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Feb

7

2012

EA Bringing Sims FreePlay To Android

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by Chris Stewart
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Fresh from the release of Dead Space, the good folks over at EA are bringing another premium title to the Android Market. The one time iOS exclusive is expected to arrive on the market before the end of the month.  You may wonder what the difference is between this latest version and the currently available Sims 3.  The clue is in the title. Despite being a fully loaded version of the game, it’s free to download and play.

Can’t wait to start spending your Simoleon whilst on the move? Keep tuned in to TalkAndroid and we’ll be sure to let you know as soon as the game hits the market.

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Categorized as Android Applications, Android Gaming, Android News | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

Huawei Announces March Release of Ascend P1 S in China

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by Emily Aquin
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The super skinny Huawei Ascend P1 S will be available in mainland China at the end of March, according to website Tech.Sina.  The phone will most likely appear in Europe next, and hopefully on a US carrier in the near future.

We at Talk Android were mightily impressed when we previewed the Ascend P1 S at CES 2012.  The world’s thinnest smartphone packs a ton into its casing, including a 1.5Ghz dual-core OMAP 4460 processor, 4.3 inch Super AMOLED screen, 1GB of RAM and an 8MP rear camera.  It should be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.  All that, and it’s only 6.68mm thick.

Huawei has vowed to best their already incredible Ascend P1 S handset with the “Diamond Series“.  We’re having a hard time imagining what Huawei is planning, but we’ll let you know the minute we hear!

Source: Tech.Sina
Via: Android Community

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

T-Mobile celebrates Valentine’s Day with FREE smartphones and tablets

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by Robert Nazarian
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Mark February 11 on your calendars because T-Mobile is going to have one of those really big sales. This time they are celebrating Valentine’s Day just in case you need to get that special someone a really nice Android phone or tablet. Of course there’s nothing stopping you from taking advantage of this promo for yourself. Notice how I said “get” instead of “buy” because this sale is all about FREE.

T-Mobile is giving you the chance to pickup their latest 4G smartphones and select tablets for free. There is one minor catch, and that it’s free after rebate. You will of course need to sign up with a new 2-year contract with either the Value or Classic plan, and both new and existing customers are eligible. So if you’re in the market for the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S II, The HTC Amaze 4G, or the Huawei Springboard, this Saturday is the day to grab one.

Full press release after the break:

» Read the rest

Categorized as Android Carriers, Android News, Android Phones, Android Tablets | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

New, Evolved Android Malware Shows That Google’s Bouncer Service Can Possibly Be Sidestepped

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by Jack Holt
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Google’s new bouncer-service that was announced last week is supposed to have dropped the number of malware apps in the Android Market by about 40% already. While that is a great number the Bouncer service isn’t perfect and it probably is the beginning to one of many back and forth battles between the Search Giant and malicious hackers in the making.

However, it appears that hackers may have already found a work around to this service. According to North Carolina State University professor Xuxian Jiang, he and his team have discovered a new malware variant that pulls off a pretty sneaky maneuver. The malware contains no malicious code when it’s first installed on a device. By doing this it evades scans or permission requests that could pick up on its intentions in the first place. Here’s the trick. After it’s downloaded the app is then able to download new code from a remote server and it can hide this in the data transfer from the phone’s communications.   » Read the rest

Categorized as Android Applications, Android Hacks, Android News, Android Phones, Android SDK, Android Security, Android Software, Android Tablets | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

DROID Bionic Software Update 5.9.902 Details have Emerged

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by Emily Aquin
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Verizon has officially announced the 5.9.902 update for the Motorola DROID Bionic.  There have been rumors for a few weeks on just what Verizon had up its sleeve for the Motorola handset.  There is some good stuff packed into this update, including more stability.  The black screen lockups, camera lockups, idle resets and multimedia dock lockups should be a thing of the past.  The update will add Amazon MP3 and the VCAST App Store.  Also on the list of improvements are data, HDMI and Bluetooth connectivity.  The battery life should also be enhanced.  Unfortunately, this update won’t be bringing Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich to the Bionic.   We’ll let you know here at Talk Android when that update happens.

The update is 57.6MB in size, and is available if you’re part of the Motorola Feedback Network and have registered your DROID.  If not, you should see the update go OTA in the next few weeks.

Source: Verizon

 

 

 

Categorized as Android Phones, Android Updates | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

Toshiba’s stylish AT200 aka “Excite X10″ tablet launches in the UK

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by Chris Stewart
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The ultra sleek Honeycomb tablet, known in the US as the Excite X10, has landed in the UK and will be available exclusively from Carphone Warehouse.

The AT200 claims to be the slimmest 10″ Android tablet on the market (7.7mm) and weighs in at an impressively light 535 grams. The tablet also boasts a premium build, boasting durable gorilla glass up front and a polished magnesium alloy backing. “What use is a good looking tablet without impressive tech specs” I hear you say? Well thankfully the AT200  packs the technical prowess to match its svelte exterior. The screen is a 10.1″ backlit LED boasting a resolution of 1280 x 800. Processing is handled by the popular dual core TI OMAP 4430 clocked in at 1.2ghz, RAM checks at 1gb and there are 16gb or 32gb storage options available. There are two cameras on board, a 5MP on the back for capturing snapshots on the move and a 2MP up front for those ultra sharp video calls. The AT200 is available to buy online now with the 16gb priced at £399 and the 32gb priced at £449.

Toshiba’s entry to the competitive Android tablet market has been a difficult one, the AT200 could be the killer product they’ve been looking for to turn around their fortunes.

 

Source: Carphone Warehouse

 

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Retailers, Android Tablets | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

Don’t Plan on Seeing the Galaxy S III at Samsung’s March 22 Event in France

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by Stacy Bruce
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Contrary to widespread speculation, the Samsung Galaxy III will not make an appearance at the company’s March 22 event in France. Samsung has confirmed that no new devices will be unveiled at the press event, rather it will be one of Sammy’s bi-annual showing of the existing product lineup. This will likely be an opportunity for people to  get a better demonstration of what was announced at MWC for those who missed out on the Barcelona launch.

This means we’re back to the guessing game, when will we actually get to see this thing? Being that Samsung has said we would not see the device at MWC in Spain, and we can now cross the France theory off the list too. It’s looking more and more likely that Samsung may be targeting a launch closer to the iPhone 5 unveiling, which reports suggest will appear at this years WWDC at the beginning of June. Also, this would just barely fall in line with Samsung’s statement about unveiling the device within the first half of the year. It looks like we may just have to wait it out a bit longer than we hopped.

The Galaxy S III is definitely going to be worth the  wait, though. It is said to be thinner than its predecessor at roughly 7mm thin, internally waterproofed, sport a Super AMOLED Plus display, rock a quad-core processor, and possibly even a 12MP camera. Couple that with a proposed HDMI output and you got one of the hottest, if not the hottest, phones on the market. I know I am excited, you?

source: The Next Web

 

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

Fashion Week models to use the Samsung Galaxy Note to share candid moments

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by Robert Nazarian
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Fashion week is all about glitz and glam, but this year 8 models will be using the Samsung Galaxy Note to give fans a behind-the-scenes look. Samsung is partnering with Next Model Management to give the 5.3-inch beast to Anja Rubik, Karlie Kloss, Arizona Muse, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Kendra Spears, Aline Weber, Ruby Aldridge, and Shanina Shaik. From New York, London, and Paris, these models will share candid moments and videos through Twitter and Facebook. What will make this different is the personal touch that the S Pen adds with notes.

It won’t be all about the models because Derek Blasberg, Editor at Large of Conde Nast’s Style.com, Senior Fashion News and Special Projects Editor at V and VMAN, and a contributing editor for Harper’s Bazaar, will also be using the Galaxy Note for all his reporting from New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

This is an interesting marketing campaign for Samsung. It seems as though they are really pushing the S Pen (stylus) over the size of the Galaxy Note. I know a lot of people were poking fun at Samsung’s Super Bowl commercial because the stylus is so dated, but Samsung is looking to prove that it’s making a comeback.

Full press release after the break

» Read the rest

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

The NPD Group States Apple Lead Mobile Handsets In Q4, But First Time Smartphone Buyers Leaned Towards Android

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by Axl Logan
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In a report ran by the The NPD Group, the marketing research company found that in Q4 Apple glided past Samsung and LG in best handsets sold during the quarter.  This is mostly due in part thanks to the launch of the iPhone 4S as well as adding the device to Sprint’s lineup allowing the handset to tackle 43 percent of the market in the U.S.  I wonder how many Apple employees were wondering why they didn’t do this from the start instead of having such a long exclusivity with AT&T?  Nonetheless, the new Siri based iPhone 4S attracted a significant crowd to take the lead:

“Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iPhone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4,” said Ross Rubin, executive director, Connected Intelligence for The NPD Group. “The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75 percent, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.”

However, Android still held on to 48 percent of the smartphone market during the quarter largely in part because “Android devices performed better among first-time smartphone buyers“.

Based on the latest data from The NPD Group’s monthly Smartphone Track service, among the first-time smartphone buyers in Q4, 57 percent purchased Android phones compared to just 34 percent who purchased iPhones. 

So why was Android able to pull the reigns overall in the smartphone market?

“Android has been criticized for offering a more complex user experience than its competitors, but the company’s wide carrier support and large app selection is appealing to new smartphone customers,” Rubin said. “Android’s support of LTE at Verizon has also made it the exclusive choice for customers who want to take advantage of that carrier’s fastest network.”

It’s no great surprise that Android is extremely open as well as offers more devices to choose from.  And though some might tend to focus on the “fragmentation” part of the platform, I like to think that more is better.  There are more devices for most to choose from.  Does one want a physical keyboard or a virtual one?  Do you want a 3.5-inch screen or a 5.3-inch screen?  How about LTE?The possibilities are limitless and I personally love the option base.  What’s your take on this?  Feel free to let us know in the comments below.  Hit the break for the full press release by The NPD Group for more details.   » Read the rest

Categorized as Android Manufacturers, Android News, Android Phones | Full Post

Feb

7

2012

Google Chrome Beta Released for Android, Finally!

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by Jack Holt
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Google has finally release its long-wanted Chrome browser for Android roughly a few minutes ago. In order to run the app you must have Android 4.0 installed. It’s in beta right now so expect a few bugs and while we haven’t had a chance to play with it yet you can expect a review from us here in the next few days or so. According to Google the Android version has the following features:

- Browse fast with accelerated page loading, scrolling, and zooming,
- Search and navigate directly from the omnibox,
- Open and switch between unlimited tabs in an easy-to-view stack,
- Sign in to Chrome to sync your bookmarks and view tabs you have open on your computer,
- Send pages from desktop Chrome to your smartphone or tablet with one click and read them on the go, even if you’re offline,
- Browse privately in Incognito mode,

You can check to see if it is available in your country by going here. Hit the break below to for the QR code, market link and marketing video. It is certainly a great day for Android users and Chrome fans everywhere! Again, look for our review of the app shortly. Enjoy! » Read the rest

Categorized as Android Applications, Android News, Android Phones, Android Software, Android Tablets, Google News, Previews | Full Post

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