Author: Roy Alugbue

A new variation of one of the world’s most popular web browsers is now ready for the limelight as Opera’s Webkit-based Opera 14 has officially hit the Play Store. The new build will not only bring a speedier version of the browser— it brings the ability to wrap text while zooming and the ability to view active tabs in full screen. The great thing is while there are some significant additions to the browser, the web browser still brings the simplicity and familiarity that we’ve all grown accustomed to loving. Of course there are a couple of other goodies that users may like, but you’ll have to hit the Play Store and check it out for yourself.

Play Store download link

Come comment on this article: Webkit-powered Opera browser now available in the Play Store

As if seeing yesterday’s leaked photo wasn’t enough, we now have video of the Galaxy S 4 Active for your viewing pleasure. The video was captured by an unidentified individual and clearly highlights what we have come to know about the device. As previously described, you can see the device’s red/black sporty profile complimented by the appealing 1080p display and an 8MP camera. Something to note is the fact that the video describes the inclusion of a dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus chip inside, though previous indications showed that the device would get a quad-core Snapdragon chip instead— so we’ll need to wait and see what exact chip will be included in the device… which shouldn’t be too much longer now.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks Josh!

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active outed yet again… this time shows its stuff on video

In an effort to keep its devices up-to-date and current, it appears that T-Mobile has a few new bad boys the way for its customers. First off the bat, the gang at TmoNews got some information on the imminent Galaxy S III LTE variant that is on the way. According to the leak, T-Mo plans on updating its Galaxy S III supplies with the LTE variant and plans on unveiling the device to its customers on June 5th. Of course we new that this special version of the device was in the works for some time now, but hey— the release is better late than never, right? 

The news doesn’t stop there as T-Mobile is set to introduce yet another Sammy mid-ranger called the Galaxy Exhibit to its smartphone lineup. TmoNews shares that the device will feature a dual-core 1GHz chip, Android 4.1 and “4G” speeds running the show. The device (also known as the SGH-T599) will be unleashed on May 29th to the general public, though there’s no word yet on how much it’ll cost.

source: TmoNews

Come comment on this article: T-Mobile set to introduce the Galaxy S III LTE n June 5th, Galaxy Exhibit smartphone on May 29th

We have certainly heard about the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active before, but we finally have a concrete idea of what to expect upon its imminent release in the immediate future. The design will not exactly be similar to the Galaxy S 4 smartphone, as it will feature an appealing and sporty red and black profile, as well as hard buttons below the display (sigh). Additionally, the device will feature a Snapdragon 600 1.9GHz quad-core processor + Adreno 320 GPU and a 5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display.

Unfortunately, there are still no other details regarding the device’s specs, nor are there concrete dates on when the device will be released (though we suspect it will be sometime in July), but here’s hoping we see something revealed sooner than later.

source: GSM Arena

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active outed for your viewing pleasure

Despite it aging at a fast rate (in Android years at least), the Galaxy S III smartphone is still one hell of a smartphone. So that’s why Samsung has been hard at work ensuring its most successful device to date will continue to receive prompt updates in order to keep things current. With that in mind— a leaked Android 4.2.2 firmware has surfaced for the unlocked variant of the device, courtesy of the fine folks at SamMobile. As expected, the leaked firmware is based off an incomplete version of the imminent update— but fortunately it appears that Samsung is pretty much done ironing out the bugs and should have the finished Android 4.2.2 build by the time June rolls around. Aside from the fact it is an incomplete version, the update does bring a ton of new goodies for the device including a new lockscreen, new S Voice, Driving Mode and a revamped Settings UI, among other things.

If you are a GT-I9300 owner and want more deets on the mouthwatering firmware, hit the break to grab the download link, as well as full instructions on how to flash the update to your device. 

Android 4.2.2 flashing instructions:

•  Unzip the file
• Open Odin 3.04 (already included in the firmware package)
• Restart phone in download mode (Press and hold Home + Power + Volume down buttons)
• Connect phone and wait until you get a blue sign in Odin
• Add I9300XXUFME3_I9300OJKFME1_HOME.tar.md5 to PDA
• Make sure re-partition is NOT ticked
• Start flash, sit back and wait a few minutes.
• If you encounter any issues with the firmware (Any FC, Bootloop etc)
• Boot into recovery mode (Home+power+vol up)
• Choose to wipe/factory reset. (THIS WILL ERASE ALL OF YOUR DATA INCLUDING YOUR INTERNAL SD CARD!)
• Then choose reboot and you should be good to go!

Android 4.2.2 firmware

source: SamMobile 

Come comment on this article: Unlocked Samsung Galaxy S III gets a taste of Android 4.2.2, thanks to leaked firmware

Those of you who were giddy and/or impatient at waiting for the original May 20th pre-order date are probably going to start salivating at this tidbit of news: NVIDIA formally announced it will start taking SHIELD pre-orders from today. The reasoning for pushing up the pre-order is quite simple really as there has been an insane amount of buzz and hype not just from potential customers, but developers as well. That means some of you fanatics out there won’t need to wait any longer to shell out $349 for the Tegra 4-based beast from Newegg, Gamestop and Canada Computers.

Now enough with the chit chatter— prospective customers can hit the source links below to pre-order the device today.

source: NVIDIA | New Egg | Gamestop | Canada Computers

Come comment on this article: NVIDIA to begin accepting SHIELD handheld gaming device pre-orders from today

Just because the HTC One X is so last year doesn’t mean it’s not going to be treated to some welcome updates, possibly in the near-future. According famed developer LlabTooFeR, HTC is currently working on an extensive update that should not only bring Android 4.2.2, but will update the Sense UI software to version 5.0. Additionally, the new Sense UI update will bring the premium goodies that are Zoe and Blinkfeed as well, which brings enhanced camera capabilities and a brand-spanking new social feed to the device.

Of course everything needs to be confirmed by HTC above anything else, but here’s hoping we see something soon… very soon.

source: @LlabTooFeR

Come comment on this article: HTC One X rumored to get Sense 5.0 in new incoming update, brings Zoe and Blinkfeed along for the ride

Considering Google has had a history of well… questionable privacy guidelines for its products and services, Congress is taking some preliminary measures to ensure the Glass headset will adhere to some privacy safeguards we’ve all come to love. As reported by the Wall Street Journal,  8 members of Congress wrote a letter directly to Larry Page insisting on a discussion of the privacy implications of not just the Glass headset, but the technology that comes along with it. The biggest concern? The letter specifically highlights “privacy implications”, while highlighting the “facial recognition technology” that could potentially provide the personal information of any one single individual the Glass camera is pointed at.

As it stands, Google has declined any comments on the letter as of now— but we suspect it won’t be long before it provides a formal response indicating the Glass headset will more than certainly be compliant with our strict privacy standards. You can check out the letter for yourself at the source link below.

source: Wall Street Journal Blog

Come comment on this article: Congress wants to know a little more about Google Glass privacy guidelines, sends a friendly letter to Larry Page in the process

Google officially announced via Twitter that its Wallet service is now available for the Sprint variations of the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One smartphones, as well as the Sprint and U.S. Cellular variations of the Galaxy Note II smartphone as well. This means that all owners of those phones will need to do is simply visit the Play Store and grab the latest update in order to get in on the awesome payment action. Naturally, it would be nice for more devices to take advantage of the great service, but at least Sprint as usual, is ensuring its customers can take advantage of the awesome service.

Hit the link below to grab the latest update.

Play Store download link

Come comment on this article: Google Wallet arrives for additional Sprint and U.S. Cellular smartphones

Samsung’s Galaxy S 4 smartphone is certainly comes with all of the bells and whistles out there for power users, but it is now environmentally-friendly thanks to its recent TCO certification— a first for any smartphone. In case you’re not familiar, TCO Development is an group that prides itself on identifying products that are environmentally-friendly, economically viable and socially responsible manufacturing. The construction of the Galaxy S 4 is confirmed to not only be a reliable device, but it is also free of harmful metals like nickel, which can allow the phone to be recycled safely at a future date:

“In the social category, Samsung demonstrated that it is committed to socially responsible manufacturing and is compliant with International Labour Organization and United Nation conventions. In the environmental category, it was found that the GALAXY S4 was free from many hazardous materials such as nickel, beryllium, and mercury which, if present, would have severely restricted its potential to be recycled at the end its lifecycle. In terms of economic viability, the power efficiency of the charger was praised, as was the smartphone’s industrial design which boosts reliability”. 

Congrats to Sammy on this major milestone!

source: Android Central

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy S 4 is the world’s first smartphone to recieve coveted TCO certification

One of the major pieces of awesomeness at Google I/O was the introduction of the revamped Search function. Right off the bat, the new Search function for you Google Now users includes not only new cards, but also the ability to set reminders or see real-time public transportation updates. So whenever you want that reminder to “take out the trash before 7am” or want to see continuous updates for the A train at New York’s Penn Station (or other select cities), then Google certainly has you covered. Voice Search users aren’t left in the dust either, as Google has gone ahead and implemented some extra functionality to the nifty tool— so users can ask more questions such as “what time it is my flight leaves Thursday” or something of that nature.

The update is already live in the Play Store now, so be sure to grab it by clicking on the Play Store link below.

Play Store download link

Come comment on this article: Google Search gets expanded functionality for users, brings new cards and improved Voice Search abilities

There’s no doubt that Google Play has seen some extensive improvements, but Google I/O is highlighting some of the cool functionality that users will see using the service moving forward. One of the great things that Google does for its users is learn about its users, so the Play Store can now give personalized recommendations of games, music, movies and whatever else may be good for users. Additionally, Google has implemented a new strategy for its ever-growing tablet users by showcasing a brand-spanking new “Designed for Tablets” section— ensuring the various tablet apps out there will operate at a smooth level. Oh and for you music lovers out there— Google Play Music All Access is Google’s first subscription-based music service, which allows listeners to enjoy the huge library of songs Google has— complete with the ability to customize your music as you choose— all for $9.99/month. “Radio without rules” is the motto of the All Access service, which means that we may have yet another means to enjoy our awesome music.

Look for the new improvements to start rolling out over the coming weeks.

Come comment on this article: Google I/O 2013 Keynote: Play Store will bring more Play Store personalized recommendation, apps that will be “Designed for Tablets” and new All Access music subscription service

The Google I/O Keynote is here and we have some fun stats for you. Not only has Android grown as the OS of choice for mobile users, but the platform has grown at an extraordinary pace. Activations have gone from 200 million activations in 2011 to a stunning 900 million activations as of today. While there are 7 billion people on the planet, the fact that Android accounts for nearly 1/7th of the world’s population is a impressive feat. Complimenting the number of activations is the stunning tally of 48 billion app installs, with an eye-popping 2.5 billion app installs in the last few months alone. Yes friends—- the Android platform is not just kicking some ass— but it’s here to stay.

Come comment on this article: Google I/O 2013 Keynote: Android activations account for nearly 1/7th of the world’s population with 900 million total activations

A quiet software update has surfaced for you Sony Xperia Z smartphone owners out there. The firmware update keeps the Android software version at 4.1.2, but brings the device to version firmware number 10.1.1.A.1.253 and brings performance tweaks, along with the display calibration tool, new software key and navigational bar colors going from grey to black and the ability to disable the pesky notification light. For now, it’s looking like devices in the French markets are getting the update first, but devices in other markets should follow sooner than later.

source: Xperia Blog
via: Phone Arena

Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia Z smartphone receives minor software update

We certainly have an idea of the awesome potential the Google Glass headset can offer— but most of the tech world hasn’t gotten the opportunity to see some of the practical abilities the device can bring, until now. Among the noteworthy things that can be done are utilizing the Maps app and viewing/replying to emails, all while biking through windy roads; using the device’s built-in camera to scan all sorts of information and heck— even hailing a cab if necessary.

I mean sure some of the more practical uses won’t be as life-changing as others, but it’s looking like Google Glass will be more than just a gimmick for the general consumer. You can check out the video for yourself below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Come comment on this article: New concept video surfaces, showcases how awesome, yet practical the head can truly be

(Photo credit TechCrunch)

It’s been a long time coming, but the moment is finally here folks— Blackberry Messenger is officially on the way to Android devices! Announced at the Blackberry Live 2013 event, Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins confirmed “the BB10 platform is so strong and the response has been so good that the time is right for BBM to become an independent mobile messaging platform“. As a result, the mobile giant will make BBM as a cross-platform messaging app that will be available for Android (and iOS-based) devices. Huzzah!

So now that one of the most popular and successful messaging apps is now available, it’s now just a matter of time before we see BBM hit the Play Store and on devices everywhere.

Come comment on this article: Blackberry Messenger officially coming to Android devices this summer!

It’s been a while since NVIDIA announced its game-changing Project SHIELD handheld gaming system, but the wait is finally over gang as NVIDIA is finally taking pre-orders will begin as early as next week, May 20th. In case you’ve forgotten about this puppy— the Jelly Bean-powered handheld gaming system features a boatload of sweet features including the killer Tegra 4 chip + 2 gigs of RAM, a 5-inch 720p retinal multi-touch display, custom bass reflex tuned port audio system and a full-fledged control pad.

Oh and for those of you that want to stream the sweet gaming content to a larger display, SHIELD will also give you the power to wirelessly access your NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPU-powered computer from the comfort of your couch with GeForce game streaming– while NVIDIA promises to bring PC streaming to SHIELD devices at a later date. Speaking of games, it’s looking like there will certainly be a nice lineup of titles for gamers to choose from once SHIELD is finally available. Among the games that will be headed to TegraZone are Broken Age, Costume Quest, Flyhunter: Origins, Skiing Fred and Chuck’s Challenge. Naturally, there will be more titles released as time moves forward and all that good stuff.

And now for the important deets— pricing and availability. As mentioned earlier, the device will be available for pre-order from Newegg, Gamestop, Micro Center and Canada Computers on May 20th, while devices will ship around sometime in June. Additionally, SHIELD will cost $349, so it won’t break the bank too much.

Come comment on this article: NVIDIA announces SHIELD pre-orders will begin May 20th and will have a cost of $349

There’s no doubt the Google Glass headset is one unique and potentially revolutionary device, but it appears it’s about to get something really special— facial recognition technology thanks to an app called MedRef. Using special facial recognition software, MedRef allows hospital employees to easily access patient records and can actually allow medical workers to keep a log of their patient with all sorts of info and notes to help make things easier. The app works in a simple and straightforward way really— it simply takes advantage of Google Glass timeline cards that are managed through voice commands, giving medical employees to do things like ”Set Patient” or “Add Note”. Here are some thoughts by programmer Lance Nanek and his team on the significance of the app:

“Some people I talked to said hospitals are full of very busy people, often with their hands full, working with a lot of information. “So Google Glass making it wearable is especially looked forward to there… Hopefully in the future, we’ll have super advanced versions of this hardware that’ll be doing this constantly”.

Well said Lance. Well said.

source: PC Mag

awdf

Come comment on this article: MedRef aims to help the medical field better, oh and it brings facial recognition to Google Glass in the process

We know how painful the wait for the Galaxy S 4′s launch is for you Verizon customers out there, but it’s looking like you customers out there won’t need to wait too much longer to grab one of those puppies after all. The nation’s largest wireless carrier has confirmed by tweet that it is moving the official launch up one week to May 23rd— next Thursday. This means that those of you will finally have a chance to pay $199.99 for the 16GB version and sell your soul to Verizon for the next two years… or you could just suck it up and pay $649.99 and grab the flagship device outright. Either way, we’re sure that prospective customers must be more than happy at this exciting news.

source: @Verizon

Come comment on this article: Verizon Galaxy S 4 to launch in stores on May 23rd

As part of its plan make to a major splash for 2013, Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi is rumored to quietly working on a special smartphone called the Red Rice behind the scenes— a device that could potentially redefine the budget category as we know it. According to tech site IT168, the smartphone is expected to operate on Xiaomi’s custom MIUI OS and feature a dual-core processor, a 4.7-inch 720p display, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP camera, 8 gigs of storage and a 2,000mAh battery. Additionally, the device will be dual-SIM compatible and also have support for traditional GSM and TD-SCDMA technologies for Chinese customers out there looking for a traditional 3G or higher-speed technology. All of those specs add up to a shocking price— 799 yuan or roughly $130— meaning that customers in China will have a solid device that could be head and shoulders above other budget-line devices at that price range.

Of course nothing is confirmed just yet, but all indications are pointing out to the MIUI v5-based Red Rice seeing an October release— meaning that customers will have a lot to look forward to right before the holidays.

source: IT168
via: Android Authority

Come comment on this article: Xiaomi’s Red Rice smartphone aims to redefine budget smartphones, brings a dual-core chip, 720p display and MIUI for $130