Devices By Manufacturer - 17/531 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Apr

Sprint Galaxy SIII Set To Get Update To L710VPBMD4 Starting April 24 With Security Fix, Multi-View, More

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Device Updates, Galaxy S III, News, Sprint

Sprint Galaxy SIII owners fire up your "check now" fingers – you'll be getting a software update to version L710VPBMD4 soon, bringing a home screen security fix and a few other changes.

Specifically, the update – slated to start rolling out April 24 – brings Multi-View functionality (by which you can split the screen for multi-tasking purposes), enhancements to the camera and gallery apps, the addition of Samsung's Paper Artist photo editing app, and unspecified bulk SMS enhancements.

If you're the owner of a Sprint-bound Galaxy SIII and don't know the drill already, head over to Sprint's site for instructions on manually checking for your update, or simply wait for it to roll in.

Apr

Google Supposedly Snaps Up Aggregator Wavii In $30 Million+ Acquisition

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Google, News, Rumors

Wavii, a service that promises to help you "keep up with everything you care about" has been snapped up by Google, according to Tech Crunch, for a sum totaling over $30 Million.

The deal, which signals an end to an apparent acquisition battle between Google and Apple, likely means that Wavii's language processing prowess will be integrated with Google services from the Knowledge Graph all the way down to (perhaps) Google Now. It also means that Wavii will not be joining forces with Apple's Siri.

For those unfamiliar with Wavii, the service is basically an aggregator of news it thinks is both interesting and relevant to you, the user.

Apr

[Deal Alert] Move Fast: Unlocked Galaxy S4 (GT-I9500 Exynos Version) Is Back On eBay Daily Deals For $740

Posted by David Ruddock in Deals, Galaxy S4

The last Galaxy S4 eBay Daily Deal we posted was sold out within minutes of posting, so move quick if you're considering an unlocked Galaxy S4 - it's back on eBay Daily Deals for $740, $40 more than previously. This may not sound like a 'deal,' but most sites are still taking pre-orders for this version of the S4, and many are charging $900 or more for the device. This eBay Daily Deal gets your S4 shipped out in the next week.

This deal won't last long - so hop on it while it's still there, because it definitely won't be sticking around.

Apr

Verizon Updates Spectrum 2 Support Docs, Jelly Bean Incoming (Build VS93021B)

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Device Updates, News, Spectrum 2, Verizon Wireless

Last Updated: April 26th, 2013

Looks like Verizon's on a roll – two OTAs in the same day! Earlier today, it updated the support docs for the original Stratosphere with details of an upcoming incremental update, and now it looks like Jelly Bean is getting ready to hit the airwaves on its way to the LG Spectrum 2.

Aside from Jelly Bean goodies, the update also packs a few fixes and tweaks:

+ Weather application and widget have been updated
+ NFC LG Tag+ help has been improved
+ Brightness option has been moved to notification panel for global access
+ Browser now loads Google account bookmarks
+ Improved readability for email conversation
+ Optimized Bluetooth® connect/disconnect and audio stream switching implementations
+ User can back up contacts when the SIM is swapped to a new device
+ Preloaded widgets including Social+, Today+, Finance, News and Power Control have been removed

Once Big Red updates its support docs, that usually means an OTA is imminent – this one should likely start heading out sometime this week.

Apr

LG Optimus G Pro (Korean Version) Review: LG Finally Finds The Sweet Spot (A Relatively Large One)

Posted by David Ruddock in Optimus G Pro, Phone Reviews

Giant smartphones are becoming increasingly popular the world over, and for the last two years, it's a market Samsung has absolutely and utterly dominated. The Note and Note II are both excellent devices, and Samsung had the rare luck of getting something right the first time with the Note line. If you want a big phone, and money is no object, the Note II stands alone. It seems LG, though, has something to say about that.

After the rather abysmal failure that was the hilariously-shaped Optimus Vu, it had been rumored LG was getting out of the big phone game. Apparently, though, it's had a change of heart - the Optimus G Pro being the result.

Apr

V-Moda Gives Otterbox A Run For Its Money With The Stylishly Expensive METALLO Galaxy S III Case

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Accessories, Galaxy S III, News, Samsung

V-Moda has been climbing the accessory maker charts lately with stylish (if divisive) designs for headphones and phone cases. The company's first foray into Android is the METALLO case for the Galaxy S III. The all-metal design (probably high-density aluminum) is unique, changing the shape of the phone and making it dockable with an extra amplifier/battery pack accessory. It's also one of the more expensive case options out there, starting at $101 for the frame, backplate and screen protector.

The METALLO case reshapes the GSIII, changing its soft corners into a sharper oblong rectangle with rounded sides. Protection for all sides is complete, save for some vanity panels on the back.

Apr

Verizon Announces The Pantech Perception, A 4.8-Inch $150 Pile Of ICS-Powered Mediocrity, For Release On April 25th

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in News, Pantech, Verizon Wireless, Videos

Last Updated: April 24th, 2013

If the phones that Pantech has released in America thus far have been your sole exposure to the South Korean manufacturer, you might be surprised to learn that the company has some legitimately awesome hardware in its home territory. The Pantech Perception... isn't. While it competes with the likes of the Galaxy S III on paper, at least in some respects, a combination of old software and expensive hardware makes this new Verizon phone a hard sell to anyone who wants a high-powered device. It launches on Thursday, April 25th for $100 on contract... after a $50 mail-in rebate. Remember those?

Apr

Verizon Readies Small Update For The Samsung Stratosphere, Brings Several Bug Fixes

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Stratosphere, Verizon Wireless

Hey Stratosphere owners – think Verizon forgot about you? That doesn't seem to be the case, as the company has just updated its i405 support docs with details of a new OTA update that should begin rolling out shortly. It's mostly a bug fixer, which looks to fine-tune the experience after the most recent OTA.

Post-update, you should find that voice calls sound better, emails should send more reliably when using Outlook, and some of the Verizon-specific apps (like My Verizon and VZtones) have been updated. This OTA also removes some of the bloat – IM, Blockbuster, Verizon Video, and Verizon Vcast should all be a thing of the past.

Apr

Sony Releases Pure AOSP For The Xperia Z To Its GitHub, Encourages Developers To Hack Away

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Development, News, Xperia Z

Back in August of '12, Sony teamed up with Google to make the Xperia S an officially supported AOSP device. The project initially got off to a decent start, but after an issue with some proprietary software binaries that couldn't be released by either Sony or Google, the project was canned on the official side and moved to Sony's GitHub, where it can still be found today.

Now, the company is doing something similar with the Xperia Z, minus Google's interaction from the get-go. It has released full AOSP for the Z to its GitHub, along with most of the proprietary binaries needed to get things going.

Apr

Barnes & Noble Nook Color, The Original Modder's Tablet, Gets CyanogenMod 10.1 Nightlies

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Android OS, Barnes & Noble, Jelly Bean 4.2

For a lot of Android users out there, the Nook Color was their first exposure to the platform, or at least their first exposure to the magic of root and custom ROMs. The tablet's unlocked bootloader (from the days before B&N caught wise and started protecting its loss-leader business model) made it easy to convert into a "full" Android device. The CyanogenMod family of ROMs was one of the first reliable alternatives to the base software, and despite the aging hardware, the latest update is now available for the Nook Color. CM 10.1 (Android Jelly Bean 4.2) is now ready in nightly form.

Definition: A "nightly" is a bleeding edge release that is built on a daily basis, usually at night after a full day's worth of new code has been committed.