HTC Leaks Android Jelly Bean Device Update List

Each new version of Google’s Android operating system that rolls out will inevitably bring about a whole lot of chatter - especially when it concerns the different kinds of hardware manufacturers who have a bunch of Android-powered devices in tow, as owners of those devices are left scratching their heads, wondering whether their devices (tablet, phablets and smartphones alike) will make the cut when it comes to an upgrading exercise. Well, those who are of the HTC persuasion should sit tight - a list of HTC devices has been leaked, and these will be on the receiving end of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Normally, it takes months after the release of the latest Android version to hit the various devices and hardware in the market, and sometimes, it is due to the complex relationship that mobile carriers and the hardware manufacturers have. Still, Football4PDA, a Twitter feed that has come up with reliable rumors in the past (especially the latest Nokia Lumia range with its wireless charging accessories), has obtained a list of all HTC devices that will get the Jelly Bean upgrade.

Bear in mind that the leaked list is in no way a full or definite answer of what the future holds, but at least it provides a general roadmap. Without further ado, the HTC devices that will be updated to Android Jelly Bean are the HTC One X+ (Evitare), HTC One XL (Evita), HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE (Fireball), HTC EVO 4G LTE (Jewel), HTC One SV (K2), HTC One VX (Totem C2), HTC One S (Ville), HTC One S C2 (Ville C2), and the HTC J ISW13HT (Valente).

Of course, the HTC One X was earlier confirmed to receive the update, and you would realize that older smartphones such as the HTC Sensation and Desire X are missing from the list. HTC did mention before that their handsets that have 512MB or less RAM will not be part of the Android Jelly Bean update, and while those devices have more than 512MB, they do seem to be at the end of their update life cycle. Bummer.

Source: Football4PDA 

Android 4.1.2 for Galaxy S3 with Multi-Window Support!

When the Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S3 was first released, many were missing some of the features offered on the Galaxy Note 2. Thankfully, Samsung soon upgraded the Galaxy Note to 4.1.2. At XDA Developers, you can find a pre-release version of the build, which I have installed and tested. I especially like the new multi-window function, a real asset for any Galaxy S3 user.

I downloaded the update via Sammobile and installed it on Friday night using Odin. So far, I haven't been able to find any bugs – amazing for an unofficial pre-release version of the software. Besides the multi-window feature, Android 4.1.2 brings the look and feel of the Galaxy Note 2's picture gallery to the Galaxy S3. The 3D animations here look damn good.

Another nifty new feature is called "Intelligent Rotation." This allows your front-facing camera to recognize when your phone is lying on its side and will not rotate the the screen from portrait to landscape (helpful for reading in bed). Also, the update includes the app "Paper Artist," which allows you to colorize photos or transform your favorite pics into artful sketches. 

But the biggest star in this update is the multi-window function, which allows you to run two apps on your Galaxy S3 side-by-side. This works particularly well in landscape mode, where the 4.8-inch screen is large enough to fit two programs. The easiest way to begin multi-windowing is by pressing and holding the back button. Then, on the left edge of the screen pops a bar with all the apps that support this feature. These include essential applications like your browser, Google Maps and GMail. 

Starting a second app divides your screen into two equal halves, but the sizes of the two windows are actually scalable. If you want, you can temporarily leave an app and the other – still opened – app will fill the whole screen again. Pressing the back button again restores the first set up. 

As I've written, although this is a Beta version, it seems to be quite stable. Nevertheless, anyone who wants to flash it should be aware that it is not official firmware yet. If you don't know how to flash, you should wait for Sammy's official update.

Galaxy S4 Super Screen

February 2013 will see the release of the much debated and anticipated Samsung Galaxy s4. One of the most exciting feature is the Samsung super screen, the 5 inch full HD AMOLED panel.

The Galaxy range has given Samsung a commanding role in the smartphone market across all markets. From the entry level Galaxy Pocket to all conquering Galaxy S3 that was the market’s hit of 2012, which may just be my opinion.

With 2013 fast approaching there have been rumors about the Galaxy S4. This is a highly anticipated release and looking at some of the rumored features it is easy to see why. The most exciting of such rumors is the 5 inch full HD AMOLED panels that Samsung is rumored to be unveiling at CES in January 2013.

The Samsung super screen is said to have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a staggering pixel density of 441 PPI or pixels per inch. To put this in contrast, the iPhone retina’s specs only boasts of 326 PPI. This is a very exciting development and I for one am very excited to see the clarity that this screen is going feature.

Although this is the feature I am most looking forward to it’s not the only feature that has made its way into the rumor mill. Other features include the device coming in a 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and a massive 128GB variation. As well as 3GB RAM, 3,200 mAh battery as well as a Skype-ready 1.9 megapixel front facing camera.

Rumor has it that the device will be release in February of next year.

Source: Gadget Guru 

Samsung 5.5-Inch Flexible Display Headed For CES 2013

Samsung has been dealing with flexible displays for some time now, or at least, toying with the idea of releasing such technology into the mass market, but they might have made an important inroad with their subsidiary, Samsung Display showcasing a couple of flexible displays at CES 2013 next month. The first of these two flexible displays will target smartphone users, sporting a rather generous 5.5-inches of viewing real estate at 1280 × 720 HD resolution, while the other would be a massive 55-incher for television use.

Now, many of you would be thinking, just what do flexible displays have to do with Android? Everything! You have Android-powered smartphones and tablets, and if Samsung Display perfects this technology, we could be looking at a revolutionary change of the mobile phone industry in terms of design and use. Remember the Nokia 3210 that proved to be iconic in its time as it was the first model without them pesky antennas? Think of how your smartphone use would change if it came with a flexible display.

Samsung maintains that these flexible displays can be bent, but if you were wondering whether you could be an electronic ninja by rolling them up like scrolls, think again - that is just impossible (at this juncture). Perhaps Samsung will tell all at CES 2013, which is happening a mere three weeks plus away, and would there be a prototype device to wow the crowd?

What you see at CES 2013 will just be a component instead of a finished product that is ready to rock and roll in the mass market. Something tells us that the folks at the Samsung Display booth there will need to get ready plenty of cloth to rub those flexible screens free of thumbprints.

Source: Engadget 

Australian carrier Telstra pushing out Jelly Bean update to Samsung Galaxy S3

Australian Samsung Galaxy S3 owners on the nations Telstra network have cause for celebration today. The carrier has begun what is a staggered Jelly Bean rollout that will see all devices become 'eligible' over the course of the next 14 days. Over on the Telstra support forums the details of how the update will roll out have been posted.

Just a quick one to let everyone know that the Galaxy S 3 Jelly Bean 4.1.1 update has commenced deployment early (as at 2:30PM EDT today). As with all Samsung updates the FOTA deployment is staggered. The “staggered” deployment means that the FOTA update will be progressively rolled out to customers over a two week period. The deployment schedule is:

Day 1-3 : 10k of devices selected at random to be eligible for update, users are either alerted via FOTA Push Message or by manually checking

Day 4-13: An additional 10% of devices are selected per day

Day 14: All devices are now eligible for update

The FOTA update should be downloaded via Wi-Fi as data usage charges will apply if downloaded via the mobile network. The update will be available to all customers via Kies from 2:30PM EDT Wednesday 19 December.

If you're rocking one of these, be sure to check your updates in the settings menu on your Galaxy S3, or plug into Kies. If you manage to grab the update, drop into the comments below, or our Samsung Galaxy S3 forums and share your thoughts with us. 

Source: AndroidCentral

Galaxy S2 Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean Update Delayed

Samsung’s Galaxy S2 might not be the newest smartphone on the block, but that does not mean it is a pushover either, and it deserves to receive the latest operating system updates. The thing is, we have just gotten word that the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update has been delayed yet again, and it is certainly trying the patience of Galaxy S2 owners everywhere.

First of all, to get some context, Samsung Sweden reported in October this year that Samsung will be rolling out the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy S2 this coming November. We all know that November has come and gone, and we are at the tail end of the year already, with no Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean in sight either.

This is after Samsung Sweden played deity and shifted the date from November to December, and then January 2013 was the latest cited date. Perhaps the folks over at Samsung Sweden were a little tipsy, but we wished that they did not get false hopes lighted up like that.

Perhaps the delay in Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean for the Galaxy S2 has something to do with the loopholes and vulnerabilities found in Samsung’s Exynos processor, hence the more pressing need to patch up these loopholes before such a firmware could be released. Either way, it seems that this Christmas will not see the latest Jelly Bean version running on your Galaxy S2, and you will just have to wait it out until the new year comes by.

Is patience your strong suit?

Source: SamMobile  

Ranking The Android Phones And Tablets With The Best Battery Life

Nobody likes watching their smartphone slowly die when they’re out late at night. And it’s easy to hate your tablet when it dies halfway through a ten-hour airplane ride. So how can you make sure these situations never happen to you? Well, one of the best ways is to look at the battery life rankings of various Android tablets and smartphones.

As reported by TechCrunch, some Androids have incredibly powerful battery lives, while others fall disappointingly short. How do you know which one is best for you? Take a look at these charts:

WHICH APPLICATIONS DRAIN YOUR BATTERY THE MOST?

If you want to preserve battery life as much as possible, you should remove certain applications from your phone. The report revealed the list of the worst battery killer apps on the market today:

Remember: rooting your Android can significantly improve its battery life thanks to apps that restrict Android performance when it’s not necessary. To root your phone today, check out OneClickRoot!

Samsung to Launch Galaxy Young Duos at MWC 2013

Samsung is not just famous for their flagship Galaxy S series, but there are several others under the Galaxy brand, one of them is Galaxy DUOS series. The specialty of this series is that it comes with dual-SIM feature, which is getting really famous nowadays, especially among teenagers.

MWC 2013 is around the corner and we know that every year, Samsung is the show stopper at MWC but this year, they are not just planning to come with high end devices, but also keeping in focus some mid-range phones like the DUOS series, as according to SAMMOBILE, Samsung is planning to launch Samsung Galaxy Young DUOS at the mega event.

The model number is GT-S6312, and what we know so far is that it will feature a dual-SIM connectivity and it will come in two colors, grayish blue and white. So lets wait for MWC 2013 and some amazing devices from Samsung as well. Are you looking forward to them, tell us about it in the comment box below.

HTC M7 Prepared For A February 2013 Debut

Every smartphone company would need a flagship device to keep the colors flying, and it is no different with HTC. In fact, the rumored HTC M7 is said to be lined up for a February 2013 debut at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, and we have some leaked details on what you can expect underneath the hood after the jump.

It seems that an anonymous (although believed to be reliable) source claims that the HTC M7 will deliver some industry firsts, such as the first Full HD 4.7-inch display that packs a whopping 468PPI pixel density, making it some 40% higher compared to what the iPhone 5 from Apple offers, while sharing a similar optical lamination technology.

Dubbed as the SoLux display, it is also touted to come with a range of visual improvements compared to the previous generation of Super LCD 2 displays, helping boost viewing angles, outdoor visibility, and color accuracy.

Apart from that, you should be able to find a second-generation quad-core processor from Qualcomm underneath the hood, which has been clocked at 1.7GHz for each core. That would be aided by 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage space should be comfortable for many, should it happen to lack a memory expansion slot.

In all probability, the HTC M7 should ship with Android 4.1 (or 4.2, who knows?) Jelly Bean in tow, and obviously being a HTC device, it would be skinned with the latest version of HTC’s Sense 5 user interface enhancement.

Other than that, the rumor mill has yielded some other juicy features such as a 13-megapixel CCD sensor as well as an even larger f/2.0 lens. Known as Cinesensor, this improved and larger sensor is said to deliver increased image quality and improved features, including super slow-motion and video HDR. The front camera can capture video in 1080p to boot.

A Beats-enabled amplifier and a next-generation Wi-Fi standard (802.11ac) have also been penciled in. In all, the HTC M7 should figure out on Verizon and Sprint in the US, and we look forward in anticipation.

The Top 5 Android Smartphones Coming Out In 2013

2013 will be another exciting year in the world of Android. Here are some of the top devices that will be released over the next 12 months:

5) HTC M7

The HTC M7 narrowly beat out the HTC EVO 4G LTE 2 for 5^th place on our list. The HTC M7 isn’t even the official name of the device, but it’s what HTC and the Android community is calling it thus far. And since it’s rumored to be released sometime in the first half of 2013, we’ll know a lot more about the HTC M7 very soon.

Here are some of the rumored features included on the HTC M7:

-5-inhc HD display with 441 ppi and 1080p resolution

-Quad core Qualcomm processor

-4G LTE connectivity

Meanwhile, very little is known about the next update to the EVO series, which just recently received its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean upgrade. However, expect it to have similar features to the M7 – including an HD screen and of course, 4G LTE coverage.

4) THE NEXT MOTOROLA DROID

This is the only device on the list that we don’t know the name of – yet. The next Motorola Droid will follow in the footsteps of the Droid RAZR HD, Droid RAZR MAXX HD, and other interestingly named smartphones.

It’s impossible to predict what name the next Motorola Droid will feature, and it’s impossible to guess what kind of features to expect. However, with all Android phones, the trend seems to be bigger HD screens, larger batteries, and the latest Android OS.

3) NEXUS 5

The Nexus 4 is truly an amazing smartphone. It’s too bad that it’s been sold out since its release, or else it could be the best-selling Android phone on the planet.

The Nexus 4 – despite all its power and popularity – comes with one major drawback: it doesn’t feature 4G LTE data coverage. With hundreds of 4G LTE hotspots found throughout North America and the world, 4G LTE coverage is a must-have for any modern smartphone.

Expect the Nexus 5 to feature 4G LTE coverage as well as other high-end specifications. And, like its predecessor, expect the Nexus 5 to include a comparatively cheap out-of-contract price – which is basically the Nexus’s most attractive selling feature.

And of course, Nexus fans can expect the Nexus 5 to include the latest version of Android’s operating system, which would most likely be Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie.

2) SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 3

Samsung’s most popular smartphones take the top 2 spots on our list. Although the Note 2 was just released, the Note 3 should also be released sometime towards late 2013. Few details are known or even suspected about the newest member of the phablet family thus far, although Samsung will likely try to include a larger screen that matches the HD resolution of the S4. The Note 3 is rumored to feature a massive 6.3-inch display, which would make it just .7 inches smaller than many lower-end tablets.

1) SAMSUNG GALAXY S4

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is the most popular Android smartphone of all time, so it makes sense that its successor, the S4, takes top spot on our list. We’ve talked about the S4 before here and here, and every rumor we’ve heard so far gets us more excited.

Rumored Galaxy S4 features include:

-13MP camera

-Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie operating system

-5 inch AMOLED screen with 1920×1080 resolution (that’s full HD)

-441 pixels-per-inch (ppi)

-Quad core processor

-Some rumors state that the S4’s screen will be “unbreakable” because it will be made out of a new flexible plastic material. Bendy phones anyone?

So yes, you can expect the Galaxy S to be one of the world’s most powerful and amazing smartphones for another year in a row. Although release date details remain hazy, many rumors point towards the S4 having an earlier release than the S3, which was released in April 2012. Look for the S4 around March 2013.

How To Make Your Android Run Like It’s A Stock Device

For those who don’t already know, there are two broad groups of Android devices. There are stock Android devices which run the ‘vanilla’ Android operating system, and then there are third-party Androids which run a modified version of that operating system.

Any device with ‘Nexus’ in its name – like the Nexus 4, Nexus 7, or Samsung Galaxy Nexus – is considered a stock Android device with the basic Android OS installed. Meanwhile, popular Android smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S3 come with a version of Android that was modified by Samsung to include Samsung apps and dozens of UI changes.

Stock Android is pure Android. Stock Androids tend to be faster and contain less bloatware. The UI is cleaner and more reliant on default Google apps.

It’s easy to appreciate stock Android. And if you want to experience the magic of stock Android on your non-stock Android device, then there are three ways you can do that:

METHOD 1) ROOT YOUR ANDROID USING ONE CLICK ROOT

Rooting strips away all of the ‘improvements’ that have been made to the Android OS on your device. When you use a program like One Click Root, rooting only takes a few minutes to complete. And once you have root access to your Android, it will run a vanilla version of Android.

Rooting also gives you access to a number of other unique apps and cool rooting benefits.

METHOD 2) BUY A STOCK ANDROID DEVICE

There are plenty of Stock Androids available for sale today. Many of them are made by Google. Unfortunately, Google’s smartphones and tablets are notoriously difficult to buy because – for whatever reason – Google never makes enough to keep up with demand.

If you want to buy into the stock Android experience, you can check out the following devices:

-Nexus 4

-Nexus 7

-Nexus 10

-Samsung Galaxy Nexus

METHOD 3) INSTALLING APPS THAT LOOK LIKE STOCK ANDROID

If you don’t want to pay for a new Android and don’t want to root it yourself, then you can easily download some apps that make your device look like it’s running stock Android. Here are some of our favorite stock Android-looking apps that will improve the appearance of your smartphone or tablet:

Lockscreen: Your lockscreen is the first thing you notice when you turn on your Android. It’s a central part of the vanilla Android experience. You can create a nice-looking vanilla lockscreen thanks to a free app called Holo Locker.

Launcher: Once you’ve unlocked your phone, you’ll want to use a vanilla Android launcher to access your apps in the most authentic way possible. Download the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean launcher from the Google Play Store in order to setup your homescreens like they look on any stock Android device.

Camera: Third-party Androids come with their own camera app installed. You can download the stock Android camera experience for Jelly Bean here or for Ice Cream Sandwich here

Photo gallery: I don’t know about you, but I spent a lot of time browsing through my lovely Android gallery of photos. It’s one of the most-used apps on my phone, and the minimalistic interface of the stock Android gallery app makes browsing through photos a breeze. Download the Ice Cream Sandwich gallery for free from here.

Other Android apps to download if you want to access the stock Android experience (or at least make your phone look like it’s accessing the stock Android experience):

-Calculator

-Clock

-Jelly Bean 4.2 Keyboard

-Jelly Bean Messaging apps

-Calendar

-Ice Cream Sandwich browser

CONCLUSION – SHOULD YOU USE STOCK ANDROID?

If you don’t want to spend a few minutes rooting your Android, then you can make your Android look and perform like it’s a stock system by downloading the apps we’ve linked to above.

When you use stock Android, you’re using Android the way Google intended you to use it. When you use an Android that’s been modified by third-parties like Samsung, HTC, or LG, you’ve diluted that experience and added pointless apps that you may never use.

Android 4.1.2 OTA (JZO54K) For Soju Nexus S Is Now Available For Download

Community dedicated Android has a way of tracking files update OTA almost before deployment begins. This is still the case for the most recent update to Android 4.1.2 for some versions of the S. unlocked Nexus pending updates is for idiots, get your Nexus S in hand, and proceed with caution.

Featured: Android 4.1.2 – Jelly Bean Now Pushing to GSM Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S Devices

Last week became official Android 4.1.2 and Google began pushing the Nexus 7. Today, Google is pushing Android 4.1.2 on the GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S. But for those of us with Verizon or Sprint Galaxy Nexus Nexus S 4G and Sprint, we wait much longer. It was confirmed that Android 4.1.2 deploys the "Yakju" Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S devices in the U.S. and Canada.

Firefox 16 Beta For Desktop And Android Available For Download

Firefox 16 Beta For Android

Firefox 15 hasn't been out for very long, and yet Mozilla found the time to release beta versions of Firefox 16 for both the desktop and Android devices. There is not much to talk about when it comes to Firefox 16 beta for Windows, Mac and Linux, since the changes there are mainly for developers. The big changes however, comes in Firefox 16 beta for Android; fans of Mozilla's mobile browser should be happy with what the company has been doing in this version of Firefox for Android.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update arrives in Korea, UK release date unknown

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update has made its way to Korea after being released in Poland. Galaxy S3 update has been much awaited in other countries since the release of the Android software update. Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S3 made its way to Poland last month via the Kies desktop software or through an over the air (OTA) update.