Android

Nice little deal just showed up on Amazon for you people on either Sprint, or AT&T, and you should take full advantage of it. The Sprint Galaxy S4 and the AT&T HTC One are selling as low as $130 if you purchase them through Amazon. This all of course, is made possible with a new 2-year contract, and looks to be made available for those with new accounts and upgrades. So head over to Amazon by clicking the links provided below. Let us know which phone you ended up getting.

And now that Christmas in May (at least for us Android geeks) is over, we give you a very special Android Authority On Air show: The Google IO 2013 recap. First of all, Google IO is a developer conference. We’re saw things focused towards developers and a few brag-worthy stats such as 900 Million Android activations (from 400 million last year), 48 billion app installs from the Play Store, and Chrome being the world’s most popular browser with 750 million users. The Android focus of IO was extremely exciting and amazing. You’re going to say how is this so? Google didn’t unveil a new version of Android? Google showed us that they are in control of Android. They showed us that they are running the show, no matter your carrier or who makes your phone, it’s ultimately Google that has your back, and will give you new services and Android updates in the background. How do they do this? With Google Play Services. Besides all the new bells and whistles for developers, we discussed some of the heavy hitters of IO this year such as an expanded Google+ Sign-in, Google Cloud Messaging, Play Services, Game Services, a Galaxy S4 Google Edition, Hangouts, Google Play Music All Access, Maps, Google+, Google TV, and more. Miss the show? Watch or listen below.  

According to the FCC, a new Google branded media device is making the rounds. The new Google product “functions as a media player” and includes an external power source (AC adapter , so we know this new product isn’t a tablet or smartphone). What exactly do we know? Well, we don’t know much besides the product name: H840 DEVICE and the model number: H2G2-42 (which is a nice hat tip towards you Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fans). Earlier this year, sources informed me of a Google TV successor product that was currently in testing. The product was said to be the future of Google TV and that Google TV was itself moving to a stock Android experience with Google TV being a software addon. After Google IO13, we’re now sure that this is direction that Google TV and Android are heading. Was the device in testing months ago the H840 DEVICE? Who knows?  The H840 DEVICE could however be the very first of these products to come onto the market with the new platform direction. Additionally, Droid Life was recently informed of a product in the works, code named ‘Wolfie’. They were told this device would be focused on gaming. We know that Google is pushing their Google Play Game Services platform hard and that Google still hasn’t effectively taken over the living, yet. I’ve said in the past that an Android game console / Android TV device (think Nexus Q and Google TV hybrid) would be a winner. We don’t know exactly when this device will show up. However, there are rumors that June 10th could be a big day for Google, releasing Android 4.3 and a white Nexus 4. June 10th also just happens to be Apple’s WWDC 2013 event. Releasing the next iteration of Android, a new Nexus 4 and an Android media player on the same day of Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference would definitely steal some thunder from Apple.

Now that the big spring phone releases are out of the way, you can make an informed decision on any pending purchases. The HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 both have their strong points, and you can get a solid deal on both of them, provided you're flexible on carriers. Amazon has both currently listed for $129.99 with a 2-year contract.   The HTC One in question is the 32GB AT&T variant, and it's usually $199.99 (last on sale for $150). A $70 savings on a fairly new device is great, and it's impressive what HTC has done with its new flagship phone. Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note II Drops To $249.99 ($50 Off) On Amazon Wireless [Deal Alert] Amazon Wireless Offering Verizon Galaxy SIII For $79.99 With New Account, Line Activation [Deal Alert] Galaxy S III 16GB For Sprint, AT&T, And Verizon Just $100 On Amazon Wireless For New Customers [Deal Alert] Motorola Droid RAZR HD Drops To $19.99 For New Accounts And $0.01 For Upgrades On Amazon Wireless [Deal Alert] Amazon Offering AT&T HTC One And Sprint Galaxy S4 For $129.99 was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Samsung Youm OLED flexible display demoed at CES 2013. Samsung has been recently granted a design patent for a tablet PC that appears to have a bendable display. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awarded Samsung a slew of patents earlier this week including two design patents for tablets. As always with patents – whether awarded or not – keep in mind that they do not portray actual products, and we may never see the devices shown in patent images come to life. But such patents indicate that Samsung is definitely exploring various tablet designs including slates with flexible displays or bendable areas. These patents have been both submitted for review last summer. That said, in these images you’ll be able to observe the two tablet designs awarded to Samsung. Patent number D682,264 (filed in June 2012) shows images of a “Tablet computer” that comes with a built-in case and a handle (second image below). In addition to the offered images, other details are not mentioned. Samsung Design Patent D682,263 for a “Tablet PC” – filed in July 5, 2012 and granted on May 14, 2013. Most interestingly, patent D682,263 (filed in July 2012) shows a “Tablet PC” that appears to have a bendable display. As you can see in the image above, the tablet PC can be folded along the dotted line. However, the patent clearly states that the dotted lines are not parts of the claimed design: The broken lines shown in the figures represent portions of the tablet PC which form no part of the claimed design. Patent ‘263 isn’t offering any more details than patent ‘264 does, but what’s clear from the drawings is that the “tablet PC” has a screen with a flexible section. We can only speculate that the bendable part of the tablet’s display could act as some sort of a touchscreen keyboard, while also acting as a stand when users would hold the tablet in landscape mode on a surface. The rest of the display would presumably continue to act as a display. Interestingly, it’s not clear what the difference is between a “tablet computer” and a “tablet PC,” the two products described in these newly awarded patents. Samsung Design Patent D682,264 for a “Tablet computer” – filed in June 20, 2012 and granted on May 14, 2013. As recent reports have shown, Samsung is not yet ready to mass-produce flexible displays in enough quantites to meet consumer needs. While still showing off its advancements in flexible display tech at consumer shows, Samsung is not yet ready to launch a product featuring such a panel. The company’s own JK Shin has more than once deflected a clear answer when asked about the first Samsung products featuring a flexible display. Most recently, when asked whether the Galaxy Note 3 would pack such a screen he said that more time is still needed without making other comments. Another report recently claimed that the Galaxy Note 3 would not feature a flexible display as previous rumors suggested. That said, we have no idea when a Samsung tablet with flexible display could arrive. So far this year, Samsung has announced two new tablets, the Galaxy Note 8.0 and the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, with at least two more models rumored to arrive, the Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 and the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1. Rumors have also mentioned an 11-inch Nexus-branded Samsung tablet, which is yet to be confirmed. AA Staff contributed to this report.

The fine folks at GTVHacker dropped us a line to say that their new Asus Cube root solution is now available as a free download in the Google Play Store. The cleverly-titled CubeRoot takes advantage of a Unix NFS mounting exploit to install the SuperSU application and grant Cube owners root privileges, sure to be much appreciated by Google TV power users excited for Asus' new hardware. You can pick up the root application from the Play Store widget below, or download it directly from GTVHacker's website. In addition to basic rooting duties, CubeRoot will modify the Cube's Flash Player app, allowing users to get around some arbitrary platform-content restrictions in video websites. Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:ASUS Cube Hits Online Availability For $139.99 [New App] Root Transmission Lets You Root Other Android Devices Using Your Own Via OTG Cable One-Click Root Now Available For ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Sony Google TV Root Exploit Allows For Unsigned Kernels, Modified Flash Plugin, And More [New App] GTVHacker Releases Asus Cube Google TV Root App On The Play Store: Roots, Patches, Modifies Flash Player was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Fighting games, or “button-bashers” as they are fondly known as, are far and few between on Android as the act of bashing buttons is significantly less satisfying on touchscreens (disclaimer: is probably not the actual reason for lack of fighting games). Also quite rare are games that fully utilize touchscreen gestures to suit a game’s genre. Enter Combo Crew, a new game from The Game Bakers, that actually thoughtfully matches a bespoke fighting game style with the frantic play-style akin to button-bashing. If you don’t know what I’m on about, have a watch of the video below: As you can see, the gameplay of Combo Crew is wonderfully frantic and looks to use touch in a way that suits the fighting genre on a mobile platform. Also featured in Combo Crew is cross-platform co-op play, between iOS and Android, so you can hop into games with friends, compete with them for high scores and save them when the inevitably need rescuing. Combo Crew is due for a May 23rd release date on the Play Store. What are your thoughts about Combo Crew? Let us know below. Source: The Game Bakers Blog

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Concept A couple of new reports offer new details about Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 3 smartphone but also mention a device never seen before in similar rumors, the Galaxy S4 Mega. Galaxy Note 3 Sam Mobile published a picture (see below) that has been allegedly taken with the Galaxy Note 3. The image has apparently been posted on the forum of a Polish website called SmartFan. Naturally, the information can’t be confirmed at this time, as we’re only looking at details available from EXIF data, and such info can be tampered with. Assuming it’s real, the image appears to have been taken with a GT-N7200 device running firmware version N7200XXUAMEB. The Galaxy Note 2 has model number GT-N7200, while the Galaxy Note has model number GT-N7000, so it makes sense to assume this GT-N7200 is the third handset in the series. According to the EXIF data, the device has a 13-megapixel sensor and an aperture of f/2.2, matching the characteristics of the Galaxy S4 main shooter. The Galaxy Note 3 could share the same camera with the Galaxy S4, but it’s too early to have it everything confirmed. The handset is expected to be unveiled at IFA 2013 in Germany in early September. Galaxy S4 Mega The Galaxy S4 is rumored to have plenty of brothers including the Galayx S4 Mini, the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy S4 Active, but it looks like another member of this expanding family may have been spotted. Called the Galaxy S4 Mega, this particular model has been seen in Samsung’s recently updated WatchOn application. As you can see in the screenshots below WatchON has been updated with “added support for the upcoming S4 Mega, S4 mini and S4 Active.” In fact, these product names are mention right on the app’s page in the Google Play Store: From the looks of it, the Galaxy S4 mini and Galaxy S4 Active we mentioned before also get confirmed, but the Galaxy S4 Mega is a totally new product name. Considering that the Mega is a new subfamily of Galaxy smartphones (currently there are two models in it, the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Galaxy Mega 5.8), where would a Galaxy S4 Mega fit? Is the device a bigger Galaxy S4 Mega? What purpose would it serve? We’ll be back with more details about upcoming Samsung devices once we have them.

SMS SPY! Get SMS on Email, call logs, location and photos stealthy from a phone delivered to your email. It’s intended for self use on your own device in the case, say… for backup purposes or if you leave your phone at home. But let’s be frank, if installed on another person’s phone you can spy on... View ArticleSMS SPY! Get SMS on Email – how to steal text messages, call, location & photos is a post from: AndroidTapp.com Check Out More Related: AreYouThereYet – automatically send text messages based on your location DroidAlone – Missed Calls. Access Your Missed Calls and Text Messages by Email Ask NerdGirl: Text Forwarding, More Rooting, and Faster Email

Surprisingly, the licensed LEGO Star Wars PC and console games (and most of the subsequent Indiana Jones/Batman/Harry Potter/et cetera games) turned out to be pretty good. They're tight, enjoyable adventure games with interesting construction mechanics, and humor suitable to both kids and adults. Though The LEGO Group has released more than a dozen Android titles already, their first tie-in game is LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles, available now as a free download. Just in case you didn't get your Star Wars fix with Angry Birds or pinball. The player guides either the titular Dagobah-dweller or his Dark Side counterpart Count Dooku through eight levels, with the series' standard add-on characters, buildable vehicles, and surprisingly varied mini-games breaking up the top-down shooting and slashing. Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:All Wings Report In: Angry Birds Star Wars Begins Its Attack Run On The Play Store Star Wars Pinball Released In Empire Strikes Back, Clone Wars, And Boba Fett Flavors, IAPs For Zen Pinball As Well Samsung's Unicorn Apocalypse Is Real And In The Play Store, Apparently Sucks Pretty Bad Bugdroid May Be Immortalized In Lego Form: Android Lego Cuusoo Reaches 10,000 Votes [New Game] LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles Touches Down On The Play Store, Compatible With Almost Nothing was written by the awesome team at Android Police.