Samsung's Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note could be on track to be updated to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean before the end of the year, according to the latest online rumors. The reports come from Samsung fansite SamMobie, and though they're unconfirmed rumors at this point, the site has proved fairly accurate with this sort of thing in the past. Samsung's flagship Galaxy S III (S3) is said to be well on its way towards Jelly Bean, with internal testing proving successful, and "public" builds apparently now being put through their paces in anticipation of a late Q3 or early Q4 launch. Meanwhile, last year's leading Samsung phones, the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note are apparently being tested on Android 4.1 too. It's reported that the manufacturer currently plans to update both to Jelly Bean, though the decision isn't yet set in stone. Assuming these updates happen, the site suggests a release before the end of the year.
HTC will step into the large-size smartphone segment by launching a flagship model with a 5-inch display featuring a resolution of 1794 by 1080 pixels in September-October, according to industry sources. Samsung Electronics, which pioneered the development of the 5-inch segment, also plans to release a 5.5-inch model, the Galaxy Note II, at the end of August, the sources noted. The brisk sales of Samsung's 5.3-inch Galaxy Note have attracted a number of vendors in Korea and China to venture into the large-size segment, noted the sources. LG Electronics stepped into the segment by launching its 5-inch Optimus Vu in May 2012, and fellow company Pantech rolled out its second 5-inch model, the Vega S5, in July. In China, Coolpad has launched two 5-inch models, the dual-SIM 9930 and 9900, while K-Touch has released the W710, which supports Alibaba cloud computing services.
Something a lot of us really want to see in Android, is support for multiple accounts on a device. With the ever increasing uptake of tablet use, it would be pretty awesome to be able to have one tablet with a different account for each member of your family. Lord knows, you wouldn't want your kids Justin Bieber apps littering your home screens so being able to give them their own sign in would be positive for all. You do it on your computer, so why wouldn't you want to do it on your tablet.
Over recent days and weeks since the launch of Jelly Bean, various parties around the interwebs have been diving into the code and really getting into the details. Your average user -- and sometimes average Android Central writer -- wouldn't even know where to begin or what we might hope to see. Thankfully for us the community is filled with those who are never happier than when knee deep in code, and what has been recently revealed is reference to future multi-user account support. It's clearly not even close to being ready for the prime time -- if it was, we'd have it already -- but it is there. And, with a little bit of tinkering, you can see it for yourselves on your Jelly Bean device.
The key word is tinkering, and the key components are root access and a terminal emulator on the device. Heading into the terminal, you have to enter the command for superuser access, "su", and once you're in you can go ahead and create yourselves a new account. The next command you'll need to enter is:
Another month is upon us (again already?), and that means it's time for another breakdown of Android versions. This is the monthly look at the percentage of the various Android versions that are on active phones. Here's the gist:
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean): 0.8 percent
Android 4.0.3 to 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich): 15.9 percent
Android 3.1-3.2 (Honeycomb): 2.3 percent
Android 2.3-2.3.7 (Gingerbread): 60.6 percent
Android 2.2 (Froyo): 15.5 percent
Android 2.1 (Eclair): 4.2 percent
Android 1.6 (Donut) 0.5 percent
Android 1.5 (Cupcake): 0.2 percent
Our big takeaway from this is that Ice Cream Sandwich has more than doubled, from 7.1 percent at this point last month. And that'll grow again for August, and presumably the rest of the year.
Jelly Bean makes its first appearance at less than 1 percent, and we're not expecting a huge bump until more retails devices (as in, anything not named Nexus) are released, though any increase may be a good indication of how the Nexus 7 tablet is selling.
It's a curious thing to have gold signify the low-end, but that's just what Huawei's done with its G series smartphone line. That bottom-dwelling, budget tier, first announced at this past Mobile World Congress, has already seen a couple of category cousins come out into the open (see: Vodafone's G 300 and T-Mobile's G 312), so color us unsurprised to find yet another single-core, Googlefied device crop up at the FCC. The associated docs leave little to the imagination, treating us to unobstructed images of the Ascend G 302D -- presumably, a 4-incher. We're not quite sure what software the phone'll run when it ships, though from the looks of those very ICS-like capacitive keys, we wouldn't rule Android 4.0 out. Spec-wise, we have the included manual and some RF testing to go off of, revealing two different sized batteries -- a 1,350mAh and 1,500mAh -- support for Bluetooth, WiFi b/g/n and AT&T-compatible radios. That's not to say this lil' guy's guaranteed an official U.S. slot on that carrier's lineup, but it should make for a decent import option. Hit up the source below for additional shots of this mobile minor leaguer.
PlayUp's sporting social network has recently updated with lots of content specific to the Olympics, and with the games just getting started, it seemed like a good time for a review. If you're looking for more, be sure to check out our round-up of Olympics Android apps, and expect another one soon.PlayUp curates a wide range of sports content from a bunch of different sources, including Twitter, USA Today, NBC, ESPN, Reuters, and others. There's even some decent video content that seems to come direct from PlayUp. For the Olympics, users can drill down into individual categories, check schedules and results, as well as create hangouts, where you can publicly or privately banter with other PlayUp users about events as they happen. Users can add friends through Facebook and Twitter connections to send them direct messages and see their activity on the network. Users can also add sports to favorites for quick access later on...
The ongoing saga of "Will my Optimus 2X get Android 4.0?" takes another twist courtesy of LG Canada. Previously, LG Singapore had said via their Facebook page the update was coming in Q3 but now, LG Canada has taken to Twitter to say that's not the case at all and that it was a mistake based on a general statement from HQ. We're not entirely too sure what that means unless it's code for stuff we just say to calm people down and can then later retract. In any case, we've reached out to LG to hopefully get a better response on the matter because social media accounts aren't always the final word.
With an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and an almost entirely stock Android 4.0 ROM, the Grand X is ZTE’s new flagship device. It’s something of a milestone for the Chinese manufacturer, previously known for producing bottom-dollar semi-smartphones and white-label, carrier-branded devices such as Orange’s San Francisco, and was unveiled with appropriate fanfare at two separate London events earlier this month. Flying ZTE’s three-letter flag proudly, it’s the company’s first real attempt to make its name as a viable, mid-range Android OEM in its own right, capable of going toe-to-toe with devices from Asian competitors such as Samsung and HTC as well as major domestic rival Huawei...
Does the Grand X provide anything more interesting than what’s already available, and can it help ZTE make a small but significant dent in the UK market?
NTT DoCoMo announced a roster of phones this past May, and among them was Sharp's Aquos SH-10D. After spending some quality time with the FCC, the handset now has paperwork that could allow it to travel stateside. Along with a quartet of oddly angled corners, the phone packs a GSM and HSPA+ / WCDMA radio, 4.5-inch screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 12.1 MP rear-facing camera and a 0.32 MP frontward-facing cam for those awkward, Facebook-bound self-portraits. Hit the link below if you'd like to rifle through the FCC results yourself.
At home, at work and on vacation, say goodbye to the mess, to the ugly multi-plug adapter full of chargers, plugs and wires, and to the tangles of cables. The innovative universal multi-charger PowerBrick by Feligan recharges everything at once, with style and tidiness!
Creativity and innovation are the main features of PowerBrick, the universal charging station able to power and supply up to 11 devices simultaneously: mobile-phones and smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs, consoles for gaming, digital cameras and camcorders, nav-sats, mp3-players and many more. It has been invented, built and patented by Feligan Ltd., an Italian hi-tech startup. PowerBrick is the first really universal multi-charger able to power and supply more than 10,000 electronic devices.
Main Features of PowerBrick
PowerBrick has three main features that make it unique, useful and innovative.
•6 customizable connectors able to recharge every electronic device, even the most modern smartphones and tablets! Each connector is retractable, so you can use your device while charging. When not in use, the cables are retractable to save space and keep everything tidy and clean.
•2 high-power USB ports (10 W each port) useful to recharge everything, even a tablet.
•2 universal sockets (1500 W) that allow you to supply even the most demanding electric devices, like laptops, cordless phones, lamps, or even hairdryers. The universal sockets can supply every kind of plug: American,English, Schuko, Australian, Swiss, Europlug, and many more.
Customizable Connectors
Feligan has more than 15 different connectors available at the moment!
Here you can find some example:
- micro USB - mini USB - Apple (iPad, iPod e iPhone) - Nokia (2 different connectors) - Samsung (4 different connectors) - Motorola - Sony-Ericsson (2 different connectors) - LG - Nintendo DSL - Playstation Portable (DC-Jack) - MultiTip
Every smartphone and mobile phone actually on the market is compatible with PowerBrick! Even many other devices, like tablets, mp3-players and many more!
Two high power USB ports
PowerBrick is equipped with 10W USB ports.
The 2 high power USB ports are perfect to recharge modern tablets, like Samsung Galaxy Tab, Asus Transformer, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia and many more. The high power USB ports of the PowerBrick universal charger are also compatible with mp3 player, cameras, camcorders and many other device with USB charging cable.
Two Universal sockets
1500W whenever and wherever you need it, for each electric and electronic device.
PowerBrick universal charger is equipped with two high power universal sockets. The universal sockets allows plugs from all over the world to be inserted: USA, UK, Swiss, Europlug, Schuko, Italian, and many more! PowerBrick is really useful, at home or in the office!
Available in glossy-white or glossy-black colors, PowerBrick is just £59.99 and free shipping on Expansys Online Store.
If you prefer to customize your PowerBrick, you can get it on the Official Feligan Store.
Something compelled me to write this article today… I shall tell you what it was… it was information overload coming out of Mobile World Congress and it made me smile. When I am touting an iPhone 4S people brand me as an Apple fanboy, put an Android based mobile phone in my hand and now I am a Google fanboy. What I have come to realise is that I can happily sit on the fence just enjoying my technology… watching in as everyone goes into a mad frenzy about the latest tech. For the most part I am very quiet and that is what made me smile.
Time after time, Apple play this same strategy, they are cunningly quiet. They do it around the time of the Consumer Electronics Show, Mac World and of course Mobile World Congress. Never do they rush to market with something, they just quietly watch on, making digital notes (on their iPad 3), ticking the relevant boxes that ensure they remain one step ahead.
We have just been treated to details of Quad Core mobile phones, alongside new tablet devices, from all the manufacturers. You can bet against me if you wish, but Apple have already got their iPad 3 and iPhone 5 ready in the wings, they just watch on and tweak almost ready designs, so that when they launch it beats all these new devices AGAIN. They are the smart ones… that is what keeps them at the top of their game.
Following the recent global launch at IFA, Samsung has today announced that the latest device to join its Galaxy range, the Galaxy Note, will be available in the UK on 17th November 2011.
Simon Stanford, Managing Director, Mobile, Samsung UK and Ireland said: “We’re delighted with the overwhelming reception the Galaxy Note has received since it was announced earlier this month and are looking forward to offering Samsung customers a whole new smartphone experience. The Galaxy Note is a great example of Samsung’s passion for innovation by bringing to market a brand new category of mobile products. It is our fastest handset to date and brings together all the benefits of our award-winning smartphone technology and services.”
The Galaxy Note combines the benefits of a notebook with the portability of a smartphone. Thanks to its 5.3” HD Super AMOLED screen, the largest, highest quality display available in any phone, consumers can view movies, photos, and documents, as well as play games on the device with crystal-clear clarity.
Not only that, an advanced pen-input technology called the S Pen and a full touch screen mean owners of the Galaxy Note can easily create and consume more content whilst on the go, with minimum scrolling and screen transitions. With a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, the Galaxy Note is Samsung’s fastest handset to date, combined with HSPA+ enabled super-fast connection means there’s immediate access to content and increased download speeds for streaming videos in real-time or chatting with friends online.
The Samsung Galaxy Note will be available in the UK across major networks, key high street and out of town electrical retailers and online.
