Google posts updated 4.1.1 binaries for Nexus phones, including the Nexus S 4G

Google has posted the updated JRO03H (Android 4.1.1) closed binary files today, including those for the Nexus S4G.  That means one thing -- expect about a bazillion new AOSP Jelly Bean ROMs to be ready for download shortly, especially for the Sprint Nexus S. Before you ask, this has nothing to do with any OTA. These are the files that folks need to build Jelly Bean from the source code, and get everything working like it should. Developers have been working with the existing 4.1.1 source code since it dropped, but with these files there's 100-percent less hackery needed to get things like cameras, NFC, and Wimax working as intended on supported phones. While we see new files for the GSM Nexus phones, the Xoom, and even the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, Sprint's Galaxy Nexus is still absent.

As we saw when the Ice Cream Sandwich binaries were released, it could be more than a month until Google and Sprint get any OTA worked up, so this is a solid option if you need the butter. We all love the butter.

Don't fret if you're not up to speed with things like fastboot and flashing, because there's a great group of fellows in the Nexus S 4G forums who live to play with this sort of thing. Head in there, poke around a bit, then holler for any help you need. You'll be running Jelly Bean in no time.

Source: Google. Thanks, everyone who sent this in!

Sony announces the Xperia GX and SX - new, buttonless ICS phones for Japan

Sony continues its tradition of launching desirable new products in Japan first, with today's announcement of two sleek new smartphones in its home territory -- the Xperia GX and Xperia SX. Both phones run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and jettison the traditional capacitive keys found on older handsets in favor of more up-to-date (and Android style guide compliant) virtual keys. The SX boasts that it's the world's lightest LTE smartphone, while the GX looks to be a spiritual successor to last year's Xperia Arc.

The Xperia GX bears a striking physical resemblance to the rumored Sony LT29i Hayabusa, and the specs are a pretty close match, too. It's got a 4.6-inch 720p Sony Reality display, a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU -- an unnamed chip, but rumored to be a Snapdragon S4, a 13MP EXMOR R rear camera and 16GB internal storage. A tantalizing bag of tricks to be sure, and one that easily matches the high-end offerings from other manufacturers.

Meanwhile, Sony's also launching what it says is the world's lightest LTE smartphone, the Xperia SX, which weighs just 95 grams. This is a 3.7-incher with a slightly chunkier design, but similar specs to its big brother. It's got a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 8GB internal flash and an 8MP EXMOR R rear camera, plus Japan-specific features like IR data exchange and mobile TV. Both SX and GX come in black and white, and are to launch in Japan this summer.

We have to say, the Xperia GX in particular looks like a gorgeous piece of kit, with some tasty internal hardware. Our fingers are firmly crossed for an international launch for this device in the months ahead. Come on, Sony, let's bring this thing to Europe (and maybe America, too). People want to give you their money.

We've got the full press release, and more photos, after the break.

Source: Sony; read more

HBO Go and Max Go updated with ICS support, but for phones only

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

HBO Go and MAX Go, streaming video-on-demand services from Home Box Office, have both been updated to support Ice Cream Sandwich devices. It's been a long time coming, and subscribers to the pay channels who want to stream video to their Android devices can finally do so with the latest phones, but only phones. It seems that HBO has decided not to include tablets in this update, nor any Google TV devices. 

To be fair, we're not sure if this is an oversight, a technical issue, or something else. We are sure that it works on the iPad, and if coded correctly, any app that runs on ICS on our phones should run on our tablets as well. I've reached out to Home Box Office, so maybe they will have the answers. In the meantime, you can grab the apps at the links below and enjoy them on your phones.

download HBO Go | download MAX Go

Why don’t more Android phones have a MAXX battery?

Talk time up to 21 hours. Watch movies 2.5x longer than you can on Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Browse 93% longer than you can on the HTC Rezound.

This week Motorola is releasing a series of videos to show how the RAZR MAXX is besting the competition. They placed the RAZR MAXX against the iPhone 4S and LG Spectrum to show how the devices stacked up when using turn-by-turn navigation. To no surprise, both competing devices died within hours, while the RAZR MAXX still had 40% battery left at the end of the trip.

HTC says consumers would rather have thin phones, but Motorola managed to stuff a 3,300 mAh battery inside a phone that measures only 8.99 mm thick.

The battery life on the Droid RAZR MAXX is freaking amazing, so why haven’t more handset makers copied Motorola?

Deal: Amazon selling all Sprint phones for a penny

Amazon Wireless is running a deal for you Sprint customers looking for an upgrade. All of Sprint’s Android phones are on sale at Amazon for $0.01 with a new two-year agreement. Sure, you won’t be able to get your hands on the Galaxy Nexus or LG Viper LTE devices, but you can get your hands on the likes of the Epic 4G Touch on the cheap.

While we can’t say it’s a good time to be in the market for a Sprint device before this Sunday, if you’ve been holding out for one of Sprint’s current devices, you can’t beat a penny. The deal runs through April 30th, so hopefully we’ll see them sneak in the Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper.

Update: HTC is moving away from QWERTY keyboard phones

HTC fans hoping for a new Android phone equipped with a QWERTY keyboard will be extremely disappointed to learn that HTC is moving away from producing new devices with physical keyboards. HTC creative director Claude Zellweger made the announcement in Seattle during a press event, stating “As a company the QWERTY keyboard we’re moving away from in general.” Zellweger goes on to say “putting too much effort into that [QWERTY phones] would take away from our devices.” Rather than spending extra time on new hardware designs for QWERTY equipped devices, HTC will focus on improving its on-screen keypad software to consumers.

Even though most of the popular smartphones released in the past few years have not had physical keyboards, QWERTY devices have played a key role in the development of Android and its growth since the very beginning. Couple today’s news with HTC’s revelation from yesterday that they scrapped  plans to release 3,000+ mAh battery-toting devices and you have  a recipe which will produce some angry and frustrated HTC fans.

Having owned three QWERTY phones made by HTC, I am personally disappointed to hear that there may never be a true T-Mobile G3 device to replace my G2. Do you think HTC is making the right decision by abandoning development of new QWERTY devices?

Update: It seems we jumped to conclusions a bit too early. Claude has clarified a few things in another statement, acknowledging that there is a “diehard community” waiting for new QWERTY devices, but HTC is waiting for a few technologies to mature before they test the waters again.

I think the market's there, the sort of the diehard community, they keep wanting it, there's definitely still a market for it. We feel that putting too much effort in that would take away from our main focus, being a whole-screen device. I think people recognize the trade-off with size. There are a couple of technologies that we are waiting to sort of mature that could make a big bump suddenly in the evolution, that we are looking at very closely.Claude Zellweger

Verizon to double 4G LTE markets by end of 2012, only unveil LTE-capable phones

Today Verizon Wireless announced they would more than double the number of markets for the nation’s fastest 4G network. Verizon currently offers 4G LTE service in about 200 markets, but they plan to be in at least 400 markets by the end of 2012. In a separate story, Greg Bensinger of Dow Jones Newswire also reported that Verizon would only unveil smartphones capable of running on its 4G LTE network, in order to encourage subscribers to upgrade from 3G devices.

“Our commitment to expanding and enhancing our 4G LTE network is enabling more customers across the country to enjoy the benefits of the most popular wireless devices. We will continue investing in our 4G LTE network and working with key partners to ensure our customers have access to the best products and services available,” said David Small, CTO of Verizon Wireless.

Verizon launched their 4G LTE network last year and offered the HTC Thunderbolt as their first LTE smartphone. Almost all of Verizon’s high-end Android lineup is now LTE-capable, but only 5% of their subscribers have moved to the faster network.

On Thursday, March 15, Verizon will introduce its 4G LTE network in Dothan and Enterprise, Ala.; Naples, Fla.; Greenville, N.C.; Altus and Durant, Okla.; and Longview/Marshall, Texas. The company will also expand its 4G LTE network in Washington, D.C.; Elkhart, Ind.; Baltimore, Md.; Columbus, Miss.; Northern N.J.; Wilmington, N.C.; Duncan, Okla.; Allentown/Bethlehem, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Pa.; Hilton Head, S.C.; Cleveland, Tenn.; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; and Kenosha, Madison and Milwaukee, Wis.

Customers can visit verizonwireless.com/lte for a full list of 4G LTE markets.

Verizon still advertises that 4G LTE users should expect download speeds of 5-12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2-5 Mbps. I’ve been on Verizon’s LTE network since December and I typically see speeds of 20 Mbps down and up, but I expect them to slow down as more customers move over to LTE.

I have been fully satisfied with my Galaxy Nexus smartphone on Verizon’s LTE network, but there have been some growing pains. Verizon Wireless has experienced several LTE outages in the last couple months, but most have been brief.

We have a lot of Verizon fans in our community, but I’m not sure how many are using LTE devices. If you have a 4G LTE device, please share your personal experiences with the network and if you still have a 3G device then let us know what is holding you back from upgrading.

HTC One camera wins shootout with the best Android phones

You already watched the unboxing and the new TV ad, so why not see what the HTC One X camera can do? One of the main things I’m looking forward to in HTC’s new lineup is ImageSense. With this new technology, HTC thinks they can rival digital point and shoot cameras with improvements to every part of the camera, including the lens, the sensor, the software, and even integrating a new custom HTC ImageChip.

Today’s new video demonstrates just how good the HTC One X camera is compared to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Sony Xperia S. We can see the One takes a photo in just 0.7 seconds, and it takes 4 photos per second (max of 99) in the burst mode. Best of all, these exciting new camera features are available across HTC’s entire One lineup (X, S, and V).

I recently found myself using my camera more than ever, and I admit that I’m a little disappointed with the Galaxy Nexus camera. It can take great photos, but it’s slow to start up and it struggles with low light situations.  It’s nice to see HTC raise the bar for camera phones, and we hope more handset makers follow.

How important is camera performance for your next smartphone purchase?

Highlights of HTC ImageSense include:

Superfast Capture - HTC One dramatically reduces the time it takes to capture those key moments. In just 0.7 seconds you’re able to take a shot, and with a new superfast 0.2-seconds autofocus, continue to take nearly unlimited continuous shots simply by holding the shutter button.Good photos in adverse conditions - HTC One delivers dramatic enhancements in image capture quality even in adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting. The f/2.0 lens on the HTC One X and HTC One S offers best-in-class performance, capturing 40 percent more light than the f/2.4 lenses available on other high-end phones. HTC One also includes HDR, a market-leading technology, for taking great photos even when there are varying levels of brightness.Video Pic (Concurrent Video/Still Capture) - With Video Pic you capture a photo and shoot video at the same time. Now, while you’re shooting HD video, all you have to do is tap the shutter button and it snaps a high-resolution still photo while the video continues to shoot. You are also able to capture a photo frame from a previously recorded video.Dropbox integrated with HTC Sense - HTC One gives you an easy way to save and share your photos and videos. HTC has integrated Dropbox into HTC Sense 4 enabling HTC One customers to get 25 gigabytes of free Dropbox space for two years. That’s enough to keep more than 10,000 high-quality photos. Dropbox is also integrated throughout HTC Sense 4, so it’s easy to edit, save and share your documents and other kinds of files.Sharing your photos and more - HTC One gives you a new way to share your photos and videos. When you plug in HTC’s wireless Media Link HD* accessory into your TV’s HDMI port, you can easily share your photos, videos, or anything else on your phone with your friends, family or colleagues regardless of the television’s brand as long as it has HDMI.

Google Play Store Version 3.4.7 fixes link on Moto phones

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

The Google Play Store has been updated to Version 3.4.7. We repeat: The Google Play Store has been updated to Verison 3.4.7. You folks on Motorola phones can now hit that secondary store link in your app drawer without fear of failure.

That is all.

Camera ICS+ brings Ice Cream Sandwich camera to non ICS phones

 

The stock Ice Cream Sandwich camera application is pretty nice. Clean and simple interface, really easy to use, and of course that built in panorama mode is awesome. A developer by the name of Moblynx has taken the stock app, and tweaked it ever so slightly to add some nice extra features. Up until now the app has only been available for Honeycomb and ICS devices. Today it received an update, that now lets anyone on Froyo and Gingerbread join in. 

There is a free version -- but seriously who wants ads in their camera app? The paid version currently sets you back £0.79/$0.99. For that you get the stock ICS camera application with some added bonuses. You get some built in photo effects like mono and sepia, silent mode, a picture quality setting that goes all the way up to ultra, a silent mode and of course the panorama feature to name but a few.

Running the app on an ICS device also gets you additional video stabilization features and 720p face effects. 

Besides opening up to 2.2 and 2.3 devices, todays update also includes Intel x86 support, configurable volume buttons and a host of bugfixes. Download links to the paid version can be found after the break. 

Fastest Android Phone more >>

Practice with the Android 4.0 LTE phones two of the ZTE - PF200 and N910

Forward to Mobile World Congress 2012, ZTE had announced two phones LTE Ice Cream Sandwich running, and we had the chance to play with at least a unit of work in Barcelona. A rep at the booth of ETZ told me that two of these phones are falling of the North America, but in view of the significant language barrier, they may have been mistaken.

The Input Language for Android Phones

Android phones have built-in spell checking that can automatically correct or make recommendations on misspellings as you type. Android's default keyboard can also make recommendations on words that you have not even completed yet. In order for spell checking and auto-complete to work properly, set your Android phone to expect the correct input language.

The input language does not change your phone's keyboard to provide you with different characters or a different arrangement. It only changes the dictionary of words that the spell checking and auto-complete algorithms use. You can also set the input language for your Android phone's voice recognition feature. Like the keyboard language setting, the voice recognizer language setting defines what words the recognizer looks for.

Your phone's input language settings are located in the "Language and Keyboard" section of the "Settings" menu. Tap the name of the onscreen keyboard that you use in the language and keyboard menu to access that keyboard's settings. Tap "Input Languages," then tap any of the languages in the list that you want to use for language input. A check appears in the check box next to each selected language. Select "Voice Input & Output Setup" from your phone's main Settings menu, then select "Voice Recognizer" to change your phone's recognition language. Tap "Language" and select the language you use when speaking into your phone.

If your phone is running Android 2.3 or if you have installed the Gingerbread keyboard, you can quickly and easily swap input languages on your phone's onscreen keyboard. Drag your finger to the left or right on the onscreen keyboard's spacebar to scroll through the list of languages that you checked in the keyboard's Input Languages menu. You can also access the keyboard's Settings menu to select new languages by tapping and holding the microphone icon on the keyboard until the Settings icon appears above it. Tap the Settings icon to open the keyboard settings screen.

Android's default keyboard supports a variety of accented and alternate characters, but it can take significantly longer to type with them. To type in a language that uses characters that are not readily available on the Android keyboard, download and install a different keyboard for your phone from the Android Market. Some keyboards, such as MultiLing, immediately support multiple character layouts. Others, such as GO Keyboard and Smart KeyBoard PRO, support multiple character layouts once you have downloaded the correct character layout from the Android Market.

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How Do You Get the Big Eagle in "Angry Birds" for Android Phones?

If you find yourself stuck on a level of "Angry Birds," the Mighty Eagle can swoop in to save the day. This massive unlockable bird wipes out all the enemies on your screen. As of the date of publication, the Mighty Eagle is only available for Android users on the T-Mobile network, and you can purchase it for $1 from the T-Mobile Mall.

Difficulty:Easy1

Text the phrase "BIRDS" to 6255. It may take a few minutes to get a response to your text message.

2

Open the reply message and click the provided link. This launches your phone's browser and directs you to the T-Mobile Mall page.

3

Scroll down the T-Mobile Mall home page and click the link that reads "Angry Birds Exclusive." Clicking this link may cause your browser to adjust some of its settings and launch a popup message. Follow the directions on the message, then click "Continue Browsing."

4

Click "Download Angry Birds" and "Buy" to begin the download. The Mighty Eagle purchase is added to your monthly bill, and your phone displays a confirmation message once your download is complete.

The T-Mobile version of Angry Birds is available for the following models of Android phones: HTC G2, myTouch 4G, myTouch 4G Slide, HTC Nexus One, HTC Sensation, LG Optimus T, LG Thrill, T-Mobile G2X, Motorola Charm, Motorola Defy, Motorola Cliq2, Samsung Gravity Touch 2, Samsung Exhibit, T-Mobile Sidekick 4G, Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Vibrant 4G, and Nexus S.

Purchase the Mighty Eagle also grants you 25 percent off any subsequent T-Mobile Mall purchases.

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How to Block SMS on Android Phones

Download an anti-SMS application to reduce the unwanted messages you receive. Many Android users criticize "short message service," or SMS, as a source of unwanted spam. Throughout the world, unsolicited SMS has become a sizable annoyance. The amount of these unsolicited texts has increased as a result of mobile communication's continued boom. Yet the improvement in smartphone technology has a bright side: a surge of applications designed to streamline mobile use by blocking specified SMS messages. These applications are simple to use, and you may not have to pay to access them.

Difficulty:Moderately Easy1

Find this free app, which blocks undesired spam, for your Android. Websites such as Android Market and AppBrain make it easily available. To access apps on Android Market, first register your smartphone with the site.

2

Download the application to your phone. Most websites give you two ways to do this: You may download the site's web installer to directly put the app on your phone, or the site will offer a QR code. To use the latter method, open your Android's barcode scanner, then scan the QR with the phone.

3

Click on the application's icon on your Android to open it.

4

Click "Settings;" and enter "1" for the U.S. phone country code. This action will start the app's SMS-blocking capacity.

1

Try Call Blocker, another free application. It bars unwanted calls as well as SMS. Follow Steps 1 to 3 from Section 1 "SMS Blocker by Optinno" above, to start.

2

Press the "Blacklist" button, and add a number that frequently sends you unsought SMS. This action blocks that number from sending additional messages.

3

Click "Privacy Eraser" to delete all messages sent by blacklisted numbers from your phone. This step activates Call Blocker and will stop unwanted SMS.

1

Purchase PrivacyManager for Android, available from Cellularity. This product establishes a profile for the Android phone user, letting you accept or reject SMS messages as they arrive. Instructions for downloading PrivacyManager arrive after you buy it. Open the program, click on "SMS Control," then "Reject SMS from Blocked List." Press "Edit Blacklist," then add the unwanted phone number. Hit "Enter Number" to complete the action.

2

Buy Anti SMS Spam Pro, carried by AppBrain. Follow Steps 2 and 3 for "SMS Block by Optinno" after purchasing the app. It features password protection and around-the-clock tech support for users. However, it can conflict with other applications on your Android that are based on SMS functioning. Instructions for using this program are provided upon purchase.

3

Utilize Extreme Call Blocker Droid, available for purchase from Android Market. The app, with a heavy focus on smartphone user privacy, has recently become compatible with Android 2.3. Follow Steps 2 and 3 for "SMS Blocker by Optinno" to install the app onto your phone. Further instructions are provided exclusively to those who purchase the product.

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