Android

Fancy a custom ringtone? Android comes with a default selection of notification tones and ringtones that you can use to customize the way your phone rings with every notification. Adding, creating and assigning custom ringtones on your Android device is fairly simple. All you need are the following basic tools. 1. A File Browser App [...]How To: Create and Assign Custom Ringtones originally appeared on AndroGeek

Many of us foresaw the demise of the Nexus Q, our media streaming friend from Google that never quite took off. This much was alluded to this week when Google announced its improved Google Play Music service, which does not support the Nexus Q as confirmed by Phandroid. If this already wasn’t a death knell for the Nexus Q, then news from the FCC might be another nail in the coffin. Liliputing has uncovered a FCC application that looks awfully like a replacement for the Nexus Q. Described as a “media player“, the only other information that can be divulged from this report is that the device is definitely from Google and that Google may have intentionally (or unintentionally) included a little easter egg; the device model is the H2G2-42. That first part, H2G2, was a common abbreviation for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and second half, 42, is quite simply the answer to everything. So perhaps this Google media device will solve all our media needs all at the same time… Perhaps we’re reading too much into it and it’s just a coincidence, but I’m not convinced Google ‘does’ coincidences. All the same, there’s very little go on right now regarding this media device, so just hang tight till there’s something more concrete. Share your thoughts on whether you think this will be Google’s new media player in the comments. Source: Phandroid, Liliputing

A few days ago, Google formally unveiled the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition with pure Android. It’s a modified version of the flagship Samsung handset that we first saw announced back in March, and it stands to offer the standard Nexus user experience. What does this mean for Google’s actual line of Nexus phones? Is the Galaxy S4 with pure Android meant to replace them? I’m not sure how long Google and Samsung sat through negotiations to try and get a product like this out the door. I think it may have been a long time coming. But it makes so much sense that you have to wonder, why didn’t they do this sooner? In fact, why don’t all Android phone makers release a Nexus-like device of their own? It simply baffles the mind. What we have with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition is a device with absolute top-notch hardware paired with the best software that Android has to offer. It is, strictly speaking, one of the best Android phones ever — at least if you’re with T-Mobile and AT&T. The only thing that will keep it out of most people’s hands is its prohibitive price tag. And that’s where real Nexus devices have it beat. Still, it makes a truly compelling case for an upgrade or a switch. It’s exactly what a lot of people want: a top-of-the-line phone with the latest version of Android. And it will be updated to even later versions of Android when newer ones start coming out. If Google wants to stop making new Nexus phones like the highly rumored Nexus 5, then the Galaxy S4 with pure Android is the perfect excuse. The question is, would Google really go that far? State of the Nexus The maker of the current Google Nexus phone, LG Electronics, managed to snag a mere 3% of the global Android market in Q1 2013. This shows that adding high-end hardware and timely Android software updates together doesn’t always result in a killer combination. The Nexus 4 does have a few glaring faults — such as lack of microSD card support and lack of 4G LTE — that might have contributed to its weak sales. But it really should have sold more units and the bottom line is that it didn’t. Google’s end-game is, as we all know, to get Android into the hands of as many people as possible. So it makes sense for it to partner with the current market leader, Samsung. And as for why it was necessary to inject an already existing phone with Nexus DNA instead of delivering a new one with actual Nexus branding (which they’ve already done in the past)? Well, the Galaxy brand is a much bigger brand than Nexus. It has more clout, and might possibly lead to bigger sales which would then translate to Android getting into the hands of more and more people. There’s also the fact that the Galaxy S4 trumps the Nexus 4 in terms of hardware and sheer performance, which makes it a sensible candidate to become the latest Nexus model. The power of the Galaxy Google’s Nexus effort, as a whole, doesn’t appear to have been very successful. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy brand has been a huge success. Only last week, an exec at Samsung declared the Galaxy S4 to be the fastest-selling Samsung handset ever. It’s on track to hit the 10 million unit sales point by the end of this month. And now we have this, a pure Android version of the same smartphone. Can you imagine what will happen next? In all likelihood, the standard Galaxy S4 — with TouchWiz and all — will go on to sell many millions more after the end of May. And all the other people who have been keeping an eye out for a true high-end phone with stock Android can now set their sights on the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, which of course in the end means even more sales for Samsung yet again. The mere existence of the Galaxy S4 Google Edition solves a number of problems all at once. It takes care of the Galaxy S4 storage problem because removing TouchWiz and all the extra software fea

If I said the words “random gun generation”, what game does that make you think of? For many of you gaming folk, it would probably remind you of the triple-A title Borderlands, but after this reading about this new Kickstarter project, you might start associating that phrase with a game called Moon Rift. Moon Rift is an RPG platform shooter game being developed by one Sam Hutcher for Android, iOS, PC and Mac. Although he has been developing games since he was 9, Moon Rift is his first foray into the big leagues, and for something being completely made by one person, it’s a pretty impressive effort. Have a look at one of Moon Rift’s early footage videos here. As you can see from the video, the game features some pretty funky graphics and music, and gameplay looks to fulfil the “platform shooter” tag. The story behind Moon Rift is that a cataclysmic events causes shards of a broken Moon to crash on Earth and cause, well, cataclysm. The levels and guns in the game are created randomly, and also features to possiblity of upgrading both your own abilities and the abilities of your weapons. Sam is asking for a pretty meagre $6,000 to complete his project by November this year , quoting that he’s only asking for the bare minimum to complete Moon Rift and is already almost halfway to his target. Despite the recent controversies over big name projects and the age old dilemma of project delivery, Moon Rift appears to be in good hands and definitely looks to be on its way to successfully being completed. We were lucky enough to catch up with Sam earlier for a short interview: AndroidSPIN: Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into making games Sam: Well I’m 23 years old and I’ve been making games since I was a little kid. I always loved video games so when I was 9 I went to an actual video game making camp, I pretty much haven’t stopped since. Moon Rift will be my first release though and I’m very excited! AndroidSPIN: What’s Moon Rift about and how did you come up with the idea for it? Sam: Moon Rift to me was really just making a game I wanted to play, I wanted to be excited and surprised by it so most of the game is procedurally generated. In fact, the reason it’s a shooter is because guns had the most to offer when it came to random generation. The story focuses around a shattered moon that throws the world in to turmoil, so you have to go and collect the fragments to fix everything. AndroidSPIN: So the gist of Moon Rift is that bits of the Moon explode and crash onto Earth causing all sorts of shenanigans. Is the game going to have a hard and fast linear story, or is it going to be a bit of a world exploring game? Sam: The idea for the story, I’m a little embarrassed to say, was pretty last minute, the game was at a point where it was ready for a campaign but it didn’t have a title! I had a vague Idea of where I wanted the game to go but it wasn’t until then that I hammered out the details. AndroidSPIN: I love your art-style! Are there any games in particular that you’ve drawn inspiration from for your art-style? Sam: I really like the idea of exploration, I always liked having options when playing other titles so choosing what levels and where you go will be a part of the game. The story itself though will be pretty linear, the way it’s working right now is kind of the way Mario collects stars in Mario64. The more fragments you collect, the more areas you’ll have access to. AndroidSPIN: As an Android blog, obviously we’re very interested in the Android version of the game. You’ve mentioned that you’ve adopted a dual-stick control scheme for Moon Rift, but will there be any additional touch-based controls incorporated into the gameplay? Sam: Probably not, I was debating a simple version, akin to a point and click but it doesn’t really fit with the game. It’s weird now that the game i

Just a day after Sony threw developers a bone by posting the Android Open Source Project code for their flagship Xperia Tablet Z, the industrious folks at CyanogenMod have one-upped them with a release of their own. Both a release candidate (RC) and a test build of CyanogenMod ROM 10.1 (Android 4.2) have been posted to the download site, ready and waiting for you to flash to your unlocked tablet. It's no surprise that CyanogenMod is supporting the Xperia Tablet Z; Sony has been historically friendly with the developer community, and in any case, the 1080p tablet runs on the same chipset as the more far-reaching Xperia Z smartphone. Done With This Post? You Might Also Like These:CyanogenMod Team At It Again - Nightlies Arrive For Several Xperia Devices New CyanogenMod 10 Monthly Build (M2) Available To Download, Now Compatible With 25 Devices [Update: Galaxy Tab 8.9 Too] Official CM9 Nightlies Arrive For The International Galaxy S III CyanogenMod Announces New Monthly M-Series Releases, Begins By Offering Up CM10 M1 For Select Devices CyanogenMod 10.1 Release Candidate Rolls Out For The Sony Xperia Tablet Z was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

The last of the Big Four to start selling the Galaxy S4 in the U.S., Verizon, appears to have started shipping Galaxy S4 pre-orders already. Meanwhile, last year’s Galaxy S model (the LTE version) has been reportedly spotted heading to T-Mobile stores. Verizon Galaxy S4 Droid-Life reports that Verizon Galaxy S4 buyers have received notifications that their pre-orders are currently prepped for shipping, and while they have an estimated delivery date of May 23, they could actually reach some of the early buyers faster then expected. Initially announced for May 30, the launch date for the Verizon Galaxy S4 has been pushed up to May 23, at which point the handset will most likely be available in brick-and-mortar stores. Verizon sells the 16GB Galaxy S4 model for $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with new two-year contracts, and the handset is available in both Black Mist and White Frost. The 32GB model is not in stock with the carrier at this time. T-Mobile Galaxy S3 LTE The “old” Galaxy S3 may still be an enticing proposition to buyers, especially T-Mobile subscribers looking to score the LTE version of the handset. The LTE edition (SGH-T999L model) is apparently heading to stores according to a screenshot scored by TmoNews. While a release date for the T-Mobile Galaxy S3 LTE edition is not officially available, it looks like only the 16GB white model has been spotted shipping to stores, although we’d expect it to be available in other colors as well.   The non-LTE T-Mobile Galaxy S3 is still available from the carrier and retails for $69.99 upfront followed by 24 monthly installments of $20 each, so we’d expect the LTE version to have a similar price. However, it’s worth noting that the non-LTE version is currently marked as out-of-stock on T-Mobile’s website.

Google Hangouts has a lot of cool features, including over 800 emoji characters to use. Apparently there are also six hidden “easter eggs,” including ponies, dinosaurs, and the ability to change the background of the chat window. Google employee Moritz Toxdorff posted the above image on his Google+ account, which explains how to use them. All you need to do to experience the magic is type in your desired code into the chat window, and press enter. Right now, these easter eggs only work on the Google+ client of Hangouts, but the Chrome and mobile clients should surely get them soon. Source: +MoritzTolxdorff Come comment on this article: Google Hangouts “easter eggs” revealed, include ponies and dinosaurs Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

At the I/O, Google announced that a version of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 running stock Android will be for sale later this summer. Could a “Google experience” HTC One with stock Android follow? Leigh Momii, a Developer Evangelist at HTC posted a tweet possibly suggesting exactly that, stating “So you can pay $649 for a piece of plastic running stock or… You can wait.” Trusted developer LlabTooFer said on Twitter he was positive that the tweet meant that “this summer we will see HTC One Google Edition” or something similar. HTC employee Jeff Gordon replied to Android and Me, who initially reported Momii’s tweet, saying “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One.”  The key word in that statement is “currently,” as confirming a new version of their flagship phone would definitely hurt current sales for HTC. If this rumor turns out to be true, could this be the start of more and more “Google experience”  Android phones? Stay tuned to Talk Android as we hear more. Sources: Android and Me, @LlabTooFeR, @jetleigh Come comment on this article: HTC employee hints at an HTC One with stock Android Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more!

The special Galaxy S4 “Nexus” edition may be a software-modified T-Mobile Galaxy S4 model (SGH-M919), a new report shows, which could be good news for existing and future T-Mobile Galaxy S4 owners. According to AnandTech, the available evidence suggests that the Galaxy S4 Nexus edition is actually based on the T-Mobile version, a device that best meets the hardware criteria. Google revealed little on stage when announcing its partnership with Samsung to sell a Galaxy S4 version running stock Android OS. The device doesn’t have an actual product name to differentiate it from the other Galaxy S4 units out there – which is why we call it Galaxy S4 Nexus or Galaxy S4 Google Edition – but it’s not a Nexus-branded device as you’d expect it to be. Moreover, a model number for the handset is not available either, and we’re yet to see an FCC filing for it. What’s known about it is that Google will start selling it from the Google Play Store on June 26 for $649, or what an unsubsidized Galaxy S4 already costs. n terms of hardware, the handset will offer 16GB of storage and support LTE with both AT&T and T-Mobile. In addition to being carrier-unlocked, the handset will also ship with its bootloader unlocked. Obviously, it will run Android 4.2.2 (or Android 4.3 right out of the box?) and will receive “prompt system updates” like any Nexus handset. With all that in mind, let’s look at what AnandTech says about the handset: SGH-M919 has always included support for LTE on Bands 2, 4, 5, and 17 (that’s 1900 PCS, 1700/2100 AWS, 850 Cellular, and 700 Lower B and C) and WCDMA on Bands 2, 4, and 5. At another level, this is the same hardware as the AT&T variant but without the arbitrary RAT (Radio Access Technology) locking that AT&T has put in place to restrict use of Band 4 WCDMA which T-Mobile needs for a good experience. This translates to that support for AT&T and T-Mobile LTE and WCDMA. That also means Snapdragon 600 (APQ8064AB) and no Exynos 5. In case that will be confirmed, then current and future T-Mobile Galaxy S4 owners will have some reasons to be happy, as they’ll be able to run the Nexus firmware on their handsets instead of the TouchWiz-filled default one faster than anyone else. Of course, it makes sense to assume that the community will bring the Galaxy S4 Nexus firmware to other Galaxy S4 version in the very near future, so a stock Android Galaxy S4 experience may be just around the corner for handset buyers. Moreover, some Galaxy S4 fans may end up purchasing a subsidized T-Mobile version in order to run the Nexus firmware on it without having to pay the full $649 for the handset, especially considering T-Mobile’s UNcarrier approach to selling smartphones, which doesn’t come with a mandatory two-year agreement. Speaking about custom ROMs for the Galaxy S4, we’ll remind you that the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 version already has support for CyanogenMod 10.1 so it would make sense to assume that the Nexus firmware could be just as easily installed on the handset. However, nothing is official just yet, and we’ll have to wait for the Nexus 4 to hit stores before telling you with absolute certainty which U.S. Galaxy S4 version it resembles most. On a different note, we’re not encouraging you to install custom ROMs on any of your devices, we’re just informing you on the available options out there, so don’t blame us if anything goes wrong during such procedures. Whatever path you decide to follow, remember that whatever will happen to your device(s) will fall under your responsibility and yours alone.

We were the first to report the codename of “Babel” as Google’s new unified messaging service, which ended up as Hangouts at public launch, but if you needed actual proof that Babel was around for some time, we thought we’d share this screenshot. It’s taken from my Google Dashboard listing of sites authorized to access [...] Incase You Needed Proof That Hangouts was... Click the post title to continue through and join the conversation!