06
May
unnamed (4)

If you've been paying attention to TV Guide's official app, you know that it's needed some attention for a while. Its UI through version 2.x was an outdated pastiche of Gingerbread tabs and gradated iconography desperately in need of a redesign (and support for 4.0+). Today, TV Guide has fulfilled that need (for the most part), bringing to the Play Store TV Guide Mobile version 3.0. The update also brought "many cool new features" to the app, which we'll discuss momentarily. First though, check out the difference between the old and new interfaces.

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Before: ew.

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After: yay!

26
Mar
i437_400x400_large1_cf
Last Updated: April 26th, 2013

Released last fall, Samsung's Galaxy Express is a plucky mid-range handset with – for those who don't know – a 4.5" Super AMOLED display (constrained by an underwhelming 480x800 resolution), a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, and a gig of RAM.

If you happen to be carrying around a Galaxy Express, listen up – AT&T, in a post to its Consumer Blog, announced today that an Android 4.1 update has begun rolling out to users, bringing with it everything you'd expect, from Google Now and rich notifications to Samsung-specific enhancements like Easy Mode, Blocking Mode (to keep unwanted calls and texts at bay), and a lock screen news ticker.

01
Mar
galaxystellar
Last Updated: March 4th, 2013

Samsung seems to have gotten the hang of updating phones besides the major flagships. While it's still coming about nine months after the release of Jelly Bean and nearly six months after the release of the handset, the Galaxy Stellar will be upgraded to 4.1 "soon", according to these Verizon support docs. The OTA will bring the much-beloved Google Now as well as expandable notifications and all the other goodies of the newest tasty treat.

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The update is 403.6MB in size, so you're going to want to be on WiFi when you download it. While we don't yet know exactly when the OTA will start, it usually doesn't take too long between the arrival of these support docs and the initial rollout.

24
Feb
sprint-and-samsung-announce-the-galaxy-victory-4g-lte-99-99-after-mir-available-sept-16th

If you've got a Sprint Galaxy Victory 4G LTE in your hand, you're no doubt craving a little Jelly Bean, since the budget smartphone launched with Android 4.0 back in September. While Samsung hasn't seen fit to update to the latest Android release (and likely won't for some time), you can still get some spiffy new features via the 4.1 update. Samsung Updates has posted what appears to be the official 4.1.1 over the air update, and it's downloadable right now. The L399VPALJ9 package weighs in at a beefy 370MB.

We haven't heard from Sprint or Samsung on this, so keep in mind that flashing this software to your Victory 4G isn't exactly sanctioned.

24
Feb
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Motorola, through its Feedback Network, has indicated that it is readying a "new Jelly Bean software release" for the Droid RAZR and RAZR MAXX on Verizon, asking participants – as usual – to test the waters before the release is made final. We know that the RAZR/MAXX duo are set to get a 4.1 update in "Q1 2013" from Motorola's own update schedule, so the following email (sent to members of Moto's feedback network) is a good sign that things are on track.

Hi,
Thanks for joining the Motorola Feedback Network. We are inviting owners of the Droid RAZR or Droid RAZR Maxx on Verizon to participate in an early preview of a new Jelly Bean software release, and provide feedback.  If you are not currently using a Droid RAZR or Droid RAZR Maxx on Verizon, please excuse and ignore this email.

24
Feb
hp slate front

It took them the better part of two years, but HP is finally ready to get back in the consumer tablet game, this time backing Android. Their first tablet will be the Slate 7, a small model that's light on price and even lighter on surprises. Roughly comparable to the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, the 1024x600 FFS+ LCD screen sits on top of a 1.6Ghz dual-core A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of MicroSD-expandable storage. According to HP's promotional page, it will be available in at least two colors. The rear camera is a disappointing 3 megapixels, with the front a dismal VGA model, and it runs stock Android 4.1.

15
Jan
drzr

Winning a $450 bounty and the hearts of Droid RAZR/MAXX users, Dan Rosenberg has found a successful root method for the phone's 4.1 JellyBean OTA, which began rolling out last Christmas Eve.

Some readers are likely familiar with Mr. Rosenberg's work, as he's rooted everything in sight from the Droid RAZR/MAXX HD to the RAZR M, all the way back to the LG Spectrum. As a security researcher, he's even given (and published) a helpful presentation on rooting and modding for the security conscious.

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Not only can Droid RAZR/MAXX owners now root their Jelly Bean powered handsets, they can do it with ease – the process is as simple as connecting the phone and running a .bat file.

13
Jan
memoico

ASUS, in a bid to sell to "several emerging markets," has just announced the MeMO Pad – a seven-inch tablet sporting ASUS' nearly-stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean experience, a 1GHz VIA CPU (with Mali-400 GPU), a 1024x600 display, 1GB RAM, and up to 16GB internal storage with a refreshing microSD slot available for expansion.

Just like the Nexus 7, the MeMO pad just offers a front-facing camera, though it's a 1MP shooter with a back-illuminated sensor. On top of Android, it comes with ASUS' pre-installed apps, and 5GB of free ASUS WebStorage space (if you don't have enough cloud storage accounts already).

21
Dec
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Update: Right on time, it looks like US Cellular's 4.1.1 update for the Galaxy SIII is available to users, and their software page has been updated to reflect the SIII's new firmware (which, for those curious, carries base band version R53OUVXALK5).

Samsung Updates also has the SIII's latest firmware available for download here. For instructions on updating your SIII, just hit the US Cellular link at the bottom of this post.

Original Story: If you're a US Cellular customer toting around a Galaxy SIII, you can expect to get your hands on Samsung's TouchWiz-coated Jelly Bean update for the device starting this Friday, December 21.

18
Dec
nexusae0_thumb_thumb3

Transformer Prime owners, you should see something extra in your digital stocking today. The 10.4.2.18 update is now rolling out (at least in the United States) ready to download and apply for stock users. Unfortunately it's not Android 4.2, but there are a number of small yet useful tweaks to the software. Most notably, errors with the Spanish and Dutch keyboards have been patched, and the Transformer Prime can now connect to Wi-Fi access points with Chinese characters in the SSID.

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A quoted text display bug in Gmail, issues with the screen saver function, and improved browser rendering are also on the list, as well as an update to the Polaris Office app included in the stock Transformer Prime 4.1 build.

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