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Hot on the heels of releasing a Google Play Edition of the enormous Xperia Z Ultra, Sony is once again pleasing fans of "clean" Android by expanding the AOSP For Xperia Project. The latest device to get a semi-official AOSP option is the Xperia L, one of the cheapest devices in the company's 2013 lineup.
If you're looking for a tablet with world-beating specs, one of the highest-resolution screens available, and impressive expansion options, you'll want to look at Amazon today. The new ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity, with its NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor and 2560x1600 screen, is fifty bucks off the retail price. You can pick it up on Amazon for 9.95, with free two-day shipping if you're an Amazon Prime subscriber. It's unclear if this is a sale or a new regular price.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a truly terrifying platformer, a strategy game from 2K, and a new Greedy Spiders title. Without further ado:
I've been lusting after ASUS' ambitious Padfone devices ever since they were announced way back in 2012. But since ASUS is a company that focuses on its home market first, we haven't seen hide nor hair of the docking smartphone-tablet hybrids over here in the United States. According to an Engadget interview with ASUS CEO Jerry Shen, that could change as soon as the second quarter of next year.
As we saw late last week, ASUS is looking to bring its unique Padfone concept to different form factors and price points. Enter the Padfone Mini, a new entry in the series that retains the dockable phone-tablet hybrid idea but shrinks it down to make it more affordable. The phone itself isn't much smaller at 4.3", but the tablet dock now has a 7-inch screen instead of 10, not to mention a vertical orientation.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a gorgeous platformer/shooter, a tactical RPG, a strange telephone-themed adventure game, another Tin Man game book, and a game about burning things. Without further ado:
The Photospheres feature has been a photographic novelty thus far, but today Google Maps has added some notable functionality. The Views section of Google Maps already lets you place your own 360-degree panorama on specific points in the world, but now you can connect them via virtual paths, creating an instant, locale-specific Street View. Other users can then view it and move between multiple Photospheres for a more complete experience.
Chinese manufacturer Oppo has been making a few waves in the Android world as of late, and their latest flagship is now available to hungry consumers in the US. The N1 superphone launches today on Oppo's official web store: $599 American greenbacks lands you one with 16GB of storage, while the 32GB version goes for $649. Standard shipping is free, and the package includes both a flip cover and Oppo's O-Click remote shutter.
Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
T-Mobile customers with the Galaxy Note II, your day has finally arrived: the Jelly Bean 4.3 over-the-air update is finally rolling out, according to this XDA thread. Samsung's Galaxy S4, S III, and the Note II have been getting the same update on other American carriers, but T-Mobile is behind the leaked release schedule (though not by much). The Note II is the last Samsung phone on T-Mobile scheduled to get the update, at least for the moment.
There are a lot of things to like about about Motorola's bargain wonder the Moto G, but the animated boot logo probably isn't at the top of the list. The boot animation which it shares with the Moto X is admittedly cool, and at least someone at Motorola is paying attention to it, even after launching both phones. The Motorola Boot Services app was published in the Google Play Store today, downloadable only on the Moto G. Apparently the app is already installed and updated on the Moto X.
Remember when Apple was up in arms about Samsung swiping their look for the first generation of Galaxy phones and tablets? Prepare for a case of design patent infringement that makes that look pretty tame. Today Nikon issued a press release stating that it had won a preliminary sales and import injunction against Sakar International, a current licensee of the Polaroid brand name, for the Android-powered Polaroid iM1836. See if you can guess why.
It's been nearly a year and a half since we last wrote about the Amazon MP3 app, because that's the last time the company did anything interesting with it. Compared to the competition at Google and elsewhere, Amazon's iTunes competitor looks positively stale. Today the Amazon MP3 app gets a fresh coat of paint to bring it more in line with current visual trends, or at least, those trends that are on display in the Kindle Fire tablets.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got an impressively atmospheric survival horror game, a game that mixes Peggle and Angry Birds, and a game that's way too indie for you, man. Without further ado:
The PlayStation Network has become a surprisingly rich source of ports for the Google Play Store. Take Dokuro: it's a beautiful 2D platformer that turned more than a few heads when it premiered as a downloadable title for the PS Vita last year. Now it's available on Android for a single buck, and if you're a fan of platformers with both creative gameplay and gorgeous visuals, you should definitely check it out.
Version 5.3 of the Google Play Music app is flying out to Android devices right now, bringing with it... not a lot, actually. A quick look inside reveals bolded "Listen Now" text in the slide-out menu, a version update to 5.3.1316M, and not much else. But as usual, our hyper-intelligent cloud of futuristic swarming nanobots is pouring over the APK file, and there's plenty to be excited about.
Do you need a good calendar app? Do you need a good calendar app that's freakin' beautiful? Then check out Any.DO's Cal, a top iOS iCal alternative that just made the jump to Android. Cal features all the stuff you need in a typical calendar app and then some, and wraps it all up in a functional, minimal, readable interface that focuses on content. It's a free download in the Play Store. We had a hands-on a with the app a few weeks ago, which you can check out here.
The YotaPhone was one of the only genuinely exciting mobile products to come out of CES 2013 nearly a year ago. If you've been itching to get your hands on this interesting combo device, you can lay down your money right now... so long as you're laying down Rubles. YotaPhone just started online sales of its LCD/E-Paper combo phone in Russia. Our Russian readers can pick one up for 19,990 Rubles (about $600 USD).
Hey, Sky? You do know that the same Google Play Store listing can be used for both smartphone and tablet versions of an app, right? No? You're still going with separate smartphone and tablet apps, like it's 2010? Okay then. The Sky Go tablet app has the same basic features of the smartphone app, but it's restricted to 7" or larger tablets running Android 4.0 or later.
Do you find that Instagram, Hipstamatic, and all the other me-too photography apps out there just aren't doing it for you? Then why not try VSCO Cam, the most anticipated iOS camera app port among Pabst Blue Ribbon drinkers and fedora enthusiasts! Here, let's check out this promotional video so we can get a quick look at all the impressive features offered in this exciting new app.