Android Central international round-up - March 17, 2012

Despite the obvious hype surrounding a certain Apple tablet, it's been another busy week of international Android news. Sony finally gave its "Pepper" smartphone an official name, the Xperia Sola, and we saw some interesting new touchscreen tech introduced in this mid-range device.

It's also been a big week for rumors and release date info. We spotted not one, but two unconfirmed Galaxy S III renders out on the web, though we're still uncertain as to how genuine they are. And finally, there was some good news for those waiting on Android updates, as the international Galaxy S II got its ICS update, as did the HTC Velocity in Australia. Meanwhile the HTC One X got a tentative UK release date of April 5.

Check some highlights from past week's Android developments in Europe, Asia and beyond in the list below. And if you've got international news, be sure to tip us at the usual address.

• 
  
  'Samsung Galaxy S III' pictured, May 22 London unveiling rumored


• 
  
  Google: Delayed app developer payments now going out


• 
  
  Virgin Mobile Australia announce the HTC One X


• 
  
  Latest 'Galaxy S III' render looks no more genuine than the last two


• 
  
  International Samsung Galaxy Note updated, obscure video editor bugs fixed


• 
  
  Samsung Galaxy Note now available on Three UK


• 
  
  UK retailer slashes Sony Tablet S price


• 
  
  HTC One X launching April 5, says O2 UK


• 
  
  HTC One V sighted in black and purple


• 
  
  Archos now shipping G9 Turbo 'ICS' edition with latest software pre-loaded


• 
  
  Motorola MOTOACTV now officially available in Canada for $250


• 
  
  The Telegraph to launch new Android application


• Ice Cream Sandwich available now for Galaxy S II in Europe and Korea


• 
  
  Next wave of Galaxy S II ICS updates begins March 19


• 
  
  Sony unveils Xperia Sola with 'floating touch' technology


• 
  
  HTC One X Deluxe Limited Edition announced in Taiwan

Android Central international round-up - March 31, 2012

Next week is HTC One week in Europe, and over the past seven days we've seen more tantalizing details about HTC's new One X and One S smartphones. Stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are expected to carry HTC One phones from next Monday, April 2, with a wider European launch for the One X and One S slated for Thursday, April 5. It's one of the biggest Android launches of the year. We're excited, and we're sure you are, too, so be sure to keep watching for more HTC One goodness as the phones finally hit store shelves

Aside from shiny new toys, the steady trickle of Ice Cream Sandwich updates continued this week, with the O2 Galaxy S II and Vodafone HTC Sensation both receiving their updates. And original Galaxy S owners finally got their hands on the promised "value pack", which brings some ICS features to the current Gingerbread firmware.
Oh, and Samsung launched its very own "store within a store" at Phones4U in London. (Yo dawg, I heard you like stores.)

Choice of app Android Central Editors' for March 31, 2012

We are again and in effect fully. This week, we bring you yet another selection of free and paid applications that we enjoy. Let ' s hit the break and discover without further delay!

Read more

Top 10 Android app updates for the week ending March 9

Welcome back to our weekly Top 10 Android App Updates column, where we take a look at the most upgraded apps for the week. I’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to look at what people are actually updating, and not focus on which apps have the most installs.

To find the most updated apps, I turn to AppAware. It’s a great tool that shows me which apps have active support from their developers and sometimes reminds me of an old app that I might have removed long ago. Make sure to install it so your activity can help determine our weekly top 10 list.

The following is a Top 10 list of apps which were updated in the last seven days and received the most updates during that time period on AppAware. Based on previous feedback, I am filtering out apps that have over 10 million installs since most are well known. I hope you enjoy this weekly feature and discover some apps that you might find useful.

What’s new in this release:

Improved notificationsAbility to Thank someoneImage uploadsBug fixesFixes FC bug in dark theme

If you have ever hacked or rooted your phone, chances are you have visited the xda-developers forums. This app is a mobile version of the site that allows you to browse the forums, read, post, send private messages and more. I’m not really a fan of reading through 100-page threads, so I don’t visit the site like I used to.

What’s new in this release:

Bug fixes!View and add comments to filesInvite folder collaboratorsImproved uploading experience, including the ability to batch upload multiple files from an SD cardUpdated UI including use of the standard Action BarNow localized in German, Spanish, French and ItalianApp2SD!Contacts Permission: We only use this permission to quickly retrieve email addresses when you want to invite collaborators, and do NOT store any contact information on Box’s servers.

Box is another cloud storage app that lets users view and share files from anywhere. They currently have a promotion that lets you receive a receive a free 50GB account upgrade, so now is the time to check it out. The latest update includes an enhanced UI and improved uploading.

What’s new in this release:

(New) Support gesture password(Improved) Update some languages like: Dutch, Turkish, Bulgarian, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese(Improved) Input vibrate switch of PIN password(Improved) The screen will unlock after input the correct PIN, without click ‘OK’(Fix) The problem of virtual keyboard will show in lock screen(Fix) Bug of Notification(Fix) Some FC bugs

Many people are familiar with Go Launcher EX, but not as many users have tried their other apps. Go Locker allows you to replace the default lockscreen of your Android device. The Go team just released a locker theme template, so devs can now design their own custom lockscreens more easily.

What’s new in this release:

create favorite FX!custom signature for sharingadded French, Hungarian translations, improved Russianbug fixes

Camera ZOOM FX is one of the more full featured alternative camera apps for Android. It features multiple shooting modes, full editing studio, and over 90 free addons. The app is currently on sale for only $0.49, so now is a good chance to buy it if you have wanted to check it out.

What’s new in this release:

Fix saving last reading positionDay/night reading modeScreen brightness controlsImprove swiping controlsFix language setting stickiness

Wattpad is a site I had never heard of until today, but they claim to be the world’s largest community of readers and writers. Their social eReading app connects readers and writers across all genres, lets them vote for the best stories, share their comments with other readers, or leave a suggestion for their favorite author.

What’s new in this release:

Performance boost and bug fixesMusic search improvements on some devicesNew Permission: CHANGE YOUR AUDIO SETTINGS - Used to ensure optimal audio recording settings

Soundhound Infinity is the paid version of the popular music ID app. They claim to be the world’s fastest music recognition service and the world’s only viable singing and humming recognition. This paid version is currently on sale for $0.49 and offers additional features like home screen widgets, geo-tagging, and the removal of ads.

What’s new in this release:

Fixed text shadow on low dpi devicesFixed movable to SD-cardAdjusted background colors to improve text contrastWeather conditions translated to EnglishFixed bugs that could crash the app under certain circumstances

Wetter.com is a popular weather service in Germany, but their app supports forecasts for any location. Most of the additional features like reports, radar, and videos are limited to European countries, so you might want to avoid this is you live in the US.

What’s new in this release:

(Added) Commonly used symbols for English keyboard(Optimized) The loading method of scanning aplications in GO Market(Optimized) A detailed picture browsing for full screen in GO Market(Optimized) The left symbols column for T9 keyboard will turn back after inputting(Fix) The collapse error when update initiatives(Fix) Download error of Emoji and handwriting plugin

Another release from the Go team, Go Keyboard is one of the most full featured keyboard replacement apps for Android. It supports a ton of languages, has endless themes, and includes a custom layout optimized for tablets. The app is free, so it’s worth a shot if you are unhappy with your current keyboard.

What’s new in this release:

Improvements and fixesNew icons

Fing describes itself as the ultimate toolkit for network management. Features include network discovery, service scan, ping, traceroute, DNS lookup and many more. The latest update includes a refreshed look with new icons.

What’s new in this release:

We are working hard with Google to resolve push alerts issues that are affecting some users*Fixed missing menu button issue that was affecting some Android 4.0 devices (e.g. Galaxy Nexus)Fixed Widget Force Close issues that were affecting some usersMinor bug fixes and enhancements

I’ve tried all the sports apps, including this one, and I always end up returning to ESPN’s mobile site. ScoreMobile looks to be well liked among its users with an average review score of 4.4. They recently added in-depth UFC coverage featuring interactive live blogs, so maybe I’ll try it out again. ScoreMobile also supports live event push alert notifications, so you can keep up the latest scores of your favorite teams.

Did you see any Android apps that received notable updates in the last week? Share your suggestions in the comments below and we will add them to our honorable mentions list.

Glancee: Updated to version 2.0, which inroduces Radar and Diary and an easier interface. Radar shows you who’s near you now, sorted by distance. Diary shows you who was near you before, sorted by time.AppBrain: Updated to version 8.0 with misc. improvements and a fix for ICS devices.

Alcatel Venture now available for preorder on Virgin Mobile for $99, ships March 15

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Update: As Phonescoop points out, it looks like this one's actually from Alcatel, a different manufactuer than we previously reported, though one that's pretty much as unknown here in the states as ZTE (though that'll be changing here shortly).

Looking for a physical keyboard on Virgin Mobile? The ZTE Alcatel Venture might just fill that void, and it's available for preorder now for just $99, and it's expected to ship on March 15. The Venture's got a 2.8-inch touchscreen in addition to the physical keyboard and physical buttons. We're not expecting much out of the 2-megpixel camera, but because of the screen size, the 600 MHz processor should move things along nicely. Other specs of note: It's got Android 2.3 Gingerbread and 512MB of RAM. Internal storage isn't listed, but it's got a microSD card slot (the phone comes with a 2GB card), which you'll no doubt need to use. It's also got Virgin's Mobile ID packs -- basically its version of Sprint ID.

More: Virgin Mobile; thanks, Brad!

Sprint announces the $20 ZTE Fury, launching March 11th

Sprint users are about to have a new entry in the low-end Android market. The nation’s number 3 carrier has officially announced the ZTE Fury, a 3.5? Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset that launch this coming Sunday for $19.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate.

The ZTE Fury features:

3.5? display1 GHz Snapdragon MSM8655 processor5 megapixel camera with LED flash3G Hotspot capableSprint ID

While not the high-end Galaxy Nexus that should be launching as early as next month, the ZTE Fury brings another affordable handset to Sprint’s network for those who don’t need a blazing-fast device. That said, it’s difficult for me to imagine someone picking up the ZTE Fury for $20 when Amazon is offering the likes of the Nexus S 4G and EVO Design 4G for a penny, and the powerful Galaxy S II for $49.99.

Still, if the ZTE Fury manages to tickle your fancy in some way, you’ll be happy to know that you can pick one up at your local Sprint store this Sunday, for $19.99 after $50 mail in rebate. Anyone out there heading to Sprint this weekend?

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G lands in some store March 21st, nationwide on the 28th

We knew that the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G would be released sometime in “late March,” but the exact date had remained a mystery until now. T-Mobile has just announced that this “blazing” device will be released nationwide on March 28th. This date follows a previous March 21st pre-release, in which only select stores will be carrying the smartphone.

The device won’t take your breath away, but it is a good upgrade for those that don’t mind a few downsides. For starters, the Blaze 4G won’t come with Android 4.0. It will be released with Android 2.3, only to be updated to Ice Cream Sandwich later on. And it happens to have a 3.97-inch display, which is a size many would believe to be too small amidst 4.3+” behemoths. Granted, it is a Super AMOLED display, so the nice colors might make up for it.

The device also sports a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, NFC, a 5 MP rear-facing camera (720p HD recording), a 1.3 MP front-facing camera. The Blaze 4G also supports T-Mobile’s  HSPA+42 support for faster data speeds. I see it like mid-end device with a high-end punch in some specs.

As we reported last month, the device will cost $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Of course, you will have to sign your wallet away for 2 years, though with T-Mobile being one of the lowest-cost carriers in the U.S., that should be too much of a problem. But if you are already at it, maybe you should check out this device. Honestly, I would throw in the extra $80 to get a Galaxy S II or an HTC Amaze 4G, but this device just might be the right one for you.

Are any of you thinking of signing up for this one?

Official HTC Android 4.0 handset update list – March

HTC’s Android 4.0 update is finally here! Recently, HTC has started pushing out Ice Cream Sandwich to several 2011 devices and we’re expecting the update to hit quite a few more handsets in the weeks to come. So far, HTC has the most extensive list of devices which are expected to be updated to Android 4.0 and we do expect that list to grow a little more.

Jump to the bottom of this page to see if your phone is on the official HTC Android 4.0 update list.

Since we don’t work for HTC, we can’t give you an exact answer, but we can make educated assumptions based on the announcements HTC has made. HTC’s first wave of Android updates will bring Ice Cream Sandwich to its phones powered by dual-core Qualcomm S3 processors. The overwhelming majority of HTC’s phones running on this chip are already on the update list, and we expect the remaining stragglers to be added shortly.

HTC has also announced that the Incredible S, Desire S and Desire HD would also be receiving  the update. Since most of the other HTC phones powered by S2 chips feature most of the same components, we expect other US-specific devices to be added to the update list, as well. HTC phones powered by Qualcomm S1 chips should not expect Android 4.0. HTC has not given us any details about these phones yet, but the fact that Google has chosen to let the Nexus One live out its remaining days on Gingerbread should be all the evidence we need. The HTC EVO 4G, Desire and DROID Incredible all share the same basic configuration and do not have enough memory or processing power to run Android 4.0 as smoothly as HTC would like them to.

Official HTC Android 4.0 handset update list

HTC Sensation – MarchHTC Sensation 4G – MarchHTC Sensation XE – MarchHTC VelocityHTC Sensation XLHTC RezoundHTC VividHTC Amaze 4GHTC EVO 3DHTC EVO Design 4GHTC FlyerHTC Desire SHTC Incredible SDROID Incredible 2HTC ThunderboltHTC RhymeHTC Desire HDHTC Explorer

HTC handsets expected to receive the Android 4.0 update

HTC Desire ZT-Mobile G2HTC Inspire 4GmyTouch 4GmyTouch 4G SlideHTC Hero SHTC MergeHTC EVO Shift 4G

Sprint officially announces the fury of ZTE, come March 11 for $19.99

The fury of ZTE will be available on March 11 for only $20 on the contract, Sprint announced this morning. The fury is presented as a "family-friendly" Android device, that options such as Sprint ' s family Locator, controls the use mobile (you can lock text messages, for example) and Sprint Drive first all cost extra.

As for the phone itself, the fury ' s has a 3.5-inch screen, a camera of 5 megapixels with flash and can be used as a 3 G mobile hotspot. It seems to be running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is powered by a processor GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 Snapdragon 1. He ' s a 4 GB of onboard storage. He ' s a Sprint device ID, so you can also the theme with any number of Sprint ID packs.

More: Sprint

MotoACTV update finally coming March 9, brings 40 new activities with it

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Back in February Motorola teased us about an upcoming update for the MotoACTV, which they said would land around March 7. If you recall, the MotoACTV is Motorola's Android based fitness tracker, and while March 7 was yesterday, Motorola has confirmed the update to be available for tomorrow, March 9. This update will bring calorie tracking, heart rate monitoring and more for 40 new activities such as yoga, tennis, basketball and many others.

In addition to adding the new activities they have also added the ability to flick your wrist to wake up the screen, the ability to set up an account over Wifi, and you can host or join competitions with your friends. Keep your eyes peeled for the update, and be sure to sing out in the forums when it becomes available for you!

Source: Motorola

March 10 Galaxy S II ICS upgrade date posted in error, says Samsung Korea

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Yesterday Samsung's Filipino site published statement announcing that the Galaxy S II would be receiving the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, starting tomorrow, Mar. 10. Since then, Samsung has stepped in via its official Korean Twitter account to say that the article was posted in error, and that any official date will come straight from them.

This isn't the first time a supposedly official date for the long-awaited update has been rescinded. Last week Samsung Israel took to Facebook to announce that the update would land on Mar. 15, and that post has since vanished. With all this talk of updates arriving in the next week or so, though, we're sure Galaxy S II owners won't have too long to wait.

Source: @SamsungTomorrow; via: The Verge

Flying to SXSW? Get your Android device online free through March 16 of 35 000 feet

Just a quick head for you people to fly to Austin, Texas, for SXSW - GoGo Inflight Internet is free if you ' re flight Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in Austin from March 10-16. This means that you can use the app Android GoGo to keep Android Central while you read ' re at 35,000 feet. And that ' s a good thing.

Read more

Galaxy S II ICS update coming March 10, says Samsung Philippines

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Update: And ... it looks like the announcement has been taken down. Let's just keep our fingers crossed.

It looks like the Galaxy S II's Ice Cream Sandwich update may be imminent. Samsung has just announced on its official Philippines site that the long-awaited update will finally land this Saturday, Mar. 10. Today's news follows a Facebook post from Samsung Israel last week, which suggested a Mar. 15 launch in that country.

In the past day or so we've seen HTC update a couple of its leading 2011 devices to the latest version of Android -- ICS for the Sensation and Sensation XE is slowly trickling out, starting with users in Germany and Nordic countries.

So it's definitely ICS update season, and we look forward to seeing the new OS work its way onto more devices in the weeks ahead. The (international) Samsung Galaxy Note and Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc series are due to be updated before the end of the month.

Source: Samsung Philippines; via: Engadget