Cameron Summerson
Cameron is a self-made geek, Android enthusiast, horror movie fanatic, and musician. When he's not pounding keys here at AP, you can find him spending time with his wife and kids, plucking away on the 6-string, or watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on repeat.

26
Sep
thumb

I love how fast ASUS moves. When they say an update is coming, you can rest assured that it's coming soon. Just this morning they teased us a bit on Facebook, and ASUS rep Gary Key took to XDA to let users know that the Jelly Bean updates for the Prime and Infinity would be rolling out "within 72 hours."

Now, this evening, they've published a rollout schedule and full changelog for both devices:

  • Upgrade OS from Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
  • Default enable System Bar Lock
  • Add Multiple Photo Selection feature
  • Support Connect Dock (Accessory)
  • Remove Adobe Flash support
  • Remove Wi-Fi Direct function support
  • Remove Press Reader

It's also noted that Press Reader, should you actually use it, will still be available in the Play Store.

26
Sep
thumb

If you plan on jumping aboard the Medfield bandwagon and scooping up the new Intel-powered Motorola RAZR i when it hits the streets next month, then the newest update to Chrome for Android is just for you. This small bump adds support for Intel x86 chips - like the ones found in the RAZR i, ZTE Orange San Diego, and ZTE Grand X IN.

1

This is definitely good news, as lack of Chrome support was one of the last hurdles to jump for x86 phones.

The update is available in the Store now, though it probably won't show if you're not running an Intel device.

26
Sep
1[5]

So, you like to play golf. Ever wish there were a way to see how you can improve your swing? Thanks to a new Bluetooth accessory called SwingTip, now you can.

image

It's pretty simple: install the companion app, put SwingTip on your club, pair it with your phone, and swing away. The unit automatically detects your swing and and sends the info back to your phone or tablet. From there, it can give you all the info you've ever wanted to know about your game, including a full animation, club head speed, swing path, club face angle, impact zone, and tempo.

26
Sep
1

By now, you've probably at least heard about The Big Android BBQ. It's big, because it's in Texas. It's about Android, because we probably wouldn't post about it otherwise. There's BBQ, because who doesn't love BBQ?

image

What you may not know about the BBQ is that this is its third year as a thing. Like most other events, it gets better with age, and this year should be the best one yet. Don't believe me? Psh. Check this out:

Honestly, I'm not even sure you need to watch the video. It may be summed up well enough in the thumbnail.

26
Sep
thumb

The official YouTube app just got a small bump that brings a fancy new UI for older versions of Android, as well as a handful of other goodies for everyone to enjoy:

What's in this version:

* New UI and Preloading now available on Froyo and Gingerbread devices
* New Watch experience
*Add videos to your YouTube TV queue
* More channels to pick from on the Channel Store

26
Sep
image

If downloading source code and picking through lines of code is something you enjoy doing, then today is a day of gifts: Samsung just released not one, but two different kernel source codes. I can almost feel your excitement.

First up, the GSIII. The international variant (i9300) was recently updated to Jelly Bean, and Samsung just made available the respective kernel source. So, if you've been waiting on that, it's ready for you.

image

Secondly, the LTE variant of the Galaxy Tab 10.1; this one's a bit quirky, though. Previously, Samsung has always released two versions: VZW and USCC. For the ICS code, though, there is only one: NA.

26
Sep
1

When ASUS announced the Jelly Bean update for the Transformer Prime in Sweden yesterday, there were two questions that immediately popped up: what about the rest of the world? and when will the Infinity get updated?

We now have answers to both, even if in the simplest of terms: soon.

Update: ASUS rep Gary Key took to the XDA forums to give users a better timeline of when the updates should begin rolling out. According to his post, the OTAs should start hitting within 72 hours. Nice.

image

ASUS posted today on its Facebook page that the JB update would be coming to the Prime and Infinity and for users to "watch this space." There's no exact word when the updates will begin rolling out, but the last time they publicly teased an OTA, it started rolling out a mere 12 hours later.

26
Sep
image

Boost Mobile has just announced yet another option to its Android-powered entourage: the LG Venice. The 4.3" Venice is touted as an "ultra-thin" and light handset, and at only one-third of an inch thick with a weight of 4.41 oz, it affirms that claim.

1[5]

The phone ships with fairly average specs: 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 5MP rear shooter, VGA front camera, and Android 4.0. The device will go on sale beginning October 10th for a modest $219 and is "paired with Boost Mobile's no-contract $55 Android Monthly Unlimited plan."

25
Sep
motorola-atrix-2-ofic

Less than a week ago, Motorola updated its ICS upgrade timeline, moving back the tentative release timeframes for many devices. Among those was the Atrix 2, which got its status pushed from "Q3 of 2012" to "further plans coming soon." Initially, that didn't leave us with any sort of good thought, but it looks like we were wrong.

image

Motorola just released the changelog and other installation information to its My Moto Care site, indicating that the update is indeed coming much sooner than we anticipated. So soon, in fact, that the initial soak test has already begun rolling out.

1

As shown in both the changelog and the above screenshot, this will bump the Atrix 2 up to Android 4.0.4, with a build number of 67.21.125.

25
Sep
image

Street View can be used to see the world in Google Maps, but - up until now - users were forced to stay on land. That all changes today, as Google has added the very first under water panoramas to Google Maps - and they started with The Great Barrier Reef.

In a post on the Lat-Long blog, Google highlights some of the more notable things to check out, including a close-up of a sea turtle with a school of fish, a majestic manta ray, and - probably the most beautiful of all - The Reef at sunset.