Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Apr

Minuum Keyboard Finishes Its Indiegogo Campaign With A Staggering 873% Of Its Initial Goal, Android Beta Coming In June

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News

When we first laid eyes on Minuum back in mid-March, it was love at first sight (for me, anyway). A touchscreen keyboard that only takes up one row sounds like an absolute godsend. Personally, I instantly threw money at the screen so I could get early access to this little gem – that was the first day of the company's Indiegogo campaign. During that day, it blasted past its original $10,000 goal, proving that my desire for this fantastic-looking piece of software to come to fruition was shared by many.

Here we are some 30(ish) days later, and the campaign has come to an end, raising an amazing 873 percent of its goal.

Apr

Verizon's New Device Payment Plan: Buy Your Phone Over 12 Months Without Extending Your Contract, Strings Attached

Posted by David Ruddock in News, Verizon Wireless

Last Updated: April 23rd, 2013

Verizon officially launched its new Device Payment Plan today, an option more and more of its customers seem to be clamoring for, especially now that T-Mobile has allegedly "killed" its own smartphone contracts. In an ideal world, Verizon would respond in kind with interest-free, 2-year financing of any smartphone you want, contract-free on your existing plan, subject to credit approval. The reality is a little more complex, something I think most people kind of expected.

Here are the key takeaways for Verizon's new plan:

You can finance any smartphone or tablet over $349.99 MSRP, up to $1000 total credit available for each customer (meaning account, not line), subject to credit approval.

Apr

[Deal Alert] Kemco's Entire Library of JRPG Ports (And Other Games) Goes On Sale For $0.99 Each - Up To $8 Off Per Title

Posted by David Ruddock in Deals, Games, News

While Japanese RPGs aren't every gamer's favored time-sink, fans of the genre are constantly on the lookout for new franchises and titles to dive into. Kemco has been a steady source of older JRPGs on Android, many of them obscure PSX ports that have been translated and reworked with touch controls. The reception to most of these games has been very positive generally, so if you're at all interested in trying them out, today's the day to do it - Kemco's entire library of games are just a dollar each through April 29th.

Apr

Tip: Facebook Messenger For Android Has Hidden Sticker Support, Here's How To Enable It

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Applications, News, Tips & Tutorials

Facebook has been making numerous changes to its Android apps as of late, thanks to the arrival of Facebook Home. Sometimes, new features also bring "hidden" options – things that may not be quite ready for prime time but can be accessed within the app. Facebook Messenger has one such "feature" tucked away in its emoticon menu: stickers. Big ol' images with goofy faces and cats and other stuff. I'm not entirely sure why this is a thing that anyone wants, but it's there, and you can use these oversized emoticons now. Fun.

^{That's right, Internet – I don't really like cats.}

Apr

[New App] Cox TV Connect Lands On The Play Store, Brings Live Streaming And More To Select Android Tablets

Posted by Cody Toombs in Applications, News

A handful of cable TV providers have been working to bolster their offerings in an effort to keep customers content. Among the top requested features is streaming of content to screens that aren't directly tied to our cable boxes, particularly tablets. We can welcome Cox Communications to the streaming club with the recent release of Cox TV Connect.

The app is intended for homes with Cox TV Essential or AdvancedTV packages, plus Cox Preferred, Premier, or Ultimate Internet service. Subscribers can stream 30+ cable and local channels (availability varies by location) to as many as 5 devices at once. An interactive guide provides access to check out the full list of channels, including those that cannot be streamed, and schedule reminders or DVR recordings.

Apr

[Deal Alert] Square Enix's $20 Demons' Score On Sale For 50% Off In The Play Store

Posted by Cody Toombs in Deals, Games, News

Square Enix is kind of known for having some pretty hefty prices on its games, even those outside of the Final Fantasy franchise. For that reason, we always like to see a sale that might make the purchase a little more palatable. If you've been eyeing Demons' Score since it launched in December, now is the time to jump on it. Until April 25th, the rhythm-action game will only cost $9.99.

A $10 price tag is still a little steep compared to a typical Android game, but it is pretty reasonable for the graphic quality and level of polish Square Enix is known for.

Apr

Design: How Should Google Advertise Glass? Here's One Idea

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Design, Editorials, Features, Glass, Google

A lot of people are excited for Google Glass right now. The first Explorer units began rolling into the happy embrace of those selected for the exclusive pilot program just last week, and we've already seen a ton of feedback. Combined with decent pre-release coverage, it's clear that Glass has the potential to shake things up once more people have it in their hands. Of course press coverage and user excitement only form part of the story. Another critical piece is advertisement and marketing.

Public image and privacy concerns aside, Glass will need to win the hearts of consumers, in a way Google has striven in the past to capture hearts through advertisements for the Nexus family.

Apr

[Weekend Poll] Is Stylus Support Actually Worth Paying More For In An Android Tablet?

Posted by David Ruddock in Polls, Tablets

On April 11th, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 officially went on sale in the US in a Wi-Fi only flavor. I can tell you this already - if someone were to offer me one of those or a Nexus 7 3G, I'd take the Note 8.0 no questions asked. I think it's probably the best all-around Android tablet currently on sale, squeaky plastic and giant-Note II look be damned.

That said, it also costs $400! Now, that nets you 16GB of built-in storage with a microSD card slot, 2GB of RAM, a rear camera, Android 4.1.2, and a digitizer-equipped 8" 1280x800 display with a smart stylus.

Apr

Deal Alert: Get A 16GB Unlocked Galaxy Note II For Just $499.99 From eBay

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Deals, Galaxy Note II, Samsung

With the Note III nowhere on the horizon (yet), there are undoubtedly those who are still tempted to give Samsung's second phablet marvel a try. For those looking to make the jump to an ample 5.5" screen, eBay has turned up today's second deal alert, with a gray 16GB Note II going for just $499.99 with free standard shipping.

If you're looking for a deal on the device, you likely don't need us to recount the virtues of the Note II. We could go on about the 5.5" screen, S-Pen, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera, and 1.6GHz quad-core processor, but in the interest of word economy, we won't.

Apr

Deal Alert: Get A New 32GB Nexus 7 Plus Travel Case And Screen Protector For $229.99 From Adorama Through eBay

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Deals, Nexus 7

Still hunting for a bargain on the Nexus 7? Adorama might have what you're looking for. The purveyor of cameras and other gadgets is offering up a new 32GB Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) with a travel case (in grey, blue or pink) for just $229.99. That's $20.00 less than the price of a new 32GB Nexus 7 from the Play Store, plus a travel case that's $19.99 (and only available in blue) in the same.

If you're not in the crowd who suspects Google may have a refreshed slab up its sleeve come May, or still want to experience the first seven-inch Nexus to hit the scene, hit the link below.