Welcome to the Android Police Weekend Poll and News Roundup. For last week's poll and roundup, see What Twitter App Are You Using?
As we near the end of 2012, the rumor mill for 2013 is already churning away. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal published a report on a Motorola 'X Phone' project being headed up by a former Googler, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm dying to see a Google-Moto mashup, especially if the premise is trying new and interesting things.
But Motorola's not the only one with new stuff on the horizon in the next year. We take for a given that successors to Samsung's Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II are coming. The next Galaxy phone is probably further along than we might think. There have also been rumors of HTC's inevitable new flagship, codenamed M7 - a successor to the One X (the X+ being a mere iteration of that platform). The Sony "Yuga" - which has already been spotted quite clearly in the wild. Whatever LG is going to tease in promo videos for three months before releasing eight times around the world and at least twice in the US.
It's clear that we already have a decent, if vague, understanding of what's coming down the pipe for 2013. And lot of us are probably coming due for a new device in the next year, as well - I'd argue that 2011 was Android's first "big" year, when sales really started taking off and propelled Android into the number one mobile OS position around the world.
So, what phone being released in the coming year are you the most excited about?
The News Roundup (12/16/12 - 12/22/12)
App Roundups
Product Reviews
- RHA's MA 350 earbuds are a good deal for some great sound.
- The AudioFly AF78's are great earbuds if you have blessed earholes.
- Phiaton Moderna MS 200 earbuds review
Rumors
- Motorola and Google are working on an 'X Phone.' I really want to believe that everybody calls the guy managing the project 'Professor X.'
- Polaroid's making another Android camera, though this one might actually be kind-sorta cool.
- Tegra 4 is going to have a 72-core GPU. Moar cores.
- The Sony Yuga has been leaked about as much as you can leak an unreleased phone.
Legal News
- Another Apple patent has been preliminarily invalidated.
- Samsung won't be banning any Apple products in Europe any time soon.
- Judge Koh lays the smackdown on Apple's injunction requests, Samsung's jury misconduct claims.
Device Announcements / News
- Archos is making a tablet that looks like an iPad, and I find this amusing.
- The ZTE Avid for MetroPCS - It's... a phone!
- The Samsung Galaxy Grand is like a slightly smaller Note II. As long as you're standing at least five feet away.
- Samsung's going to fix that Exynos exploit. In case you were worried they weren't.
OTA Updates
- Samsung: Galaxy S III (US Cellular), Galaxy S III (International), Galaxy S II (AT&T), Note II (T-Mobile).
- HTC: One XL (Asia).
- ASUS: Padfone 2, Transformer Prime.
- Sony: Upgrade timeline update.
App News
- Amazon released an Instant Video app for Android. For Google TV's. And only LG Google TV's. So basically, it's useless.
- Adobe is pretty much ending development for all of their Android creativity apps except Photoshop.
- Flipboard now does tablets.
- Looking for a pretty Google Reader client? Press to the rescue!
- Redbox Instant is now a thing, a thing you can't use - because you [probably] weren't invited.
- Google Music now does scan and match on your songs.
Games
- Team Fortress 2 with adorable bears. Come on, you know you want to.
- Sonic Jump: It's like Sonic, but vertical.
- Pitfall! is now out for Android.
- Anomaly Korea is the sequel to Anomaly Warzone Earth and you probably want it.
- Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy Dimensions, and Demon's Score THD are all out now.
- Game Review: Broken Sword II - The Smoking Mirror
- Game Review: Top Gear SSR
Carrier News
- Republic Wireless decides that letting people root phones on a network that encourages them not to do things like tether or stay connected to 3G constantly might not be such a good idea after all.
In Other News