrote a few guest posts before then (okay, a few dozen), but this was my first actual post as a paid freelancer!

If you'd like to keep in touch, you can find me on Google+ and Twitter.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Samsung: Jelly Bean Update Coming to the Galaxy S3 “Very Soon”

vzw gs3 6 650x432 Samsung:  Jelly Bean Update Coming to the Galaxy S3

During Samsung's keynote today at IFA, they confirmed that the Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) update for the Galaxy S3 will be arriving "very soon." Since they announced the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy Camera as running Jelly Bean out of the box, we would assume that they have basically finalized it for the GS3 as well. "Soon" certainly makes a lot of sense.

The thing to remember, is that the update may be finished, but there are carriers involved that will need to give their final approval. I hate to be a downer, but Verizon's will likely be last to the party. As a carrier known for being incredibly slow to take their time on updates, it wouldn't surprise me to see the international variant receive the update first, followed by T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint before Verizon customers can enjoy the fun that is Jelly Bean. After all, the Galaxy Nexus LTE

Granny Smith for Android – Send Granny Flying for Those Apples

Granny Smith 650x350 Granny Smith for Android – Send Granny Flying for   Those Apples

From the same team that happened to make one of Android's more popular titles called Sprinkle, comes Granny Smith. Granny Smith, quite possible could be one of the more silly, fun, and addicting games I have played in a while. For just $1, you send Granny flying down hill after hill smashing through glass, homes, and caves to reach the apples before some chubby bandit gets them. Depending on how many of the apples you get, determines whether you move on to the next level.

No, Samsung Did Not Pay Apple Their $1.05 Billion in Damages in Nickels

Nickel 642x650 No, Samsung Did Not Pay Apple Their $1.05 Billion in   Damages in Nickels

According to our inbox, more than a few of you came across this headline earlier today. Apparently, the story is that Samsung has decided to skip all of that appeal nonsense in their trial with Apple and just get the $1.05 billion payment over with. Due to there being no specifics on payment method, this silly story claims that Samsung delivered 30 shipping trucks filled with 5 cent pieces to Apple HQ in Cupertino. According to Paper Blog, Samsung's chairman was even quoted as saying:

You can use your coins to buy refreshments at the little machine for life or melt the coins to make computers, that's not my problem, I already paid them and fulfilled the law.

HTC Releases Kernel Source for the Rezound’s ICS Build 3.14.605.12

htc rezound official1 390x650 HTC Releases Kernel Source for the   Rezound's ICS Build 3.14.605.12

Good news, HTC Rezound owners. The kernel source for the latest Ice Cream Sandwich update, build 3.14.605.12, the one you received on your devices at the end of July, has been released! This certainly should help in development going forward. For those that aren't developers, well, this probably doesn't matter much to you until a developer does something with it.

Via:

Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 on Woot, Selling for Just $180

GALAXY Tab 2 7.0 Product Image 4 650x650 Refurbished Samsung Galaxy Tab   2 7.0 on Woot, Selling for Just $180

We know, we have told you over and over again that if you are looking for an Android tablet right now, the Nexus 7 is the way to go. But if the bottom-line price is an important issue, then today's

Android Gaming Weekly: XArm, Granny Smith, Fart vs Zombies

Welcome back to the return of our regular column

Flashable Jelly Bean JRO03O Zip Now Available for Galaxy Nexus LTE

galaxy nexus jro03o 650x432 Flashable Jelly Bean JRO03O Zip Now   Available for Galaxy Nexus LTE

As most of our Galaxy Nexus LTE owners know, a test Jelly Bean build was found last night and released this morning for you all to enjoy. If you didn't feel like factory imaging back to stock Android 4.0.4 (IMM76K), so that you could then update to IMM76Q and then eventually onto JRO03O (Android 4.1), you were much more patient than I. That patience has paid off, as a .zip that should take you onto JRO03O from any ROM has been released by @P3Droid.

Beats Rumored to Be Planning Their Own Smartphone and Beats-Ecosystem

htc beats headphones 650x443 Beats Rumored to Be Planning Their Own   Smartphone and Beats Ecosystem

When HTC first acquired Beats by Dre, it was seen as a fantastic move that had a lot of upside for both the mobile device industry and the niche of high-quality headphones. Unfortunately for both companies, the money spent never exactly made the project take off, which led to HTC selling back a lot of their stake in Beats recently. But now, it seems that Beats is ready to make some moves on its own. Rumors state that the headphone manufacturer is planning a Beats-themed smartphone sometime soon.

Obviously, the phone itself would be made by HTC since they are still business partners, but the rumored phone will not bear any HTC logos. It will however, feature a custom Beats user interface which we are assuming will be built over Android. Not content to stop there, Beats wants to jump into the music service by making an iTunes competitor and also a system that connects your new phone, TV, tablet and computer so that they can share streaming music between all of them. A juicy rumor for sure.

Does Beats have the clout to enter into the music game where Apple dominates, Google is trying to make headway and everyone else lags behind?

Via:

Verizon begins testing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for Galaxy Nexus

When Google released Android 4.1 for the GSM Galaxy Nexus we knew it would be awhile before the update finally reached the CDMA versions of the device on Sprint and Verizon. Thanks to a leaked update file we can now confirm Verizon is testing the update for their Galaxy Nexus.

Even though Verizon is testing the update, they still might not release it for another couple months. We saw Verizon go

CyanogenMod 9.1 introduces support for custom NFC wallet system

Mobile phone-based payment solutions are the hot topic of the industry right now. Google is looking to enhance Wallet, Microsoft is introducing Wallet Hub, Apple is playing around with Passbook; PayPal, Square and ISIS are all throwing their hats into the ring. And then there's CyanogenMod, who just added support for a custom third-party NFC based wallet app called SimplyTapp.

Developed for, and intended for use only with, CyanogenMod (at least for right now), SimplyTapp is an all-in-one NFC wallet app. Introduced with the release of CyanogenMod 9.1, SimplyTapp was developed by two CM enthusiasts with the vision of creating an "open" mobile payments system, giving the power of mobile payments and NFC back to the user.

According to the SimplyTapp website, the app currently supports a fixed rate Tap Anywhere card (that functions like a gift card), a refillable CyanogenMod Tapp card and a small variety of store cards. In the future, more options will be added. Users of SimplyTapp will be able to vote and give their opinion on what cards they'd like to see added next.

SimplyTapp is specifically designed for and is working with the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and Galaxy S II, but it should work with any NFC equipped phone running CM 9.1.

Whether or not something like SimplyTapp will ever take off is hard to say. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on it. If you're running CyanogenMod 9.1, vist the SimplyTapp website to download now.

Beats looking to build its own smartphone, TV and music service

Beats Electronics has an interesting legacy of ups and downs. While the headphone division of the company has been largely considered a success, their introduction in the world of smartphones with HTC was a bust. Not directly related to to introduction of Beats Audio in HTC handsets, ever since devices featuring the results of the partnership have been released, HTC sales have seen a decline. But that's not going to stop Dr. Dre and company from marching forward.

According to a rumor out of BGR, Beats is not only looking to release their own handset, but a TV set and Google Play, iTunes competitor as well. The phone will be manufactured by HTC, and based on Android with a custom Beats UI. This isn't to be confused with an HTC device featuring Beats enhancements. This phone "will be a truly Beats phone." The purpose of building their own Beats branded phone is to have total control over the media platform Beats has in the works as well.

The Beats phone will connect to a Beats TV, to be manufactured by someone like Samsung, by means of "Beats connect." From there, users will be able to take full advantage of Beats subscription-based music service on any device they own.

While I can appreciate how ambitious this venture is, it sounds like a terrible idea. I can't imagine any amount of people willing to not only purchase a custom Beats branded phone, but a TV as well. The amount of money it's going to take to develop, market and support a phone, TV and music service is huge. Phone hardware already doesn't have the best profit margins, and TVs are even worse.

What do you think, would you buy a Beats branded phone, TV and subscribe to some sort of Beats music service, or has the good doctor gone mad?