Latest Articles
Google just started rolling out an updated Google Play Store version 3.9.16 that follows the previous version 3.8.17 from August. Good news, everyone - we've already got our hands on the APK for you to install manually thanks to our loyal tipsters.
Folks, I can't believe it myself, but this day has finally come - Google seems to have finally sorted out all its backend and frontend issues with Google contact sync. Jelly Bean's 720x720 hi-res contact support was surely a nice addition, but ended up almost completely useless in our earlier tests: Jelly Bean Bumps Contact Photos To Hi-Res 720x720 But Google Sync Continues To Clobber It With Low-Res Mush.
Buried deep within the changelog of Android 4.1.2 that arrived today is a very welcomed change to the way expandable notifications are handled by the OS. Introduced in Jelly Bean, expanding and collapsing notifications originally required two fingers to operate. Not anymore! A handy gesture now allows easy expansion and collapsing with just one finger, making it easier to perform this task while holding a device in one hand.
As a developer, I absolutely love days like today. If the high-level "improves performance and stability and fixes bugs" changelog of Android 4.1.2 isn't good enough for you, how about we dive into the actual low-level source code commit logs Android engineers made into AOSP since 4.1.1_r1.1 (JRO03D) all the way through today's release 4.1.2_r1 (JZO54K). These commit logs are spread over probably 100+ repositories, so hunting for all of them manually would probably take you days. However, thanks to Al Sutton, you can check them out all in one place.
If you want to update your Nexus 7 to official Android 4.1.2 that started rolling out earlier today but your turn hasn't come yet, you have two options: wait (possibly for a while) or flash it manually. The latter is absolutely safe and lets you bypass the line without any risk whatsoever. Even better - you don't even need to be rooted or running a custom recovery - updating with Jelly Bean and full stock recovery is easier than ever before.
Google's chief release engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru just announced via the Android Building group that version 4.1.2 of Android is being released to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) today.
Sony's PlayStation Mobile for Android just went live for certified devices last night. But what if you don't have a certified device, which so far includes only a number of Sony phones and tablets as well as the HTC One series? Heck, I have a One series device - the EVO LTE - but turns out it's not certified. That's just silly.
HTC Unveils The One X+ With Sense 4+, Jelly Bean, Tegra 3 With LTE, And Improved Specs
HTC Unveils The One X+ With Sense 4+
The worst kept secret in HTC's recent history, the One X+, was finally officially announced this morning by the Taiwanese manufacturer. Let's take a closer look at what has changed.
Wait no more, Transformer Prime owners - the Jelly Bean update 10.4.2.15 (Android 4.1.1) has just started rolling out! We've confirmed multiple sightings of the OTA popup in the States as well as Spain. Canada is on tonight's list too, and we'd like to get as many confirmations in other countries as possible, so post your country and whether you're seeing the JB update in the comments.
This May Just Be The Best Email To Ever Hit Our Inbox
This May Just Be The Best Email To Ever Hit Our Inbox
Earlier today, we received an email with the title "iPhone 5 PR Stunt Ends in Disaster Leaving 21 Homeless." You won't see any spoilers from me - just read:
One of the most anticipated OS upgrades in recent Android history has reportedly begun in Europe (specifically, Poland) where official Samsung Galaxy S III Jelly Bean firmware was discovered via Kies a couple of hours ago. Since no carrier marking was attached to the announcement by SamMobile's tracker, it looks like the update applies to the unlocked, unbranded variant localized to Poland - specifically, GT-I9300MBDXEO. Google Now and the updated Google Search, offline speech recognition, Project Butter, expandable notifications - it's all there.
Earlier today, Amazon announced a slew of new Kindle products: a refreshed 8GB Fire, brand new 16/32GB Fire HD 7" and 16/32GB Fire HD 8.9", including 32/64GB LTE-enabled variants, and a Kindle Paperwhite which doesn't run Android. The pre-order links weren't working right away, but they've just gone live, and I have them all for you right here.
for the Galaxy S II on T-Mobile may have shaken things up a bit when it comes to NFC and ISIS, but it now looks like Samsung has also sneaked in a tweak dumbing down universal search. A similar "fix" was discovered in T-Mobile's version of the Galaxy S III 2 weeks ago, and it seems like Samsung is not taking any chances with its older sibling either.
A bit less than two weeks ago, the TF300 became the first non-Nexus ASUS tablet to receive an update to Jelly Bean, starting with the U.S. Several days later, ASUS posted the full Jelly Bean ROM v10.4.2.9, though only for U.S. variants, and almost immediately started the OTA rollout in Europe.
Great news for owners of the MyTouch Q, which welcomed the advent of official CyanogenMod tonight. No, not that MyTouch Q. The other one. I know, the naming scheme is not confusing at all.
One small and two major sites that have a long history of distributing pirated Android apps have been seized in a first of its kind operation conducted by the FBI, DoJ, and a variety of U.S. and foreign governments. These sites are:
Last night, 73v1n, the author of the last few CyanogenMod boot animations, posted an updated and completely revamped version designed for CyanogenMod 10. It's very likely going to become the official animation of the ROM in the future, but if you want some of this goodness on your device stat (especially if you're running CM 7 or 9, as the version number doesn't appear in the newest animation), you don't have to wait for CM10 at all - 73v1n has now uploaded it for everyone to enjoy.
If you're looking for flash-based storage to beef up those ever-hungry gadgets of yours, today is the day to go shopping on Amazon. If you think the Father's Day SanDisk Gold Box sale on Amazon had good deals, wait till you see what Amazon and SanDisk stuffed into the Gold Box today. The selection is slightly slimmer compared to last time, but to make up for that, the prices are way sweeter.
73v1n (a.k.a. @Xevin, a.k.a. Cameron Behzadpour), the creator of official CyanogenMod boot animations, dropped the version for CM10 a couple of minutes ago. Jelly Bean-colored, clean, and simple, yet, in my opinion, highly attractive, the animation hits the nail on the head. There no Cid, no controversy surrounding him, no outdated skater dude - just pure awesomeness. I won't spoil the fun - just watch.
Download: Latest Google Play Store 3.8.17
Google is currently pushing out a quick follow-up update (v3.8.17) to the new Play Store (v3.8.15) that rolled out a couple of days ago. 3.8.15 brought
Google is currently pushing out a quick follow-up update (v3.8.17) to the new Play Store (v3.8.15) that rolled out a couple of days ago. 3.8.15 brought significant under-the-hood changes, such as support for gift card redemption and wishlists, but 3.8.17 seems to be just a minor bug fixer. I have absolutely no clue right now what problems it resolves, and decoding the apk to compare with the previous version didn't really shine a light in any helpful way. A cursory run through the usual wishlist (no, not that wishlist) suspects produced no results.