Nate Kimmey

Feb

Google Employees Testing New 'Entertainment Device' - The First Steps Of Android@Home?

If you go all the way back to Google I/O 2011, you may remember the announcement of the Android@Home project, a system that would allow you to use an Android device to control lights, appliances, and other devices in your home. Since that announcement we haven't seen anything materialize, but a recent FCC filing by Google may give us a reason to renew hope for the project.

The filing calls for testing of an "entertainment device" between January 17 and July 17 of this year, to be distributed to 252 Google employees. But it's what the device apparently does that ...

Jan

[Rumor] Samsung May Not Announce Galaxy S III At Mobile World Congress

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News, Rumors, Samsung

Multiple sources - including The Verge and BestBoyZ - are reporting that Samsung will not be announcing the Galaxy S III at this year's Mobile World Congress. This goes against what many have speculated, as its predecessor, the Galaxy S II, was announced at last year's MWC.

Apparently, Samsung is planning to announce the device at a special event some time "before summer," in order to avoid the long delay between releases internationally and in the US. They'll still have some "interesting stuff" to announce, but if you're holding out for a new Samsung superphone in Barcelona this year, you ...

Jan

[Updated: Hands-On] CES 2012: LG Spectrum Hitting Verizon On January 19 With 4G LTE, 4.5" HD Display, And More

Posted by Nate Kimmey in News, Spectrum, Verizon Wireless

Update: LG just made official the Spectrum at CES, confirming the below list specs. It's a beast, baby!

Here's one monster product (spec-wise, at least) that you won't have to wait months after CES for. Previously rumored as the Revolution 2, Verizon is set to launch the LG Spectrum on January 19, with a display that might even give the Galaxy Nexus a run for its money:

4.5″ True HD IPS display (1280x720 at 329DPI), protected by Gorilla Glass
1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor
8MP rear camera, shoots 1080p video
1.3MP front camera
1GB of RAM
4GB of on-board storage,

...

Jan

Samsung Galaxy S "Value Pack" Update Leaked – Brings Minor UI Changes, Face Unlock, And More

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Galaxy S, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News

It's been a rather wild ride for Samsung Galaxy S users regarding a possible update to Android 4.0. First, Samsung, issued a statement saying that they could not update their former flagship phone. After a community outcry, however, they responded with a different possibility - a "Value Pack" update, one that would include some key features from Ice Cream Sandwich (such as Face Unlock) but which would still be based on Gingerbread. Samsung later decided to not go through with the Value Pack update.

The plot has thickened once again, however: a version of the update has been ...

Jan

LG Announces Smart TV With Google TV, Featuring LG's Cinema 3D - To Be Shown At CES

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Google TV, LG, News

Last Updated: January 7th, 2012

Well, that was quick. Shortly after new Google TV partners were announced, LG has announced one of their Android-powered offerings: the LG Smart TV with Google TV. Details are scant at this point, as the device won't be demonstrated until CES, but we do know that it will launch in two series at some point this year. Both will feature LG's Cinema 3D displays, which do not require the expensive shuttering glasses to work, and both will come bundled with remote with the Magic Remote Qwerty - unsurprisingly, a QWERTY version of their Magic Remote.

More information will arise ...

Jan

Google Announces New Google TV Partners, Hardware To Be Revealed At CES

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Google TV, News

Last Updated: January 7th, 2012

Google TV's debut device, the Logitech Revue, may have been a commercial failure, but Google isn't showing any signs of giving up on the platform. We've already seen the Revue receive the Honeycomb 3.1 update, bringing the all-important Market access to the platform, and now Google has announced a host of Google TV partners who plan to unveil hardware at CES next week:

LG
Marvell
MediaTek
Samsung
Sony
Vizio

Although they didn't release many specific details, it seems that many of these new Google TV-powered devices will actually be TVs as opposed to separate boxes - LG even plans ...

Dec

Android 3.2.1 Honeycomb Update Now Rolling Out To HTC's EVO View 4G

Posted by Nate Kimmey in EVO View 4G, Honeycomb 3.0/3.1/3.2, News

Sprint's variant of the HTC Flyer - the HTC EVO View 4G - is finally getting a taste of Honeycomb, bringing it up to par with competing Android tablets.

Originally launched with a heavily customized version of Android 2.3, the View 4G is now receiving an over-the-air update to Android 3.2.1. As you'd expect, the update brings Honeycomb to Sprint's version of the Flyer, featuring HTC's Sense overlay, and on-screen buttons which replace the View 4G's capacitive keys – here's the full changelog for this 217MB update:

This update adds Android 3.2.1 (Honeycomb) and a new virtual and holographic user

...

Dec

Gameloft's Brothers In Arms 2 Now Available In The Android Market For Free

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Games, News

While World War II may not be the most original setting for a shooter such as this, Gameloft's latest game - Brothers In Arms 2 - is loaded with excellent graphics, multiplayer, and a price of $0. There is a slight catch to it being free, however; in addition to having ads, the game offers the ability to purchase "Medals" to unlock new features and gear more quickly, but this isn't necessary, and everything can be unlocked by gaining experience instead.

Brothers In Arms 2 is not new - in fact, the paid version was released back in 2010, but ...

Dec

[New App] Yahoo's Hub Creates Group Chats Using Text Messages - With Several Limitations

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Applications, News

The Android Market certainly doesn't have a lack of group chat-messaging clients, but it appears that Yahoo is ready to throw its hat into the ring away. Separate from the Messenger app (which has been available on Android for quite some time), Hub uses text messages over a data connection - meaning that you won't incur any text messaging charges from using it. Unfortunately, your friends who don't have the client installed will, and in fact they may not be able to use it at all.

If both you and the person (or people) you are chatting with have the ...

Dec

[Update: Maybe Not] HTC Customer Support Seems To Confirm Ice Cream Sandwich Update For MyTouch 4G In Early 2012

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, myTouch 4G (Glacier), News, T-Mobile

Although it wasn't among the select few HTC devices confirmed to be receiving Ice Cream Sandwich, we have reasons to believe that T-Mobile's myTouch 4G will indeed be receiving the update in early 2012, according to an HTC customer support representative. Here's the original message:

First I want to thank you for the amazing job you've done building and maintaining my phone. It's my favorite phone I've ever owned by far. I'm incredibly excited for android 4.0 (Ice cream sandwich) and am really hoping for the update to come to the T-mobile mytouch 4g. I absolutely love the phone and

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