08
Mar
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Most of the time, major corporations like to cushion their words so that, in the event of a PR disaster, it's easier to walk back its statements. Today, an AT&T exec in charge of public policy decided to throw that caution to the wind and announce in no uncertain terms 'the Librarian’s ruling will not negatively impact any of AT&T’s customers.' Well. That sure is blunt.

We're not apt to take any AT&T rep at their word, and there are certainly some things to raise eyebrows over. For starters, at one point in the post, the author says the following:

As we make clear on our website, if we have the unlock code or can reasonably get it from the manufacturer, AT&T currently will unlock a device for any customer whose account has been active for at least sixty days; whose account is in good standing and has no unpaid balance; and who has fulfilled his or her service agreement commitment.

08
Mar
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Nexus 7 in South Korea

The international rollout continues as Google has announced that the Nexus 7 is now on sale in South Korea. This marks the ninth country the tablet can be purchased in and the widest availability of any Play Store hardware to date. The first runner up is the Nexus 10 with a whopping 8 countries.

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Nexus 4 in Japan

The Nexus 4, however, wants to catch up in that list with a possible Japanese launch. We've previously heard reports that the handset had already appeared, but multiple Japan residents have confirmed to us the phone is not actually on sale yet.

05
Mar
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Just a few days ago, we saw a hint that Google might be ready to expand its gift card program to the UK. Today, our suspicions are confirmed as the cards have started showing up at the distinctly British Tesco grocery stores. So far the only denominations confirmed are £10 and £25, though the support pages indicate that there are some £50 vouchers running around out there somewhere.

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So far, Google has only seen fit to launch gift cards in the US and the UK. Hopefully the program will expand into more countries this year as there is plenty of demand.

20
Dec
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As Google continues the work of expanding its Play Store services across the globe, it only makes sense that the giant is also working to provide a cohesive, pleasant experience for users in the 130+ countries that now support paid apps. To that end, Google has announced in a post to the Android Developers blog that developers can now include localized promotional graphics and video in their Play Store listings.

Basically, what this means is that developers can upload separate assets to ensure that users in, for example, the United States will see English-language graphics and video, while others around the world see materials in their own language.

14
Dec
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In times past, we've seen Google add new countries to its list of supported territories for Google Maps Navigation shortly before we see the update itself rollout. Today, there's been a pretty huge change to that document that added 10 new nations including Bulgaria, Estonia, Ghana, Iceland, Ivory Coast, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Senegal and Slovakia (for some reason Singapore appears to have been added to the list, even though that nation already has Navigation).

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Right now, it doesn't look like Navigation has actually appeared for the countries in question, but if history repeats itself, the service should appear for residents of these nations before too long.

11
Dec
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It seems like we can't go more than a week or two without hearing that one of Google's content services has rolled out to a new country. Today, Russia is getting in on the action with Play Books and Movies now available throughout the country. You can purchase books like normal, and movies are available both for rental and purchase.

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Prices for movie rentals start at around 49 rubles (USD$1.60) and purchases start at 99 rubles (USD$3.22). There are a number of major studios on board, including many American companies such as 20th Century Fox, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Sony, as well as local production houses like Central Partnership (Централ Партнершип).

10
Dec
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One of the biggest problems with the Play Store is that, compared to certain other platforms, its international support for both products and payment systems is comparatively meager. This is, of course, one of the main reasons that earning revenue on Android seems harder for developers. Starting today, though, if you live in Australia and use Telstra, you have one more way to pay: carrier billing.

The rollout comes with special thanks to mobile payment platform Bango. This UK-based company specializes in connecting your wallet to the companies you want to give money to. This is particularly noteworthy since Bango is an international platform.

07
Dec
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Despite the slew of devices released since Summer, the Galaxy S III remains one of the most popular handsets in the Android world right now. If you were looking to get your hands on one without signing a new contract, eBay Daily Deals has both the black and blue international versions for $499 unlocked.

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This is the most affordable we've seen the device so far in an unlocked form, though you can still get it for as low as $550 from some other venues, so don't worry too much if you can't grab this deal today. Still, $50 is $50. If this is on your holiday shopping list, go for it.

05
Dec
GALAXY S III Product Image (8)_B

While the majority of Galaxy S III owners on U.S. carriers are still waiting to get the Android 4.1.1 update, those with unlocked handsets in Poland are already receiving the Android 4.1.2 OTA. This update brings more than just a Jelly Bean point release, though; it also comes with a host of new features:

  • Multi-Window (a la Note II)
  • Page Buddy
  • New Gallery app (also from the Note II)
  • Customizable Notification panel
  • Smart rotation
  • Swype-like keyboard
  • Paper Artist app
  • ...and more

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The update is rolling out in phases over the air right now, and is also being made available via Kies.

15
Nov
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For many users, if an official firmware update for their device isn't available, a leaked ROM will do just as well. Owners of Samsung's International Galaxy SII (I9100) willing to run leaked firmware will be happy to know that today, XDA user izap has provided Jelly Bean 4.1.2 (build JZO54K.I9100XXLSJ) firmware for all to enjoy.

Of course, there have been rumblings that the SII will receive an official update to 4.1 this month, but sooner is always better, right? Users are reporting that the leaked build is working just fine, though as with any unreleased firmware, your mileage may vary.

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