Monday, November 21, 2011

Google Android News Android Forums

Google Android News Android Forums

Verizon Announces Black Friday Specials: Free Red Incredible 2, $199 XOOM and More

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 04:09 PM PST

With Thanksgiving only a couple days away the Black Friday deals are really piling up! To add more confusion to the chaos, Verizon just announced their Black Friday deals adding a bunch more great devices to the list. You can find the following devices for a heck of a lot cheaper than you normally would.

  • Motorola XOOM for $199 on-contract
  • Red DROID Incredible 2 for FREE (Friday only)
  • Double smartphone data still going on ($30 for 4GB)
  • Free activations
  • Sony Xperia Play and LG Enlighten for FREE
  • LG Revolution for $49.99 (Friday only)

Although those prices are nothing to scoff at, Amazon’s penny sale is going to be your best bet for 4G devices like the Motorola DROID RAZR and the HTC Rezound. Speaking of 4G phones on sale, Metro PCS is also having a Black Friday sale in where 3 different Samsung devices will be offered at a discounted rate. If it’s a tablet you’re looking for, be sure to visit our huge Black Friday tablet list for the complete low-down.

 

Verizon to Offer Samsung Illusion via Direct Fill on November 23rd

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 03:33 PM PST

Over the past month we have seen Verizon’s, Samsung Illusion, pop in and out of the rumor mill, most recently accompanied by rebate information. It was first belived that we would see this device sometime this month and apparently that is the reality. Verizon will be offering this entry level device through Direct Fulfillment starting November 23rd and will be available in store on January 12th, 2012.

In case you missed it, the Samsung Illusion specs are pretty minimal and this will be a good device for teens and those who are not power users. Running Android 2.3, it sports a 3.5-inch HVGA curved display (like the Nexus’), 3MP rear camera (no front facer), 2GB onboard memory with up to 32GB of microSD card support (comes equipped with 2GB card), and a 1,500mAh battery. No details on price or how the rebate will pan out, but we suspect it to be free (or very close to it) with a new contract agreement. Click on the image below for a full specs run-down.

Koush Releases ICS Alpha Build For Nexus S, Now in ROM Manager [Courtesy of XDA]

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 01:14 PM PST

Have a Nexus S? Looking to get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich? Well look no further. If you are wanting to get a taste of an early build of ICS check out Koush’s build available in the ROM manger. For those of you who don’t know, Koush is famous for the Clockwork Recovery mod  that allows the flashing of various ROMs and mods and for the ROM manager itself which makes the process entirely painless.  Let it be known that this is an Alpha build and everything isn’t working as it should be and that your Nexus S needs to be rooted. According to Koush:

“What doesn’t work:
Camcorder
Facebook account sync, missing apps from market. I am fairly sure this is a build fingerprint issue. Can probably be resolved by using the fingerprint of the Galaxy Nexus, etc. Will need to wipe between changing fingerprints.”

The GPS may not work but I will let you head over to XDA and read why that is. So for those of you who are chomping at the bit to get a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich, here is a chance by a more-than-reputable source. Just remember that it is an Alpha build and there may be some bugs or issues that have to be resolved. Hit the link below to download the zip file courtesy of Koush and XDA.

Alpha 2 Android Zip

 

Google Apps Addon

 

 

ICS Phase Beam Live Wallpaper Available For Download In The Market

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 01:07 PM PST

If you’ve been salivating over Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), but can’t fork out the cash to snatch up a Galaxy Nexus somewhere, we’d like to help you ease the pain a bit with ICS Phase Beam Live Wallpaper for your Android device.  Check out the Android 4.0 wallpaper clone in action with an added 3D scroll effect unlike the original.  Head on over to the Android Market for the Download and don’t forget to check out the demo video below to let us know what you think.  There’s also a QR code available below for those who want it.  Enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

qrcode

Samsung’s Exynos 4412 To Be The First Quad-Core SoC To Hit The Market?

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 12:34 PM PST

Samsung appears to be hot on the heels of Nvidia’s Tegra 3 chip set as news and details of an Exynos quad-core System on a Chip (SoC) emerge.  Tidbits of the 4412 quad-core chip have been spotted on the Kernel Git page and Samsung has provided support for it on their development boards.  According to the support page, the 4412 is close to that of the Exynos 4212 and takes its ques from the ARM Cortex A9 platform, touting four CPU cores.  Each core reportedly has a clock speed of 1.5 GHz, like that of the 4212.  No word yet, of course, on a release date or a device that the technology might show up on but it’s sure exciting to be in a time when chips like this are hitting the market.  Clearly Nvidia has their work cut out for them as they begin to release devices housing the Tegra 3 such as the Asus Transformer Prime.  In addition, it’s also reported that Samsung is working on the next gen Exynos CPU based on the ARM Cortex A15 with support for the big.LITTLE technology.

 

Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard Now Available in the Android Market

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 11:42 AM PST

If you are anything like us, you have been waiting patiently for your chance to get your hands on the official build of ICS. In these trying times we will grasp at just about about anything that will keep us occupied until the big day hits. Fortunately , XDA member, for.digit, has given us a little somethin-somethin to keep us excited and recently released a free app in the Android Market containing ICS’ predictive keyboard. Now you too can have Google’s redesigned keyboard on your very own device without the need to root.

In case you missed Google’s ICS launch, the new keyboard has seen a visual face-lift and has better prediction capabilities. Now when you type, not only does it predict which word it is that you are trying to spell, it bases its prediction off of the surrounding words as well. If you are at all familiar with Swiftkey than you know exactly how this works. It will be interesting to see how the ICS keyboard stacks up against the competition and whether or not people will opt for a replacement keyboard instead.

They only downfall with using this app is that the keyboard’s voice input button doesn’t work, you will not be able to use the speech-to-text function. Another thing worth mentioning is that this download only works with phones not tablets, and since the package isn’t signed by Google it isn’t exactly official. To give the new ICS keyboard a try, hit one of the market download links below. Be aware that it requires Android 2.2 or higher and will more than likely have a few bugs. If you give it a try, let us know what you think in the comments.

Android Market

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ASUS Padfone shows up on GLBenchmarks with dual-core processor and qHD display

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 11:39 AM PST

The ASUS Padfone was first shown several months ago, but continue to wait patiently to get our hands on one. It’s looking more like an early 2012 launch. I had my hopes that it was going to have a quad-core processor like the Transformer Prime, but unfortunately that won’t be the case as recent OpenGL benchmark tests reveal that it has a Qualcomm MSM8960 SoC (Snapdragon S4) running at 918MHz. Since it wasn’t the final retail unit, it will probably be 1GHz and only two cores. We also found out that it as a qHD (960 x 540) display.

Android 2.3.5 was present, but we are expecting Ice Cream Sandwich when this badboy is released. I would hope we should see an almost final product at CES in January. I’m looking forward to it.

 

 

 

 

Verizon vs. AT&T – LTE Phone Comparison Shows Galaxy Nexus With 32GB of Storage

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 09:58 AM PST

It seems that the Galaxy Nexus is fraught with will it/won’t it rumors. We posted an article on Saturday suggesting that Verizon would only offer the Nexus in the 16GB internal storage variety. This caused quite a stir for those who were excited about the phone. Given that the phone has no external storage support, people were worried that 16GB isn’t enough space for apps and media. People have suggested that this amount of storage is more than adequate given Google Music’s cloud storage capabilities. This however, may be an issue given Verizon’s 2GB data cap. So Verizon dropping the 32GB model seemed surprising.

Well worry not. It appears that Verizon has released a document that highlights Verizon’s top three LTE phones versus AT&T’s two LTE phones. This document sheds some light on the Nexus storage dilemma. If you look at the document it shows that the Galaxy Nexus has 32GB of storage, highlighted in red. Given that this is a document that was given to their employees, it appears that Verizon has made this 16GB rumor moot. For those of you that were worried, this document should ease your doubts.

Why Wait Till Black Friday? Amazon Now Offers HTC Rezound, Motorola DROID RAZR for $0.01

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 09:19 AM PST

We should probably be used to this by now but every time it happens it seems like it’s too good to be true. Amazon is now offering two of Verizon’s brand spankin’ new, top tier phones for only a darn penny. That’s right folks, right now you can get either the HTC Rezound or the Motorola DROID RAZR from Amazon Wireless for only a penny.

In order to qualify for such a great deal you must of course sign a new two-year contract, if you are due for an upgrade unfortunately the price jumps up to $229.99 for either phone. This is still a good deal since Verizon is offering both phones at the same price of $299.99.

Both devices are great pieces of hardware with rather similar specs. The HTC Rezound is HTC’s first crack at HD displays and sports a 4.3-inch HD 720p screen. It’s equipped with a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB on-board memory, a 16GB microSD card, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front and of course an LTE radio. The Motorola DROID RAZR is an LTE device built from stainless steel, kevlar and wears Gorilla Glass over its face. Inside you will find a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB microSD card, a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED Advanced display and an 8MP rear camera with a 1.3MP front shooter.

Hit either of the source links below to get yours for only a penny. You might want to make it snappy though if you don’t want to face any backorder issues.

 

 

MetroPCS annouces HTC Wildfire S and Black Friday deals for 4G LTE Android smartphones

Posted: 21 Nov 2011 09:10 AM PST

MetroPCS today announced that the HTC Wildfire S will be available in stores and online this week for a price of $179.99. This is the first HTC smartphone to land on MetroPCS.

“Through our partnership with MetroPCS, we hope to continue providing our consumers with the affordable, yet advanced, smartphones and multimedia content they demand, all with the flexibility of a pay-in-advance service,.” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC Americas.

In addition MetroPCS is going to offer “deep discounts” on 4G LTE Android smartphones with a Black Friday Sale. The good news is that it’s not just limited to Black Friday only. The deals start on Thanksgiving Day, November 24 and run through November 30, 2011.

In addition to these deals, they are offering a deal on lines. You can get 4 no annual contract lines for $100 a month, and each line comes with unlimited, talk, text and Web access. If you are looking for a single line, all of these phones are eligible for their no annual contract plans ranging from $40 to $60 per month, which include unlimited talk, text, and Web access. The $60 plan will give you the Rhapsody Unlimited service.

Full press releases after the break:

MetroPCS to Offer Deep Discounts on 4G LTE Android Smartphones and More This Holiday Season With Black Friday Sale

 

WHAT: Looking to give the gift of mobile this Holiday season?  You can score great deals on cell phones with MetroPCS’ Black Friday sale. Choose the perfect gift for everyone on your list from a range of options, which include a 4G LTE Android smartphone, an Android feature handset and a basic messaging device with QWERTY keyboard.
The sale kicks off on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, and runs through November 30, 2011. Black Friday discounts are available both in-store and online at www.metropcs.com and Facebook, www.facebook.com/metropcs.
All devices are available with MetroPCS’ flat-rate, no annual contract plans that range from $40 – $60 a month, all taxes and fees included.  The plans offer unlimited talk, text and Web access, and customers can also take advantage of great entertainment options like Rhapsody Unlimited Music, that features more than 12 million songs to play, download or stream on your mobile phone.
WHEN: BLACK FRIDAY SALE
November 24 – November 30, 2011
DETAILS:
Samsung Galaxy Indulge – $199, regularly $299
Samsung Admire – $79, regularly $129
Samsung Freeform III – $19, regularly $49
MetroPCS is also offering a special deal on cell phone lines – 4 phone lines for $100 a month. Each line comes with unlimited, talk, text and Web access, and it’s a gift the whole family will love. Learn about this offer, devices, and more at www.metropcs.com.

 

MetroPCS Says Hello to HTC Adding the Wildfire S™ to Its Android Smartphone Line-up

DALLAS, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (NYSE: PCS), and HTC Corporation (HTC) today introduced the HTC Wildfire S™, MetroPCS’ first Android smartphone provided by HTC.  Available in MetroPCS stores and online this week, the stylish Android smartphone comes with HTC’s user-friendly HTC Sense, which makes it easy to personalize and navigate the device, along with quick access to the latest multimedia content.

With Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), the HTC Wildfire S packs a powerful smartphone experience, but with an affordable, compact and playful device with the unmatched value of no-annual contract service plans.  Coming in a stylish white design, the HTC Wildfire S is created for social consumers, allowing them to easily stay connected with friends and family.

“As we continue to deliver Android for All to our customers, our partnership with HTC is yet another way we’re delivering today’s most advanced smartphones with the affordability and flexibility of our no-annual contract services,” said Tom Keys, president and chief operating officer of MetroPCS. “The HTC brand continues to increase in popularity given its high-quality, cutting-edge smartphones that allow consumers to do more while on the go. The HTC Wildfire S is a perfect example – a powerful, yet chic device that delivers the most of Android, while making it easier to enjoy the multimedia and entertainment consumers love.”

MetroPCS offers unmatched value with its $50 and $60 smartphone plans, which include all applicable taxes and regulatory fees. For just $60, consumers can choose between Rhapsody’s Unlimited Music or video entertainment with MetroSTUDIO™ – on top of unlimited Internet access, voice and texting services. With the vast music library provided by the new Rhapsody Unlimited Music service, music lovers can play, download or stream as many songs as they want, free from the per-track charges that come with most other music download services.

“Through our partnership with MetroPCS, we hope to continue providing our consumers with the affordable, yet advanced, smartphones and multimedia content they demand, all with the flexibility of a pay-in-advance service,.” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC Americas.

HTC Sense is designed to enable the user to easily maneuver through the phone simply and naturally, in a way that’s intuitive and just makes sense. On the HTC Wildfire S, social networking is integrated into your contacts, so you can easily tag your friends in photos before posting them to Facebook or share your favorite apps at the touch of a button. And with its rear 5 megapixels color camera with flash and autofocus, capturing great images and video of friends and family has never been easier, allowing users to watch and view videos directly on the device’s 3.2″ HVGA screen. In addition, the HTC Wildfire S is equipped with a 600 MHz processor and comes with fully customizable home screens, so you can add your favorite applications and widgets for even quicker social media access.

The HTC Wildfire S will be available for $179 plus tax.  Consumers interested in purchasing the HTC Wildfire S can visit theirlocal MetroPCS store or go online to purchase the phone and sign up for service.
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