Thursday, May 31, 2012

SwiftKey 3 Beta brings improved suggestions and more [Download]


A new SwiftKey Beta, SwiftKey 3, has been released. It brings with it a nice number of changes and improvements, including improved suggestions, a better experience for Google Chrome Beta, improved gestures, and a whole lot more changes and fixes to sink your teeth into. Check out the full list below and download the beta here. Remember that some things may not be stable, being a beta and all. 
  • Improved prediction algorithms
  • Better, more consistent punctuation key behavior
  • Smarter Smart Space functionality (which will make it easier to enter email addresses etc)
  • A refined experience in Google Chrome Beta
  • Fixed missing predictions on the longpress of @ and .com
  • Improved gestures
  • Eliminated lag on letter pop-ups
  • Various other minor bug fixes and usability improvements
SwiftKey 3 Beta (phone): Download
SwiftKey 3 Beta (tablet): Download

Flipboard for Android now available in beta form


The folks at Flipboard once committed to offering the iOS-bred app only on the Samsung Galaxy S III. A strange route to go, of course, considering there are many more Android devices out there with many users who probably aren’t getting a Galaxy S III.  The reasoning was simple: quality check.
They wanted to make sure it worked, and worked well, on at least one device starting out, but they’ve since come to realize that they won’t be very successful on Android with a one device model. That’s why they’re now releasing a public beta for all to get their hands on. Betas are nothing new, so you know the drill: things might not work as well as they should, and for that you shouldn’t scold them.
Reporting issues instead will do the trick. If you come across a force close, report it instead of just dismissing the prompt. And send an email off to the folks at Flipboard if something else is off in the app. Do your part and we should have an official release in no time. To get started, download the APK here. You’ll need a phone that is capable of sideloading apps. [via Engadget]

Who said the Google play Store would only sell devices? Galaxy Nexus accessories now available


Google’s just announced on Google+ that accessories for the Galaxy Nexus are now available for purchase on the Google Play Store. The official desktop dock, HD media dock, and a vehicle dock (yep, the one with the three-pin dock connector) are all available for purchase. Be warned that these accessories are only approved for use with the HSPA+ version of the device, such as the one Google is selling in the Play Store. Those on Verizon and Sprint aren’t officially supported, but you can take the chance if you want anyway. Get started here.

Sony announces rugged Xperia Go and Xperia Acro S


Sony is introducing two new rugged smartphones to their Xperia line, the Sony Xperia Go and Sony Xperia Acro S. Both handsets feature a “scratch resistant mineral glass display with wet finger tracking” and are rated to sustain exposure to dust and water. But Sony did more than make these a couple of throwaway devices with durability as their main highlight.
The Xperia Acro S packs a bit of high-end flair with a 4.3-inch 720p HD Reality Display power by Sony’s Bravia engine. A 12MP camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and Ice Cream Sandwich give us more reasons to consider the handset. The Xperia Go is more on the mid-range side of things with a 3.5-inch Reality Display, 5MP camera, and 1GHz dual-core processor. The Go will run Android 2.3.

Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus Android 4.0.4 update should be starting any day now


Yesterday we saw the support docs for the Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus update to Android 4.0.4 go live, a sure sign that new software is right around the corner. Today, multiple sources out of Big Red have been hyping the update, giving the impression that it could begin any day now, if not within the next 24 hours. A tweet from Verizon’s Albery Aydin says Android 4.0.4 “will soon be pushed,” while a spokesperson for VZW confirmed the same to DroidLife.
Our most recent check of the “System updates” dialog under Settings/About phone returned nothing at the time of this writing, but we’ll be sure to watch that space like a hawk until we can pull down a fresher Ice Cream Sandwich build.

Samsung Galaxy S III now available at Three UK


With delays pushing back a wider release of the Samsung Galaxy S III in Europe, Three UK has pushed ahead with the launch of the flagship Android device. The Pebble Blue option is still backordered due to paint issues, but eager buyers can now pick up the white variant online and in store. The GS3 is priced as low as free when purchased in conjunction with a two-year, £34/month contract, which includes unlimited data and tethering. It remains to be seen whether or not delays will prevent the latest Galaxy device from shattering sales records, but expect the phone to be flying off of shelves.

ARCHOS launches Alvin and the Chipmunks-themed Child Pad with Ice Cream Sandwich


ARCHOS is jumping into the kids tablet game with the release of the 7-inch Child Pad. The new slate designed for youngsters is loaded up with an Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 theme, but we’re more interested in a set of specs that doesn’t look half bad for a device of the Child Pad’s class. The tablet features a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, and WiFi connectivity. Better than that, it runs Ice Cream Sandwich.
ARCHOS is pre-loading the tablet with plenty of apps and games tailored to kids, including Angry Birds along with more educational fare. Additional titles can be downloaded from a curated list available through the AppsLib market. Plenty of Chipmunk related content and parental control software is also included.
The ARCHOS Child Pad is available immediately for $129.99 through a dedicated web site. It will head to other retailers soon.

Facebook Phone to Run Linux and Opera

facebook_app_icon_for_iphone_by_radomer-d494lgf
It’s no surprise that the Facebook app is one of the most downloaded apps in the entire Google Play Store. Over the last year, we have seen many advances in Facebook and its mobile application. Many changes have been implemented to make the users’ mobile social experience richer, most recently with the purchase of photo-sharing competitor Instagram and the split of the app into the core Facebook app and the optional Facebook Messenger and Facebook Camera apps. While some users love the new changes and others can’t stand them, one thing is clear; Facebook is doing everything they can to advance their mobile platform and maintain their presence on Android and iOS.
The rumor mill is on fire right now with talks of an upcoming Facebook phone, which is supposedly coming next year. While it’s no secret that Facebook, shortly after becoming a publicly traded company, brought in a group of engineers to help design some as-of-yet unknown hardware and software, the biggest break in the development of the device may come soon. Facebook is looking to purchase Opera, one of the most widely used web browsers available. In addition, Facebook and HTC have partnered to create a new device, currently code-named “Buffy”, that many believe will be the official Facebook handset, running a Unix OS and featuring Opera’s mobile browser.
Another entry in the smartphone OS category may not be a good thing for the industry, but it makes sense for Facebook to compete with Google to more easily charge for apps or use their in-site currency (which is a large portion of the company’s income). So what do you think? Would you buy a *nix-based, Opera-running, Facebook-centric device? Drop a comment and let us know, because if things work out for Zuckerberg and the Facebook crew, we’ll see it released sometime next year.

Google Glass Shows Up In Another Interview – Gives Us First Look At Touchpad Navigation



Google co-founder Sergey Brin paid a little visit to The Gavin Newsom Show this past week, wearing the now famous Google Glass spectacles. During the hour long interview, which airs this Friday on Current TV, Sergey Brin talks about the 3 year long Google Glass project, as well as his new role with the Google X division and his active role with the research and development team. This is also the first time we get a little better idea of how Google Glass is navigated with Sergey directing Newsom to not touch the “pad on the side.” Yup, looks like the specs have a built in touchpad, controlled by gesture swipes.
In a rare event, Sergey was actually generous enough to let someone else try on the spectacles, gracing Mr. Newsom with the rare opportunity test them for himself. Gavin Newsom — who closely resembles an 80′s action villain — questioned the functionality of Google Glass, but just like a doubting Thomas, his eyes were opened after seeing, only for brief moment, the world through Google’s eyes.
Newsom would later say how impressed he was with the image quality of the tiny display, saying that the “image was remarkably clear,” and that the headset was “a heck of a lot further along than people have imagined.”
So just when can we expect the revolutionary glasses to launch? Brin said he had some hopes that Google Glass will debut next year, however minute. You can watch the short clip from the interview below, meanwhile, I’ll be taking a cold shower…

OTA update prepped for T-Mobile’s Samsung Exhibit II 4G, rebrands phone to Galaxy Exhibit 4G


T-Mobile has an update ready for the Samsung Exhibit II 4G that brings the phone’s software build to T679UVLE1. The major element of the update that leaves the phone’s software at Android 2.3.6 isn’t what it enhances or fixes with the software but rather a rebranding effort that now has the handset going by the name of Galaxy Exhibit 4G.
Other than the new name, users can expect a security patch, general stability improvements, and improvements to WiFi calling and the phone’s camera app. The rollout will commence May 30th and continue through June 15th.

HTC EVO 4G LTE And One X Have Cleared Customs And Are Ready For Take Off



Even though the HTC EVO 4G LTE’s have been shipping to a few pre-orders since last Friday, there has been nary a word from the Taiwanese manufacturer about the status of the HTC One X on AT&T and that of future devices. All that changed today when HTC released the following official statement:
"HTC has completed the review process with US Customs and HTC devices have been released, as they are in compliance with the ITC’s ruling. Future shipments should continue to enter the US and we are confident that we will soon be able to meet the demand for our products."
So, there it is, folks. Looks like everything at customs checked out, and HTC was successful in their inconvenient workaround for a software patent belonging to Apple. Happy day, everyone. Expect shiny new devices from HTC making their way to your favorite carrier retail store.

This is why the Pebble Blue Samsung Galaxy S III is delayed


Ladies and Gentlemen, the reason the Samsung Galaxy S III in Pebble Blue has been delayed two to three weeks. We had heard Samsung somehow botched the paint job, but now we have visual confirmation of the problem. A European mobile blog received an early version of the device and and pictures clearly show a splotchy white tinge to the finish. Hopefully they figure out the issue and get the phone back on track, or we might be expecting some serious delays with a much more limited supply of GS3s on the market.

ASUS Nexus 7 Tablet Outed In Benchmark Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean


This image has no alt text
It wouldn’t be the first time a benchmark site has outed an Android device, and it looks like it wont be the last. The 7-inch ASUS Nexus 7 was just outed in a Rightware Basemark ES 2.0 Taiji benchmark, and it clues us in to a few details surrounding the mysterious budget tablet Google has up their sleeves (and will no doubt use to take over the world).
You can see from the screenshot above the device will have a 1280×768 resolution display, Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core (there were rumblings that it could launch with a dual-core to cut costs) and the kicker (as taken from the raw data found in the benchmark) — Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
“os”:  {
“android”:  {
“model”:  “Nexus  7″,
“hardware”:  “grouper”,
“manufacturer”:  “asus”,
“device”:  “grouper”,
“brand”:  “google”,
“display”:  “XXXXXX-userdebug  4.1  JRN51B  3XXXXX  dev-keys”,
“version_sdk”:  “4.1″,
“board”:  “grouper”,
“version_code”:  “1″

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

OTA update prepped for T-Mobile’s Samsung Exhibit 4G, rebrands phones to Galaxy Exhibit 4G


T-Mobile has an update ready for the Samsung Exhibit 4G that brings the phone’s software build to T679UVLE1. The major element of the update that leaves the phone’s software at Android 2.3.6 isn’t what it enhances or fixes with the software but rather a rebranding effort that now has the handset going by the name of Galaxy Exhibit 4G.
Other than the new name, users can expect a security patch, general stability improvements, and improvements to WiFi calling and the phone’s camera app. The rollout will commence May 30th and continue through June 15th.


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Huawei to introduce Emotion UI for upcoming Android phones


It appears Huawei is going to introduce a new user interface that will be featured on some of their summer releases. They’re reportedly calling it Emotion UI and it should be first available on the Huawei Ascend P1 and Ascend P1s, as well as the Huawei D Quad, their quad-core flagship offering.
The devices had minimal user interface customization when we revisited them at CTIA in New Orleans, but it was undoubtedly very early and unfinished. We’re not sure what, exactly, to expect from Emotion UI, but we imagine it’ll be a deep tissue massage for Android 4.0 as they’ve been working on it for quite some time.
The P1 and P1s were introduced at CTIA this past January and they were pushing completely stock Android. The same was true at Mobile World Congress. The minimal changes we saw at CTIA explains the time it’s taking for the devices to make it to store shelves. Things will be unveiled June 9th.

HTC Sensation XL update being rolled out across some of Europe


The HTC Sensation XL in Europe seems to be joining the Ice Cream Sandwich party as the device is now seeing rollouts across parts of Europe. Those with the unlocked device in many countries should be able to pull down the 197MB update over-the-air, and those on Three seem to be the first with a carrier-specific phone to be seeing the update. It’s odd that they’re seeing it so soon, but we’re no less excited for them. You’ll want to connect to WiFi and see if the update is headed your way ASAP.

Sorry, Huawei – The Oppo Finder Is Now The World’s Thinnest Smartphone



It was short lived, but the crown of the world’s thinnest smartphone has just been removed from theHuawei Ascend P1 S. Only beating the P1 S by a mere .03mm, the Chinese manufactured Oppo Finder has successfully gained the title of the world’s thinnest smartphone — something heavy weights like Samsung, HTC or Motorola wont soon be claiming.
The Finder measures in at 6.65mm thick and features a healthy set of hardware specs like a 4.3-inch AMOLED display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8MP shooter with 1.3MP front facing cam, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. To help show of it’s new title, the Oppo Finder goes head-to-head with the iPhone 4 (9.30mm), Samsung Galaxy S2 (8.45mm), and Motorola RAZR (7.10mm) in their new ad spot. You can check it out below.
Don’t expect to see the Oppo Finder hit anywhere outside of China but the phone will be released on June 6th. Wouldn’t be surprised to see another device shave off a mm and take the title by then. Of course, these new sub 7mm devices always beg the question: how thin or too thin?

LG introduces 5 inch 1080p display


“Is that a TV in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?” That’s the line some of you might be hearing if LG’s newly-revealed display technology ends up in phones. They’ve introduced a 5 inch AH-IPS display that can push out a 1080p image. 1080p is the standard “full HD” resolution that you’ll find on televisions, laptops, tablets, monitors, and more.
Most people think the 5-5.5 inches range is the border for the difference between a phone and a tablet, especially after the advent of the Samsung Galaxy Note. Not only does this display have the highest resolution than any we’ve seen in this size range, it also has the highest pixel density count at 440ppi. That’s just insane. I’ll just end this by saying I definitely want my next phone to have one of these. [via Pocket-Lint]

Samsung Galaxy S3 (International Version) Is Now Officially Available Around The Globe



Despite a few online retailers stating otherwise, the “human-centric” (I’ll never get used to that) Samsung Galaxy S3 is right on schedule and now officially available around the globe — well, the 16GB white version. Oh, and everywhere but the US. Starting tonight (today on the other side of the world) 28 countries around the globe will be able to enjoy the latest fruits of Samsung’s labor, while us here in the states will have to wait just a little longer.
Samsung does promise that by July, the Galaxy S3 will have more fully penetrated the globe, coming to more than 145 countries, across 296 carriers. Let’s just hope the US is one of those (crosses fingers). While the Pebble Blue color wasn’t exactly delayed, expect limited availability for the next couple of weeks. Cheers to our Android brothers across pond! Hope you enjoy your shiny, new, quad-core Exynos powered GS3.
If you want to see what new Galaxy S3 owners have to say about the phone, or just see what all the buzz is about, cuise on over to our Samsung Galaxy S3 forums and see what’s poppin’.
Samsung Electronics’ human-centric smartphone ‘Galaxy S �...�’ is the 29th (local time) the United Kingdom, France, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Europe and the Middle East and Africa will be launched in 28 countries.
Most models include a single country in the history of Samsung mobile phones through the simultaneous release
Simultaneous release in 28 countries, Samsung cell phones include a single model ever will be released by most countries. Samsung Electronics in July 145 countries around the world in 296 operators’ Galaxy S �...� ‘will launch sequentially, the’ Galaxy S ’112 countries, 175 operators,’ Galaxy S �...� ’135 operator is more than 210 countries.
‘Galaxy S �...�’ in the last 3 days (local time) First released in London, England (Click!) Can the user environment, technology, human-centered philosophy is reflected in the design of a global media and consumer products have received high attention.
In particular, face, eyes, voice, and recognize the physical characteristics of human motion, including the ability to operate, state-of-the-art camera performance, product appearance and resemble nature has received much attention.
Vodafone signs global communications (Vodafone) Galaxy S �...� recorded its largest ever Android and erected Order UK mobile phone retailers and car phone warehouse Galaxy S �...� Order products this year as the fastest-selling global hits such notice is preaching.
31 days in Sydney, Australia, India, New Delhi, starting nine dosiseo world ‘Galaxy S �...� World Tour’
Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics, Sydney, Australia, 31 days, starting with New Delhi, India, China, the United States, Japan, Korea, and in nine cities around the world ‘Galaxy S �...� World Tour’ held on ‘Galaxy S �...�’ is a blast plan to go yieona .
Consumers rather than competing technologies, ie, human understanding and human because it is designed for the smartphone ‘Galaxy S �...�’ are hot on the appeal. Samsung Electronics, the world’s people-centric mobile experience for consumers as to provide a unique emotional experience will make every effort to prevent disruption.

Huawei denies getting illegal Chinese subsidies



(Reuters) - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd denied on Tuesday that it benefited from illegal Chinese government subsidies after a media report said the European Union planned to take action against Chinese telecom equipment makers in an anti-dumping case.
The Financial Times quoted unidentified EU officials and executives as saying that the commission had been gathering evidence in a case againstChina-based Huawei and ZTE Corp.
"Huawei has not received any communication from the European Commission regarding an investigation, but we are aware of media reports on this matter," Huawei, the world's No.2 telecom equipment vendor after Sweden's Ericsson, said in an emailed statement.
"We deny claims made in the media that Huawei employs dumping practices and has benefited from illegal state subsidies. Huawei also objects to the investigation that the European Commission is reportedly launching on the basis of these claims."
China is the European Union's second-biggest trading partner after the United States, and the bloc is China's biggest trade partner, with trade between the two forecast to hit a record 500 billion euros ($397 billion) this year.
Despite the flurry of trade between both sides, relations have been tense, with EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht complaining that China subsidizes "nearly everything", distorting competition.
Huawei employs more than 7,000 employees and has indirectly created over 6,000 job opportunities in Europe, it said. In 2011, it purchased products and services in Europe totaling over 2.9 billion euros ($3.6 billion).

Play with Your Food with Garden Troopers Play with Your Food with Garden Troopers



I recommend that you try his Garden Troopersdish. To make this delicious dish Dimmerg has made the following recipe.
Ingredients
  • 1 (16 ounce) package frozen yogurt
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 2 large cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 2 game modes, sliced
  • 5 difficulties, julienned
  • 10 game fields, raised and dried
  • A handful of entertainment
Directions
  1. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, cucumbers, frozen yogurt and a handful of entertainment. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 1 hour.
  2. Split into two smaller bowls, and one game mode to each bowl. Mix to combine.
  3. Mix the 5 difficulties in a blender
  4. Take each small bowl and dish onto on to 10 plates with a bed of 10 game fields, add the difficulty mixture on the top of the plates.
  5. Submit the completed dish to Google.
  6. Wait for approval and serve to XDA-Developers.
  7. Optional:  Replace frozen yogurt with a honeycomb or ice cream sandwich, for a unique twist.
To try this fun and exciting game check out the Garden Troopers thread. This recipe for fun will keep you entertained for hours. With different difficulties and game modes, the challenges are lasting.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Is Google Releasing a Nexus Tablet?


There have been rumors circulating for a few days now that Google is working on their own tablet to rival the Amazon Kindle Fire.  Now those rumors are becoming more credible as more information has begun to leak out.  The tablet actually makes a lot of sense given that Google already releases their own “official” Android phone, currently the Galaxy Nexus, made by Samsung.
Details that have surface so far include such details as a 7 inch size, Asus as the manufacturer, and a Tegra 3 chipset.   Rumors continue, by stating that the new Google Nexus tablet will retail for $199, once again matching the Amazon Kindle Fire.  The details have mostly filtered out of Mobile World Congress, which happened last week in Barcelona, and many came courtesy of the web site Android and Me, who naturally cited “unnamed sources”.
Everything here seems logical, and given that Google already uses a third-party to manufacture their “official” phone, everything is falling into place nicely.    As for a release date, there are less-than-credible rumors that it will be this spring or summer.  There are even some threads floating around that a 10 inch, $299 tablet will also be forthcoming.


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Instagram for Android Sign-up Now Available


Android Logo
Instagram, the popular iPhone app that allows users to share photos, is finally coming to Android as you may have heard.  Today they made it feel a little more official by setting up a web page to allow people to sign up for information on the long-awaited app.  Instagram showed off their forthcoming Android app at SXSW in Austin, Texas recently and it made quite a splash.
Unfortunately the sign-up page doesn’t give any real information about the new app, but only provides a place for those who can’t wait to enter their email address and receive notifications.  Still, it is another step closer to making this all a reality.  While we don’t know an official launch date, it’s likely that it will be within the next few weeks.  You can sign up at instagr.am/android.

Apps That Will Get You Ready for Diablo III


Diablo III will be released on May 15, 2012. My friends and I simply cannot wait to start playing! If you weren’t lucky enough to get into the beta, then you will want to check out a few D3 related apps. These can help prepare you to start playing Diablo III the instant the servers go live.
Diablo III Lore is an app that is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires iOS 4.2 or later. I’ve heard a lot of people asking about how they can quickly learn more about the lore of the Diablo games so that they will understand who the some of the NPC’s are, and the stories behind some of the quests, in D3. This is the app for that. Scroll through, and read to your heart’s desire.
Diablo III Skill Calculator is an app that I found on Google Play. It is compatible with Android devices. In Diablo II, the way you chose skills, and built your character, was a very big deal. Once selected, you couldn’t change anything. In Diablo III, you are going to have more flexibility about changing your skills than you did in Diablo II. This app will show you the skills that each class can use. You can play around with them right now, and get familiar with how it works before release day.
Diablo 3 Handbook is another app I found on Google Play. It is compatible with Android devices. This app is a game guide for Diablo III. You get information about each class, about active and passive skills, items, followers, and the world itself. It also contains a skill calculator.
Countdown For Diablo is available through the iTunes store. It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. It requires iOS 3.0 or later. Are you dying to know exactly how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds are left before Diablo III is ready? This is the app for that. You can check it as often as you like. Is it ready yet? No? How about now? Still no? How about now?…
It is worth noting that none of these apps are made by Blizzard Entertainment, the company that makes the Diablo III game.

Cosmonaut Capacitive Stylus Review


I’m not a fan of capacitive touch screens as they are the user interface of a 5 year old, which is great for finger-painting but useless if you want to do anything precise, such as write normally or position a cursor between two letters. And multitouch is over-rated: I’d rather be able to place one point exactly than five blurry ones.
With this in mind I’m reviewing the Cosmonaut Capacitive Stylus for Touch Screens by Studio Neat. Originally a Kickstarter project, it’s now available for general sale direct from Studio Neat and Amazon for $25.
Cosmonaut Stylus in Box
The stylus is presented in small cardboard box and there’s no need to attack the packaging with scissors which is a welcome relief. On sliding open the box, the cardboard inner has rocket fins printed on it, giving the Cosmonaut a spaceship look. A nice touch.
Cosmonaut Stylus in Packaging
The Cosmonaut is a fat rubber covered pen, about the same thickness as a whiteboard marker. However, unlike a whiteboard marker, it’s got a little bit of weight to it. Feels good in the hand, though I have largish hands.
Cosmonaut Stylus
In use, the Cosmonaut takes a little bit of getting used to; the tip is a slightly squidgy and you have to press down for the Cosmonaut to register the button press or the stroke. You can’t simply flick the stylus across the screen as you might with your finger. In some ways, this is a good thing as it prevents unwanted touches.
The Cosmonaut makes drawing apps much easier to use as the stylus mimics a pen or brush quite well. It’s also pretty handy for apps that have lots of closely spaced buttons. However writing like an adult is still out of the question, but the limitation is with the capacitative screen and the necessary fatness of the tip.
Overall, the Cosmonaut is well-designed and well-built. It’s easy to hold and works as it’s supposed to. If you want a stylus for your tablet, this should be on your short-list but just don’t expect to return to the precision days of the PDA.

Instagram for Android Updates to 1.1, Adds Tilt-Shift


Instagram launched their long-awaited Android app just a few weeks ago.  It was followed by several small updates to get it up and working properly, but today they have finally released the first feature update, dubbed version 1.1.  The latest version adds just one feature, but it’s an important one to anyone that has used Instagram – tilt-shift.
The name may be a bit cryptic, but tilt-shift is essentially an effect that adds depth-of-field to your images.  In other words, it’s that cool effect you get in high-end DSLR cameras that causes the background to be blurred, bringing the subject into better focus.  With Instagram this isn’t done at the time the image is snapped, but in post-production with a filter.
In you are interested in more in-depth information about using this feature then you can head over to the Instagram blog to read their tips for using tilt-shift.  Instagram is available for free from the Google Play Store.

Patched ICS Bootloaders, Dual Booting, and More for the Iconia A500

A500
With users becoming more and more comfortable with the Iconia A500 root and bootloader unlocking processes, it was only a matter of time before development hit a new level and things really started taking off. This is now the case with the Acer Iconia A500, which recently received ICS and a bootloader unlock. And today, this comes in the form of a patched ICS bootloader and support for dual booting.
XDA Senior Member Skrilax_CZ contributes to the A500 community by releasing six modified versions of the ICS unlocked bootloader, a dual booting guide, and a general FAQ to help users who don’t quite have a grasp on what’s going on.
The problem began when the final ICS version came out, and Iconia users lost the ability to use the oldfastboot oem unlock method to unlock their bootloaders and obtain root. For those already rooted and unlocked, this wasn’t a big issue. However, for users who are just now buying the tablet, it kinda puts a stink on everything. Skrilax_CZ kindly gives users links to the guides to flash these unlocked and modified ICS bootloaders. Additionally, Skrilax_CZ lists all the fastboot commands that each version of the modified bootloader can use.
Additionally, there’s even a guide to dual boot as of version 5 of the modified bootloader. The process is a little complicated and requires the use of fastboot, but for the preliminary stages of dual booting that is only to be expected.
For copious additional information, download links, source links, instructions, and much more, head on over to the original thread.


Saturday, May 26, 2012

More info on the LG LS860 ‘Cayenne’ for Sprint surfaces, Qualcomm S4 and more

Yesterday the LG LS860 “Cayenne” leaked, which is a QWERTY slider destined for Sprint. At the time it seemed like a Viper with the addition of the slider, but it appears to be a little better. We thought it would have the Qualcomm Snapdragon S3, but it appears it will come with the Snapdragon S4, which puts it in line with the AT&T HTC One X, Sprint EVO 4G LTE, and most likely all U.S. Samsung Galaxy S III variants.

The 4-inch (800 x 480) IPS display is confirmed as well as LTE capability, but we also learned it will have a 5MP rear camera, VGA (640 x 480) front-facing camera, 8GB of internal storage, 1700mAh battery, and it will be 12.2mm thick. ICS isn’t confirmed, but I would expect it to be onboard since this one isn’t scheduled till the 3rd quarter. I guess in a sense, the fact that it has the S4 in it isn’t all that surprising since we won’t see this baby until at least July or August.
Either way it’s still a mid-level phone that just so happens to have a nice processor.
source: briefmobile
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