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Galaxy S IV to feature “eye scrolling” similar to Smart Stay and Smart Rotation

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by Jared Peters on
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The latest bit of news to come before Samsung announces their Galaxy S IV has to do with software, not hardware. Similar to the fingerless gesture rumor we heard about, Samsung has something planned that will allow you to scroll your phone’s screen with your eyes. So if you’re reading a news article and your eyes reach the bottom of the page, the page will automatically scroll down so you can continue reading without touching the screen. Pretty high tech stuff.

Now, this isn’t new for Samsung, as they invested quite a bit into using facial recognition in the Galaxy S III with their Smart Stay and Smart Rotation features, and they’ve filed for patents related to eye scrolling built into mobile phones, so this is definitely something that we could see on March 14th.

source: NY Times

Nexus 4 now receiving Android 4.2.1 update, fixes December bug while baseband remains unchanged

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by Sean Stewart on
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In very similar Nexus news to what we found this morning, the Nexus 4 is now beginning to receive the 4.2.1 update as well. This update most notably fixes the infamous December bug. No other changes have been uncovered as of yet. The good news is that the baseband has remained unchanged so far thus still allowing LTE capabilities for the select few. This update will be come by way of over-the-air so obviously not everyone will get it at once, but it should only take a few days for it to roll out to all devices. Are you a lucky owner of the elusive Nexus 4 that has also received the update? Let us know of any other changes you may find.

 

source: XDA Forums

Thanks to an LG Nexus system dump, a couple Android 4.2 features have been uncovered

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by Macky Evangelista on
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Thanks to an Android 4.2 system dump obtained via an LG Nexus by Android Police, several new features of 4.2 have been unearthed for all of us to see. Keep in mind that these are builds that aren’t by any means final and could very well change once the LG Nexus is actually released. These are features that may or may not be in the final builds, but it looks like it is what we should expect once we officially see Android 4.2.

Ron Amadeo from Android Police wrote up a great article on this and detailed each new feature. He carefully detailed SELinux, Always-On VPN and Premium SMS Confirmation. All of these should make its way into 4.2.

If you have some free time and would like to see what Google has been up to for 4.2, then head on over to the source link and give Ron’s post a read!

source: Android Police

Motorola DROID RAZR M, RAZR i, RAZR HD and Atrix HD all receive root method

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by Macky Evangelista on
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As with any other Android device, root is eventually achieved. The Motorola DROID RAZR M, RAZR i, RAZR HD and Atrix HD have all received root thanks to XDA user djrbliss. The process that exploits root in these devices is called Motofail2Go and is a virtual one-click root process.

You’ll need a Windows PC, Motorola’s latest USB drivers and the program itself. If you’re brave and willing to give this a shot then head on over to the source link for instructions and more information regarding this rooting process.

source: XDA

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S III to Receive Maintenance Update; Removes Universal Search Feature

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by Macky Evangelista on
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An update for T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S III is due out and includes several improvements, and possibly a feature being removed that will cause some controversy. Here’s a little of what you can expect from this maintenance update:

  • Resolve an error, ‘Enter Mac address’ after entering the correct MAC address in the Mobile Hotspot
  • Resolve issue where the contents of the home screen folder would not rearrange alphabetically
  • Resolve issue where name does not populate when trying to add a contact with nameID information, must manually add.

 

You can also expect the addition of a brightness slide bar in the notification shade, a new radio/modem and a new kernel that’s been on the new batches of S III’s that have been recently arriving at T-Mobile. While there’s no full proof verification on this, there is a strong possibility that this update will take away the Universal Search feature out of the S III. If you don’t remember, this is the feature that Apple has been trying to take away from numerous Android devices so it wouldn’t surprise me if Samsung took it out as a precaution.

As we get more details on this impending update, we’ll be sure to let you all know.

source: TMONEWS

Casual User Exposes Major Security Flaw On Galaxy S III, Courtesy Of Samsung Kies Desktop Software

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by Roy Alugbue on
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It’s no secret some Android devices may have a security hole or two, but what about a device’s software application on a desktop computer? Well apparently, Samsung’s Kies desktop software contains a security vulnerability which could allow  malicious applications to be installed and may affect devices such as your brand-new Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone. As highlighted in Andre Moulu’s blog post, what looks like an official or legitimate app could be downloaded from the Play Store (Angry Birds Cheats, Japanese Squid Girls, etc.) for use. As a user installs the certain apps, the apps could manipulate and overtake the install_packages permission found inside the Samsung Kies application. Once the action is done, the malicious app or apps could then have an even further effect by installing more applications without the user being fully aware.

The scary thing is how simple the security vulnerability is pronounced. It seems the vulnerability was easy to pull off using little more than a few lines of Java and more specifically— this is a common vulnerability found in many system applications that come pre-installed on users’ devices thanks to custom UIs. Let’s hope Samsung (and all of the other smartphone manufacturers for that matter) will take note of this and take preventative measures to protect their devices… and quickly.

If you’re ready to see the vulnerability in action, be sure to hit the break in order to see the video.

» Read the rest

New Samsung CEO Doesn’t Waste Any Time And Calls For Software Improvements

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by Roy Alugbue on
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There’s no doubt that Samsung has established its position as one of the top smartphone manufacturers, but being on top means it can’t be stagnant. In keeping up with ever-evolving technology and advancements, new Sammy CEO Kwon Oh-hyun took some time to address his new company and it’s ummm… potential software-related shortcomings. Oh-hyun states:

 

“a particular focus must be given to serving new customer experience and value by strengthening soft capabilities in software, user experience, design and solutions.”

 

To dumb everything down: he’s basically saying that he wants to improve the overall look, feel and capabilities of its software. This should come as no surprise as users can point out the latest TouchWiz software which looks rather bland to say the least— despite the fact it’s skinned over Android 4.0. In fact, he probably believes the software on Sammy devices in general are behind, despite the fact Sammy has cutting-edge technology on its devices. Oh and don’t forget… Sammy does have some aces in the hole too such implementing software for its NFC tags, it’s own IM client and of course that possible social networking service we seem to keep hearing about.

Whatever it is the new CEO is envisioning, let’s all hope we see the fruits of his labor sooner than later. After all, Sammy needs to do whatever it takes in order to keep its position on top.

source: Wall Street Journal

Norton Tablet Security: Powerful Protection For Your Android Tablet

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by Joe Sirianni on
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Norton is looking to get a piece of the tablet market in regards to providing protection for that expensive tablet you just purchased.  If you’re the type of person who likes the peace of mind of having strong security support for your mobile devices and don’t mind paying a bit for it, this is for you.  Norton Tablet Security will run you $39.99/yr and offers anti-theft and antivirus/antimalware protection for any Android tablet.

With the goal to protect both your tablet and your privacy, it might just be worth the cost if the content of your device is somewhat “sensitive”.  The software scans all files entering the device as well as mobile apps that you’ve recently installed.  As Norton is most noted for, when a user accesses fraudulent or malicious websites, Norton kicks in and does what it does best by preventing the connection, keeping you safe and secure. In addition to all of this, the device offers a feature, like other applications on the market, that provides the ability to recover your tablet should some sticky fingers lift the device.  All you have to do is log into a Web portal and you can track the device’s whereabouts via a map.  You can cut off the violator by locking your device remotely and or cause a small message to pop up letting the thief know where he/she can return the device should they have a change of heart.  Furthermore, Norton has provided a “Sneak Peak” feature which allows you to make the most out of the front facing camera by snapping a quick shot of the person using your tab at the moment.  In turn, a photo of the thief will be sent to Symantec’s anti-theft website.  Overall, not too shabby for $40 bucks a year.  Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments below.

[via Norton]

Lookout Mobile Security comes to Android tablets

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by Robert Nazarian on
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Lookout Mobile Security is already the best app for securing your Android phone, and we are excited because they just added protection for Android tablets. This includes tablets running Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich along with WiFi only models.

You will get the same security protection that you’ve enjoyed with your Android phone; protection from malware and spyware, data backups, and the ability to find your device when it’s lost or stolen. It couldn’t be easier since you will now be able to manage all of your devices from mylookout.com.

If you aren’t already signed up with Lookout than we highly recommend it. The free app provides security, data backup, and find-my-phone features, but Lookout Premium  provides comprehensive security and privacy protection for $2.99/month or $29.99/year. More importantly, you can now register both your smartphone and tablet under the same account.

Apps Database for QR Code

Android Market Link

Full press release after the break:

» Read the rest

Cisco AnyConnect VPN Support To Be Implemented In Ice Cream Sandwich, Enterprise Users Rejoice

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by Joe Sirianni on
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Productivity in the work place is about to reach a whole new level when ICS rolls around.  ”Issue 3902″ has recently been closed over at Google Code and according to some of the comments from a Google employee it looks like support for Cisco’s AnyConnect VPN client will be added in the new OS version.  This will be a welcomed addition to IT departments and users alike.  Support for AnyConnect supposedly can be found on several of the major platforms and until now lacked a healthy presence on Android devices.  Hopefully all of that is about to change.  As further versions continue to come about, it’s obvious that Enterprise users are going to benefit from new features greatly, making them more and more productive in the work place and on the go.  Any thoughts?

[via Google Code]

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