ASUS - 17/34 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Jul

Nexus 7 16GB Now In Stock On The Play Store

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Nexus 7

If you've been patiently waiting for the 16GB version of the Nexus 7 to make its way back into the Play Store, the wait is now over. The tablet dropped its "coming soon" status for "in stock" just a bit ago, and Google has already started sending out emails to users who signed up for updates on the device's status.

Still, if you don't want to wait for shipping, you may be better off hitting up the local Staples or Office Depot - we're still hearing word that many stores still have a stock of N7s to share with the world.

Jul

ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity Getting OTA Update To Build 9.4.5.26, Brings Stability Fixes, Support For 64GB+ SD Cards, And More

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Transformer Pad Infinity

If you're lucky enough to have already received your TF700, there's an update slowly rolling out that brings a handful of enhancements to the device. Like with most other ASUS OTAs, a changelog isn't available, but users are reporting increased touch sensitivity, support for 64GB and larger SD cards, an updated camera app, better I/O performance, and other stability improvements.

The update is not yet available on my TF700 at the time of writing this, so we expect it's rolling out on a schedule and will likely begin hitting more device soon.

To see if it's available on your device, head into Settings > About tablet > System Firmware Update > Check Update.

Jul

ASUS Releases Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 Bootloader Unlock Tool: Get Your ROM On In 1080p

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in ASUS, News, Transformer Pad Infinity

The original Transformer was one of the first tablets to capture the imagination of the Android community, and three iterations later the family continues to be popular among modders and ROM enthusiasts. The latest and inarguably greatest member of ASUS' tablet family, the Transformer Pad Infinity, now has infinitely more options when it comes to aftermarket ROMs and modifications. The company released the TF700 version of their bootloader unlock tool, and interested users can download it from the ASUS support website. The release comes almost exactly two months after the cheaper Transformer Pad 300 got the same treatment.

The tool is in the form of a standard APK file.

Jul

Google Gigabit Fiber's Kansas City Rollout Includes Free Internet Or A Free Nexus 7, Nationwide Envy At No Extra Charge

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Google, Google TV, News, Nexus 7

To the residents of Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri: we hate you. Sincerely, every Internet user in the United States.

We've known about Google's plan to roll out its very first fiber optical Internet and cable service in the twin Midwestern cities for months, but today the full scope of Google's plans has been revealed on the fiber.google.com page. The options are staggering, the technology is drool-inducing, and the extras are enough to make even Google I/O attendees jealous. Beginning in September, Google will begin to roll out its fiber to neighborhoods in both cities that have rallied enough residents to request the service on the Google Fiber website.

Jul

ASUS Padfone Build 9.20.1.22 Now Available - Brings Android 4.0.4, Better Battery Life, Improved Stability, And More

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Padfone

ASUS' hybrid monster, the Padfone, is getting itself a nice little OTA to build number 9.20.1.22. The update brings enhancements and bugs fixes, as well as a small bump in Android version:

System upgrade to Android 4.0.4
Elevate system stability and optimize the operating performance
Optimize Dynamic Display Switch (DDS) performance
Optimize power consumption
Optimize Camera performance and quality
Message / Email edit function improvement

Group Edit
Email update frequency, "peak time" and "Off peak time" setting feature added.

Optimize Input method

SD card support to 64GB

Super Note function added

Reset the password
Hand Writing Recognition Speed

Device tracking and data protection support.

Jul

The Nexus 7's Software Buttons: Designed For Gaming

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Design, Jelly Bean 4.1, Nexus 7

"The playground is open."

That's the declaration attached to every piece of Nexus 7 advertising on the internet. The point Google's trying to get across is that the Nexus 7 is, first and foremost, a media device. Reading, watching, listening, and gaming - those are the use cases Google had in mind when they designed the N7.

The result is that the Nexus 7 is not just a new device, it's a new type of device, at least as far as the Android UI is concerned. When Google set out to design a 7 inch tablet from the ground up, they completely blew up the standard Android tablet conventions.

Jul

16GB Nexus 7 Is Now Listed As "Coming Soon" On The Play Store, Likely Backordered Into The Next Century

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in News, Nexus 7

The Nexus 7, everyone's newest favorite tablet, has already had more than its share of problems shipping from the Play Store. Today, the new shenanigans are that the 16GB model is currently unavailable from the Play Store at all. The best Google has to offer is a "coming soon" button that offers to let customers sign up to be informed when the device comes back in stock.

The 16GB model, so far, has been particularly hard to find from Google, and particularly easy in retail locations. The best we can assume is that Google allotted more 16GB models to be shipped out for retail shipment, since the margins are higher on the 16GB model.

Jul

ASUS Announces Its Jelly Bean Plans For Transformer Pad, Prime, And Infinity - Others Are Uncertain

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in ASUS, News

You might remember ASUS as the company that manufactured the overwhelmingly popular Nexus 7 tablet. Did you know that ASUS makes other tablets as well? It's true! Among them are the Transformer Pad, Transformer Pad Prime, and Transformer Pad Infinity. If you happen to own one of these tablets, then ASUS would like you to know that your slate is "scheduled to receive Android 4.1 updates in the coming months." Nice, huh?

Here's the full statement from ASUS:

Dear valued ASUS customer,

At ASUS, one of the key commitments we make to our customers is a relentless drive to deliver the best user experience.

Jul

[Deal Alert] OfficeMax Has The 16GB Nexus 7 In Stock For $219.99 With Phone Order Coupon Plus Free Shipping

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Deals, News, Nexus 7

UPDATE: Many readers are reporting that the Nexus 7 is now on backorder from OfficeMax and that the coupon may not work any more. That being said, the website still indicates that the tablet will ship in 1 to 3 days. Let us know if you have any luck getting the discount.

There's no doubt that Google's Nexus 7 has been exceedingly hard to find since its launch. From nebulous shipping schedules to stock problems at brick and mortar stores, customers everywhere have had a hard time getting their hands on the device.

Luckily, it has been discovered that OfficeMax has Google's hit 7" tablet in stock (shipping in "1 to 3 days") for $219.99 when you apply a coupon code over the phone.

Jul

XFINITY TV Player App Updated To Support The Nexus 7, Promises A 7" UI Soon Enough

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News, Nexus 7

Leave it to Comcast to be ahead of the curve on keeping up to date with new technology*. The Comcast subsidiary Xfinity has just updated its TV Player app to be compatible with Android 4.1, with special emphasis on supporting the Nexus 7. The app is technically compatible, though the release notes say that the next version of the app will include a UI designed specifically for the 7" form factor.

While Xfinity probably isn't the first company to announce plans for or produce a 7"-specific UI for an app on the Play Store, it does highlight yet again the beginning of the trend we all knew was coming since I/O: 7" form factors are going to be a beast unto themselves.