Chrome to Phone, Google Docs updates

It’s days like these when we know Google has our back. They’re constantly working to make all their services better. Today, the Search Giant has released solid updates to two of their services – Google Docs and Chrome to Phone. These updates include some aesthetic improvements for both phones and tablets, as well as offline availability for your documents.

This new update comes with a rehashed look to the interface. Mostly, the minimalist arrows make it much sharper and more sleek. It might be a bit different for those who don’t have Android 4.0, though. When I tested the update on an HTC Thunderbolt with Gingerbread, the arrows still had the older look.

The guys from Android Central have a much different look, though. And it might be due to the software differences of Ice Cream Sandwich.

The UI is still missing the new unified Ice Cream Sandwich look. It would be great if Google could integrate the same updated look to all of its apps, including this one. Instead of the image on top, it could be a bar with options, the search button and the menu button, much like Google Docs (image below) and many other apps out there.

The update also includes a fix to the crashes when copying text, which is definitely welcome. Also, if you’re a landscape user, you might be happy to know that this feature has been included to Chrome to Phone as well.

Google Docs saw a more exciting update this time around. Many of our tablets are WiFi-only. This means that we find ourselves without an internet connection much of the time, in which case you can’t access or edit documents from Google Docs.

This update adds offline usability to Google Docs. Simply choose which documents you want to be able to access offline, and they become available wherever you might be.

As with all Google Services in Android, this app is meant to be easy to work with. Basically, after you choose a document to be available offline, the app syncs automatically whenever possible. You can make any changes to a document, and the changes will be updated as soon as the tablet hits internet connectivity. (This can also be done manually).

This would be very helpful for tablet users who are constantly working on their documents. Go ahead and work; the changes will be automatically updated when possible, creating a much more unified experience. That’s not the only new feature in this update, though.

There’s also a new feature for tablet users. Now when you open a document (while online) you will see a “high-resolution” version. This has much of a magazine feel. You can swype left and right through the pages, displaying all your hard work.

Keep them coming, Google! If you want to check out these new updates, go ahead and get them straight from the Android Market. We have posted the links below for your convenience. Be sure to let us know what you think.

View the original article here

Read more »

Stanford Students Demo 5 Cool Tricks Using Your NFC Capable Phone &Television (Video)

I bet you didn’t know Stanford had some cool nerds on their roster did you?  Yep, some of the folks over there decided to tinker around using an NFC enabled Android device along with a remote control also housing an NFC chip.  Check out what these guys have managed to come up with:

Display photos in a slide showCollaborative WhiteboardSlide Show PresentationPlay Online PokerStream Netlix Videos

Check out the quick demo below where you can see all of these in action and don’t forget to let us know what you think in the comments below.   I don’t know about you, but I love when nerds get bored.  They always wind up producing something useful for the rest of us  For more information hit up the source link to check out their blog at Stanford.edu

Video Demo

via: Stanford MobiSocial News

» See more articles by Joe Sirianni

Categorized as Android Accessories, Android Applications, Android Customization, Android Development, Android Hacks, Android News, Android Phones

View the original article here

Read more »

Mobile World Congress 2012, aka the quad-core phone show

Mobile World Congress is less than a month away in Barcelona and the anticipation is quickly building for the gadgets that will be announced. We expect to see all kinds of Android devices from tablets to TVs, but the star of the show will be smartphones. And at this year’s show a particular kind of smartphone will take center stage: the quad-core-powered-beast.

Why do you need quad-core performance in a phone? Some people will say that mobile applications aren’t ready to take advantage of all that horsepower, and for the most part they are right. In our recent interview with NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang he explained the situation by saying, “It’s a little bit of the chicken and the egg. If the applications aren’t ready, you have to build a processor that inspires the applications to be ready.”

NVIDIA has already delivered their quad-core Tegra 3 processor to the OEMS and it must have inspired them to build some awesome devices because the number or rumored phones is starting to add up. Read on for the full list of quad-core phones that we should see at Mobile World Congress.

I still can’t believe I’m typing this, but HTC is rumored to power their 2012 flagship phone with a chip from NVIDIA, instead of Qualcomm. This comes as a shock for many since almost all of HTC’s recent phones have been powered by the Snapdragon processor, and Qualcomm has a minority investment in HTC.

This move was first hinted at last year when Stefan Streit, HTC’s VP of Marekting, said there was no exclusive deal with Qualcomm and “Nvidia or TI-powered smartphones and tablets are possible in the future.” Then rumors of the Tegra 3-powered HTC Edge started appearing in November, and it appears the phone is quite real.

Rumored specs of the HTC Edge include:

Quad-core 1.5 GHz Tegra 3 processorAndroid 4.0 with Sense UI 4.04.7-inch display with 720p resolution1 GB RAMBacklit 8 MP camera with 28-millimeter, f/2.2 lensBeats Audio32 GB internal storageHSPA+ 21 Mbps supportBluetooth 4.0Slightly over 10 mm thickThe high-end specs are nice, but I hope HTC has some surprises up their sleeves to show off what this hardware can do. Based on recent leaks, it appears that HTC’s Sense 4.0 UI really hides the beauty of Android 4.0, but we haven’t really seen everything it can do. Given HTC’s good reputation with the developer community, the Edge has a chance to become the most popular Tegra 3 phone.

Fujitsu also surprised a lot of folks at CES when they were the first company to showcase a Tegra 3 phone. Their prototype Arrows phone was kept under the glass, but they had a working unit that was running the game Riptide GP on the big screen. Fujitsu has traditionally targeted the Japanese market with most of their handsets landing on NTT Docomo, but a company representative told me they plan to enter the U.S. market this year.

Highlights of the device include:

Quad-core 1.2GHz NVIDIA Tegra 3 processorAndroid 4.04.6? 1280 X 720 TFT-LCD13.1-megapixel camera capable of ISO 25,600 sensitivity1 GB RAM (prototype had 4 GB RAM)LTE supportWaterproof and dustproofLook for Fujitsu to unveil a slightly redesigned Arrows smartphone at MWC. We expect they could ditch the hardware buttons and go with software buttons we have seen on other Android 4.0 phones.

LG was the first company with a Tegra 2 phone, so we expected them to deliver another device based on the latest Tegra offering. Earlier this month, Evan Blass of PocketNow posted the first report of the LG X3, which he said is likely to debut at MWC.

Highlights of the device include:

Quad-core Tegra processorAndroid 4.04.7-inch 1280×720 display8 megapixel rear camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera16GB of expandable storageBluetooth 4.0, NFC, WiFi 802.11b/g/nHSPA+ 21 Mbps support2,000mAh batteryUnder 9mm thin

Everyone else is showing their Tegra 3 phone next month, so we expect LG to join the party.

Huawei impressed us at CES with their Ascend P1 LTE phone, but the company says they have a new Diamond Series coming at MWC that will be their “smartest, fastest and most high-performing smartphone.” The Ascend P1 LTE was using the new dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4, so we expect the Diamond Series could feature Tegra 3. Not much else is known about the Diamond Series, so hopefully we learn more at MWC.

Asus has announced they will unveil a newly redesigned Padfone at Mobile World Congress. Protoype units show at CES were running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor, but there have been conflicting reports that the final design could feature Tegra 3 instead. Asus produced the first quad-core tablet with their Transformer Prime, so it’s possible they could use the same processor in this flagship phone.

The Padfone is sure to impress with its innovative tablet dock that brings the smartphone’s content to a larger display. The tablet dock is also said to work with the ASUS keyboard docking station from their Transformer tablets, so this could be one of the most interesting products we see at MWC.

In addition to all the leaked quad-core phones, we might see a few surprises. Samsung will not be showing their Galaxy S III phone at MWC, but they will be showing several exciting new mobile products that could include some quad-core devices. These products could be powered by Samsung’s own quad-core Exynos 4412 processor or Samsung could use NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 again (like they did with the Galaxy Tab 10.1).

Motorola appears to be firmly aligned with Texas Instruments processors, but they have a history of dual-sourcing their parts. We saw Motorola use Tegra 2 for their Xoom tablet and Atrix smartphone, so it’s always possible they could surprise us with a Tegra 3 device. My gut tells me they will debut a couple products powered by the new dual-core 1.8 GHz OMAP4470, but anything is possible.

Finally, we could see a special appearance by the Meizu MX quad-core phone. Their dual-core model was powered by the Exynos 4210 and their quad-core model is rumored to use the Exynos 4412, but that chip is not official yet so anything is game.

NVIDIA will steal the show at Mobile World Congress when it comes to mobile quad-core processors, but they won’t be the only game in town. Qualcomm will make a strong showing with their dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4, Texas Instruments will impress with their dual-core 1.8 GHz OMAP4470, and Samsung could reveal their dual-core 2.0 GHz Exynos 5250.

Even though Qualcomm, TI, and Samsung may have chips that offer faster performance, it looks like the average consumer already assumes that quad-core is better than dual-core. I believe most of these chips will offer performance numbers in the same ball park, and the average consumer doesn’t care who wins the different benchmark scores. It will come down to which OEM can best take advantage of the hardware they choose and who can deliver new user experiences that will excite the customer.

My prediction? With Samsung holding their Galaxy S III for a separate event later in the year, HTC comes away with the best smartphone of MWC 2012.

View the original article here

Read more »

HTC’s thinnest Android phone captured on video

Want to catch a glimpse of HTC’s thinnest Android smartphone ahead of Mobile World Congress? A YouTube video just appeared online which reveals the HTC Ville, a device that is rumored to feature a metal unibody design under 8mm thick.

Additional details that have been leaked so far include Android 4.0, Sense 4.0, 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 8 MP rear camera, VGA front camera, HSPA+, Bluetooh 4.0, and a 1,650 mAh battery.

The dual-core Snapdragon S4 will feature Qualcomm’s new Krait CPU core that offers a 60% performance increase compared to the existing Scorpion micro-architecture found in the Snapdragon S1, S2, and S3. A new Adreno 225 GPU will also provide 50% faster graphics performance.

In the video we can see the performance lags quite a bit, but this is pre-production software. Hopefully HTC can achieve the same smooth performance that we have seen on the Transformer Prime.

HTC is scheduled to hold their MWC press conference on February 26th at 8:30 PM (Barcelona Time) and we will be on-site to check out whatever they announce. Be on the lookout for more details over the coming weeks.

Update: The video has been pulled at the request of HTC. We saved a copy, but don’t want to piss off HTC by re-uploading it. A screen capture can be seen below.

View the original article here

Read more »

Best Buy Set To Release Galaxy Note Phone February 14th, $249.99 Pricing For Telus And Bell Versions

Canadians are rejoicing today because they are set to receive the awesome Samsung Galaxy Note next month. Best Buy Canada has just confirmed it will unleash the phone to the masses February 14th for a cool $249.99 on a 3-year contract. Considering AT&T is set to release the phone around February 19th in the States, Best Buy’s release date looks to be accurate. Best Buy lists the device will operate with mobile carriers Rogers, Telus and Bell, though pricing information is mysteriously absent for the Rogers version of the phone. No word yet on off-contract pricing, but you can expect it will be around or over the $600 mark. If you’re in Canada and you fancy a Galaxy Note, head on over to your local Best Buy store and pre-order that bad boy today.

source: Mobile Syrup
via: Best Buy

» See more articles by Roy Alugbue

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones, Android Retailers

View the original article here

Read more »

Does RIM Have What It Takes To Catch Up To Android, iOS and Windows Phone?

As many know by now, the mighty duo of CEO’s at RIM, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis have stepped down only to promote one from within.  Taking over as single and only CEO of Research in Motion is Thorsten Heins, a four year COO who worked closely under Jim and Mike.  In recent news, he’s been given the cold stare thanks to making such statements as “I don’t think there is some drastic change needed,” and  “We are evolving. We’re evolving our strategy, we’re evolving our tactics, our processes.”  As one standing from the outside looking in, I’d argue in favor of a drastic change, personally.  But hey, RIM’s the competition so I’m not pressing the issue.  However, the question does arise, should Google’s Android be afraid?  As much as I would love to shout from the roof top “hell no!“, I”ll try to keep it professional here.  

With RIM falling drastically behind every quarter, Android, iOS and Windows Phone pretty much occupy the top three OS’s of choice when thinking of purchasing a smartphone in the US, it’s very likely there’s no room for a fourth.  RIM would have to seriously step up its game if they want to penetrate the top three and make a serious come back in the market.  And the only way they are seriously going to do that is with a major wow factor.  And by “wow factor” I mean both in the software and the hardware department  There’s simply too much talk going on and as much as Blackberry fan-boys want to defend the new CEO, it doesn’t look like he’s on-board with any kind of “change”.  So, should Android be worried?  While BB10 or BBX (QNX) does look promising as well as some of the hardware floating around like the Blackberry London, it’s hard to say.  However, the newly anointed CEO states that he wants to focus more on current Blackberry owners and how to get them upgraded in a timely manner rather than focusing on a new innovative product.  On the one hand you want to think that the combo of hardware and software appears to be promising but on the other, even if they were to release such a device like this tomorrow, specs under the hood would be an entirely new post altogether.  RIM is notorious for releasing yesteryear’s specs and in my opinion Android and iOS are in no immediate danger, not by a long shot.  The company has barely introduced 1GHz CPU’s while most new Android devices will be launching quad-core processors.  However, everyone knows competition is good and more is usually always better.  So, on behalf of the Android community, I’d say to Thorsten and RIM, get it together if you want to play with the big dogs.  You’ll have to do better than devices like the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Note and Droid Razr Maxx if you want to stay relevant in the industry.  And who knows, there’s speculation that maybe Microsoft will buy them out, increasing their market share instantly while simultaneously benefiting the Enterprise industry.  It’s either that or quietly die.   Only time will tell if Heins’ new road map for RIM will keep them in the game.  We’ll see what the company can produce at MWC.  Stay tuned as we follow our competition closely and feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

» See more articles by Joe Sirianni

Categorized as Android News, Android Rants, Unique

View the original article here

Read more »

Google opens registration page for first 4G LTE phone on Sprint

If you are in the market for a new Sprint smartphone, then you might want to head over to Google’s site and register to receive more information about their Galaxy Nexus, the first 4G LTE phone on the Now Network. No release date has been provided, but Sprint’s 4G LTE network is expected to be up and running in select market by the first half of this year.

After you register with Google, be sure to head over to Sprint’s site and sign up too if you want to be notified when more information is available.

Sprint previously announced that Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to be among the first markets to benefit from 4G LTE and improved 3G coverage.

“Within the first half of 2012, Sprint customers should experience first-hand the wide-reaching improvements we have made in terms of boosting voice and data quality,” said Bob Azzi, senior vice president – Network, Sprint. “With advanced smartphones and sophisticated wireless modems, our customers are using more and more mobile data, and one of our top priorities is to provide the best technology possible to improve our customers’ experience.”

Previously leaked ads suggest that the Sprint version of the Galaxy Nexus could ship with slightly altered specifications. An online ad listed the Sprint Galaxy Nexus as featuring a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor (instead of 1.2 GHz), but keep in mind that could have been a mistake. Sprint also had the Galaxy Nexus on display at CES but didn’t show the back of the device, so it could have an upgraded camera or larger battery.

We also know the Sprint Galaxy Nexus will include 32 GB of internal storage and feature support for Google Wallet, something Verizon’s version lacked.

I’ve been using the Verizon Galaxy Nexus since it launched in December and it’s easily the best Android phone I have ever owned. I love the coverage and speeds of Verizon’s 4G LTE network, but I do have to keep an eye on my data consumption since my plan only has 4 GBs. I found battery life was acceptable with the included 1850 mAh battery, but I opted for the 2200 mAh extended battery since it didn’t add any bulk to the phone (and Verizon had it on sale for $25 with free shipping).

Hopefully Sprint will continue to offer their truly unlimited plans, so their Galaxy Nexus customers can enjoy their smartphones without having to monitor data usage.

View the original article here

Read more »

O2 UK security hole sends customer phone numbers to websites

If you’re an 02 UK subscriber you might want to read this. Apparently when on the O2 UK network, and you’re browsing the web, your phone number might be exposed to all visited websites. O2 customer Lewis Peckover discovered that his phone number was included in the HTTP headers sent to each website he visited when connected to 3G over O2.

What are HTTP headers? It’s information exchanged between the browser and the web server before the page is loaded. You’re phone number would be included alongside information like your IP address and OS. On the bright side, the header used to send phone numbers is “x-up-calling-line-id” which isn’t normally logged by web servers, but malicious servers could have access to it easily.

This doesn’t have anything to do with Android in general, but this does affect Android users on the O2 network. I’m pretty sure this isn’t something O2 intended, and they did say they are “investigating” the issue. Hopefully it will be resolved quickly without any damage. For now, you can head over to Lewis Peckover’s site to find out if you’re affected. Just click the source link below and see if you spot your phone number among the HTTP headers. Make sure you’re not connected to WiFi, you must be on the O2 network. We’re told that not everyone is affected, but the majority are.

source: lew.io
via: androidcentral

» See more articles by Robert Nazarian

Categorized as Android Carriers, Android Security

View the original article here

Read more »

Video: Can The Droid RAZR Maxx be the phone to last 24 hours on a single charge?

We have seen it and touched it at CES. The Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx is just another RAZR, albeit with a larger battery, and a bit of a thicker body. But Motorola is hitting a rather large market with this improved RAZR. Pretty much all of us complain about battery life, and we ask for at least a full day of heavy use. Could the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx be the first to give us this privilege?

Motorola has released a new advertising video for the Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx, boasting it as the “all day and all night” 4G LTE smartphone. In the video, multiple frustrated smartphone users express their bad experiences with short battery life. They are shown the Droid RAZR Maxx, which causes great awe (as usual, with commercials).

Is this really the device to take us through a whole day of use, though? Motorola is boasting that it can, and last week Engadget got word of a rumored event that is meant to last for 24 hours. This event, rumored for February 6th, is meant to put the Droid RAZR Maxx to the test, so we assume Motorola believes (or knows) that this smartphone can go for a full day (literally) on a single charge.

To see if this is possible, we have to take a look at the Original Droid RAZR’s performance, as well as the battery differences. Users will sacrifice thinness for juice, when purchasing a Droid RAZR Maxx. It really does not make a huge difference, though. The thicker device measures 8.99 mm, just a bit under 2 mm more than the original Droid RAZR. And the battery? Well that bad boy is a 3,300 mAh monster, with much more power than the OG RAZR’s 1,780 mAh battery.

Our very own Anthony Domanico wrote a review of the Motorola Droid RAZR. According to his experience, the device lasts from 6-8 hours under default settings. But once he started using Motorola’s Smart Actions, he managed to still have 30% of his juice after a 14-hour day. And yes, this included continuous 4G LTE usage.

This means the device went down about 5% per hour. If we do the math, this means that the device would probably be able to reach 20 hours. But even if we pretend Anthony is not using the device enough, Motorola should be able to break the 24-hour threshold.

Let’s say we can make the Droid RAZR last 16 hours on a fully charged 1,780 mAh battery. The Droid RAZR Maxx’s 3,300 mAh battery is about 85% bigger. This means that (theoretically) it should last just a bit over 12 extra hours, adding up to a full 26 hours of glory. And let’s not forget that we would be sleeping for about 8 hours (on average). In which case, the phone would be on standby, lasting even longer.

If you ask us, it is definitely possible that this device will be able to go a full day (even perhaps slightly over 24 hours), under moderate circumstances. Use Smart Actions and turn off features when not needed, and you should do as great as Anthony did. There are many factors that can interfere, as always. So let’s just wait and hold judgement until we can get our hands on this bad boy and test out its battery life.

In the meanwhile, check out Motorola’s video, and sound off in the comments. Do you guys think Motorola can give you a full day of battery life with this smartphone? Would you get it if it does?

View the original article here

Read more »

Burn the Rope – a Fiery & Addictive game that will Twist your phone

Posted Monday, January 23rd, 2012 at 8:50 am by Paul Wilks Comments

Burn the Rope is accelerometer-controlled physics game with a fiery twist. Use your tilt controls to ensure the fire removes all the rope. Very tricky, but featuring tons of levels and a variety of obstacles, Burn the Rope is the best puzzle-based pyromania you can get on the Android Market!

Price: Free, ~$3.03

Tested on: HTC Desire HD
Content Rating: Low Maturity

Pros

Insane number off levels (170+)!Cool graphics!Funky soundtrack!Addictive and easy to play!

Cons

Might not be engaging enough for some.

Burn the Rope challenges gamers to burn as much of the rope on each level as possible. Bearing in mind that the rope only burns upwards, you need to move your device around to ensure this happens. Additional controls involve you pressing the screen to increase the burn speed. It’s incredibly simple to pick-up-and-play but very tough to master.

You have at least 170 levels of this fiery goodness to work through and levels get progressively more challenging as you move forward. Bugs are introduced early on and these change the color of the flames and influence gameplay. For example, some colored flames need to burn the same colored ropes for you to pass the level. It’s a slightly bizarre concept, but it works really well and features often very challenging gameplay which is ideal for puzzle fans.

Burn the Rope is available on the Market in a few different flavours. You have the game specifically reviewed here, which is the Papaya mobile enabled version. This is free, and goes somewhat overboard on the ads but free, you can buy extra flames via in-game purchases. Additionally with this version you can share your scores via the Papaya Mobile network. There is also Burn the Rope Worlds which provides about 100 or more new levels. Furthermore, there is Burn the Rope+ which is a paid-for version, without any ads and some 180 levels to work through! Plenty of rope to burn then and more than enough for even the most blazing pyromaniac!

Watch on Mobile

Burn the Rope is undoubtedly lots of fun. Working out the best path for the flames is the first element to this, and manoeuvring your device accurately to accommodate this is secondary.  There is additionally something quite cool and mesmeric about changing the flame color by frying a certain colored bug.

The game is as addictive as it is flammable! It’s simple to play, has more levels than you can throw a burning rope at, has awesome music and brilliant graphics. If you allow, it could consume you.

Graphics are cartoony but fresh and lively. Screens are very smooth and this makes it fun to play.

The music in Burn the Rope is very cool. A kind of broken down funk music with the repeated line of ‘Burn the rope!’ very cool, very catchy… you’ll be humming it (or even singing it in your head) long after you’ve put the game down! I’ll note there is an audio loop glitch you hear from time to time, which should be corrected.

Updating...

View the original article here

Read more »

Archos Smart Home Phone Lands Across The Pond

Is your land-line phone dull and drab? Do you ever find yourself wanting to check your e-mail, but don’t want to get up and turn on the computer, or your smartphone isn’t near you? Well Archos has finally answered your prayers. The new Archos 3-5 Smart Home Phone now gives you all the smartphone goodness on your home land-line. It’s an Android smart-home-phone, running  2.2. We told you about this back in late June. If you forgot or are new to Talk Android (We love newbies!!!), check it out here.

The phone offers web, email, contacts, social networks, multimedia applications, and thousands of applications from AppsLib. Oh and it does all the same things as a regular home phone; hands-free, intercom, caller id, and unlimited phone book. Check out the source for all the specs of this beauty. Let us know what you think of this phone in the comments section. Will you be picking one up?

Source Archos

Archos PDF Page for Specs

» See more articles by Spencer McClendon

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones

View the original article here

Read more »

Prada Phone by LG – Tech meets Fashion

For several years now a partnership between LG Electronics and Prada the fashion label has existed, and will continue to operate into 2012 with the duo intending to release a Prada smartphone next year. The concept picture below will give a bit of a closer look on what the phone will look like. However as to the actual specs of the phone, there are yet to be any released and we may have to wait until closer to the release date of the device before we get a heads up to what makes this little puppy run. Stay tuned for more information in the future.

View the original article here

Read more »