Motorola Droid Bionic update to Jelly Bean coming Monday

Android 4.1.2 will be pushed to devices in phases

Droid Bionic users can expect an OTA starting Monday, changing software build numbers to 98.72.22.XT875. This is Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and comes with some nice goodies. Google Now with its predictive search and voice commands will be included. Expandable notifications will now be accessible, letting users control music, return calls and texts, and even manage email from the notification panel. The Jelly Bean keyboard brings better dictionaries, as well as voice typing that works without a data connection.

Some Motorola-specific enhancements include better Mobile Hotspot connectivity, an updated 'Back Up Assistant Plus' and new Visual Voicemail, along with improved voice and data reception quality. The OS also gets a little lighter, with Sling and MOG apps being removed by default.

As the OTA update starts hitting devices next week, things will be quite busy in the forums. Be sure to post your findings after you give Jelly Bean a spin.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Facebook Home now (unofficially) available for almost any Android device

Despite an early leak on Monday, once again the internet lit-up with chatter about the release of Facebook Home in the Google Play store. All good and well if you find yourself in the right place with the right phone, but what about everyone else? Unsurprisingly, the digital door staff (read, Facebook's hardware restrictions) have already been dispatched, meaning almost any Android device can download and install the social software. We can thank Paul O'Brien at MoDaCo for doing the honors, and for those interested, the process is pretty simple. If your issue is location (rather than device) you'll need the latest version of Facebook's regular and Messenger apps first. Once you do, just download the APK, activate it, and you're good. If hardware is the barrier, then you'll need to get the patched versions of Facebook, Messenger and Home (via the source). Early reports suggest that most features operate just fine, but that sending SMS from Messenger can sometimes stop working. If that's a deal-breaker, you'll have to keep an eye out for updates. If it's not, then tap the source up for the full lowdown. If you do, head back here and let us know how you got on.

[Source: Engadget]

Facebook Home hits Google Play today, available for select Android devices

Chat heads, a virtual carousel of full screen (Instagram) images and enough status updates to let you keep close stalkerly tabs on your nearest and dearest -- that's what Facebook's got in Home. And as of today, it's breaking free from AT&T's exclusive HTC First and heading to a choice few Android flagships in the US. Now owners of the Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II as well as the HTC One X+ can rush on over to Google Play or Facebook's site to download the free screen-stealing app / launcher. And when HTC's One and Samsung's GS 4 make their eventual way to the US market, Facebook heads will also have the privilege of setting up Home on those two flagships, just as Zuck promised. Home: it's where privacy and your free time go to die.

[Source: Engadget]

Facebook Introduces Facebook Home for Android

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stage in San Francisco today and said Facebook is going to focus on Android moving forward.

“The great thing about Android is its so open,” Zuckerberg said. “You can have apps that can be your keyboard, can be your home screen of your phone, you don’t need to fork Android to do this, you don’t even need to modify the operating system. The home screen is the soul of your phone.” Home will takeover your lock screen and your home screen and will provide all sorts of status updates that would otherwise populate inside a dedicated Facebook app.

Zuckerberg guaranteed that it’s still easy to access applications, however. You can tap a photo of your face at the bottom of the screen and swipe up to see all of your applications.

We expect Facebook will also introduce a smartphone, but we know that at least part of the experience is designed for multiple Android devices.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Updated Nexus 7 with new screen and Qualcomm CPU coming in July, says Reuters

"Power reasons" force the switch from NVIDIA's Tegra platform to Qualcomm according to the source

A report from Reuters earlier says that come July, we'll have a new version of Google's popularNexus 7 tablet. ASUS will still be the manufacturer, but a few key things will have changed. Expect a higher resolution screen with smaller bezels, and concerns over "power" (we take that to mean battery power) have forced a switch to Qualcomm for the CPU.

Pricing is said to still be in limbo, but the $199 figure has been mentioned. This is the same base priceas last year's Nexus 7, and a key to its success. 

If this rumor turns out to be true, a July release would work well with an unveiling at Google I/O this May. ASUS sold an estimated 4.6 million Nexus 7s in the second half of last year, and updated specs at the same price will draw plenty more interest. We're keeping an eye on this one.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Evernote 5 hits Android with revamped camera, shortcuts and tweaked UI

Evernote has finally brought its Android client up to par with its iOS counterpart, pushing it to version five. The update, which just hit the Play store, includes a mild face lift that offers more contrast between notes and other UI elements, as well as a few new icons with a bit more depth and detail. The visual tweaks aren't particularly exciting, though. What has us rushing for the update button are all the new features, like the completely revamped camera interface. You can now take several images and add them all to a note in one shot. While a dedicated "page" camera helps you get the best results when snapping photos of hand-written missives by boosting contrast and removing shadows. Of course, the company thinks that feature works particularly well when paired with its branded Moleskin notebooks, but those are purely optional. The results from the couple of quick snapshots we took were bright clear and as legible as could be expected. Unfortunately there are continued issues with Evernote's text recognition, which tends to be slow for non-premium users.

[Source: Engadget]

Using your Smartphone with a Projector

There are many who would love to host a backyard movie night with their friends or family members. Nowadays it is very common to store dozens of videos and movies in a smartphone or a tablet. However, this may those who would like to share their collection with others, mostly because of the limits of a small screen. There are currently many smartphone projectors that are small sized, but able to deliver great picture quality that will guarantee excellent results.

For those who don’t know where to start, remember that a blank screen is needed before you even think about investing in a projector. There's nothing quite as useful or cheap as a simple white sheet, and it is able to work great even with expensive setups. If you don’t want to invest in a blank screen specially designed for projectors, you can use just about any blank wall for a similar effect.

There are many apps to use along with your projectors. Most notably there is the Epson iProjection app. This app is a great option for those that are looking for an easy way to project their images on the go. The app is very simple thanks to its intuitive menu options that help bring all the content from your smartphones to the big screen. It is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Epson also makes many great projectors that are fully compatible with smartphones and tablet devices. With a simple search you will find more information about Epson projectors.

For those that own an iPhone device, one of the most versatile options out there is Brookstone's Pocket Projector. This innovative projector is very simple to use, since it was designed specifically with the iPhone in mind. It is very easy to slide onto the device and project a high quality image. If you don’t have any external speakers, this device has your bases covered too. This pocket projector has a built in rechargeable battery, so even if your Apple device is low on power, it is possible to use the Pocket Projector’s own energy as a back-up. You’ve got to be realistic though, a projector this small is not going to deliver the same picture quality as the bigger, more expensive models.

If you don’t own an iPhone, there are still many great options, such as the Optoma Pico Pocket Projector. This is another pocket device that is able to project hi-def images. This device is affordable, extremely light and portable, making it ideal for those that want to project their videos and movies anywhere they want. This mini device also comes with a remote that allows simple pausing.

Google Flight Search now available in Europe

Previously limited to journeys starting in the U.S., Google Flight Search is making its European debut this morning. Starting today users in UK, France, Italy, Spain or the Netherlands can use Flight Search to compare trips to the hundreds of supported destinations. As well as searching the most affordable travel times and airlines, Flight Search allows you to compare alternative airports in the same country or region, and there's a handy map view to make this a little easier.

Sure, there are many other sites offering this kind of functionality, but Google's implementation is clean and functional. And interestingly, Google seems to use your search and location history to pre-populate the list of "destinations for you," which could be either pretty awesome or pretty creepy depending on your perspective.

Google Flight Search is live now at google.com/flights on the web, and there are full-sized and mobile versions of the site available.

[Source: AndroidCentral]

Sony Xperia L: a budget Android device with a focus on imaging and style

The days of the new Sony Mobile are now long past. Two years in, and the company appears to have hit a stride with its smartphone portfolio, churning out new Xperias on a consistent basis. And today is no different with the unveiling of the Xperia L, a mid- to low-end effort that places a heavy emphasis on the camera experience. Carrying on the Arc's legacy, this 4.3-inch handset packs an FWVGA display, dual-core 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4, 1,700mAh battery, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD), NFC and an 8-megapixel rear shooter with Exmor RS sensor into a conspicuously curved body rounded off with that signature Xperia power key.

Though it lacks the greater resolution and screen size of its 720p sibling the SP, this more budget-friendly device does enjoy an exclusive perk: HDR stills andvideo. A feature Sony's included to make the L an attractive point-and-shoot option for budget-minded consumers concerned with style points and not LTE or raw performance. Unsurprisingly, it comes pre-loaded with a trio of Sony's own media apps -- Walkman, Movies and Album -- a precedent it set at IFA last year.

[Source: Engadget]

Is this the Nexus 5?

Pinch of salt time: a render of what purports to be the Nexus 5 has surfaced online, along with a spec list. There are plenty of reasons to think it's fake, but a few that hint it could be the real deal too.

An anonymous source claiming to work for Google sent the image and specs to Android and Me. They say the Nexus 5 is due for release around October, and Google is currently evaluating several prototypes from different manufacturers. This one is from LG and is codenamed "Megalodon". Sound real? Or bent as a nine bob note?

The spec list does sound too good to be true. The Nexus 5 is said to be packing a 5.2-inch OLED display with 1,920x1,080 resolution. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, clocked at 2.3GHz, along with a ridiculous 3GB of RAM. Storage is said to go up to 64GB (dwarfing the Nexus 4's 16GB), and a 16-megapixel camera is capable of capturing 4K video. Like I say, sounds too good to be true.

Some of the tech isn't found even in devices yet, like Qualcomm's chip, though it should be by October. It also seems a bit early to be seeing renders, but then this could be more of an artist's impression. We've also heard previously that a successor to the Nexus 4 was already on the cards.

Adding fuel to the fire, the very reliable Twitter account @evleaks tweeted: "LG Nexus 5 looks pretty hot, if that was just it…" It followed this up with: "I had to beg to say even that much :P"

The Nexus 4 has been wildly popular, but Google has had trouble meeting demand, with the device being in and out of stock at Google Play since its debut in November. That price tag of £239 will have helped, no doubt. Buy it elsewhere, and you'll have to shell out way more than that.

[Source: CNET]

More Than 750M Android Devices Have Been Activated, 25B Apps Downloaded

Google CEO Larry Page published a letter earlier today alerting the world that Andy Rubin, the company’s head of Android, is stepping down. There was a bit of golden information in that letter, however.

Page also noted that more than 60 manufacturers currently sell devices powered by Google’s mobile operating system, and that since the OS launched there have been more than 750 million Android devices activated around the globe. That figure includes tablets, smartphones and other connected devices. Page said that consumers have downloaded more than 25 billion apps from Google Play, too.

Just over a year ago Google’s Andy Rubin said that there were more than 300 million Android devices activated and that 850,000 devices were being activated daily. That means the figure has since doubled in just over a year.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Jelly Bean Marches to Greater Market Share

Another month, another collection of Android adoption data shows Jelly Bean’s slow march toward bigger marketshare. During a two week period ending on March 4, data reflects a jump up to 16.5 percent distribution compared to 13.6 percent in February. That’s actually a pretty big jump, owing in part to manufacturers pushing out updates and more recent phones releasing with the latest OS.

Gingerbread, which still dominates, fell slightly, as did Ice Cream Sandwich, but not by much. The leap is promising, and it’s great that all phones we’ve seen announced this year are coming with Jelly Bean outright. Gingerbread is still an imposing number, and will likely continue to be for awhile. Probably even during Key Lime Pie and beyond.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

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