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If you've got a Galaxy Note 10.1 handy and a hankering for root-enabled fun, noted modder mskip has just posted an initial version of his extensive Toolkit for the Samsung tablet to the XDA developers forum. We've seen these before for all kinds of hardware, most recently the Galaxy Note 8.0, and they're great as a one-stop shop for advanced user operations. The toolkit requires a Windows PC, but beyond that it's got everything you should need to start rooting and modding the Note 10.1.
Gmail App Updated To 4.5.2, Brings Delete Button Back By Default (And Popular Demand)
Gmail App Updated To 4.5.2
There's nothing as satisfying as permanently deleting that annoying email. Well, that's not true, there are a lot of things more satisfying than that, like hugging your children, eating a good steak, and landing a headshot on that jerk who's been camping the spawn. But if you've been craving that small, petty, satisfying feeling of quickly deleting hundreds of emails, Google's got your back. The 4.5.2 version of the Gmail app makes the Delete button the default setting after you long-press a message (in the last major revision it was previously set to Archive).
Ah, the press invitation: the event that sends the wild gadget blogger into a frothing rampage of speculation and anticipation. Our latest guess-fest is provided courtesy of T-Mobile, which sent out press invitations to a July 10th New York City event this afternoon. There's no information on what might be revealed therein, and T-Mobile's typical pink marketing language isn't saying much. The only clue we've got is that it will, in the carrier's own words, include T-Mobile's "boldest moves yet."
Thursday App And Game Sales: 10000000, Combo Crew, Reckless Racing 2, eWeather HD, And More [Update]
Thursday App And Game Sales
We already had some pretty great app and game deals yesterday, and today looks even better, particularly if you're in the mood to expand your Android game library.We've got Reckless Racing 2 for speedsters, Combo Crew for fighters, 10000000 for the nostalgic, and Beauty and the Beast for those who can't wrestle their tablets back from the kids. Here are the rest of your Google Play Store deals for Thursday.
A few days ago, there was a huge commotion around the Android and iOS campfires: Microsoft is bringing its first-party games to mobile platforms other than Windows Phone! The news stemmed from this Reuters report that Age of Empires would be coming to Android and iOS, followed by other titles. The first part is correct (though not nearly as exciting as it sounds, see below) but the latter part seems to be a translation error - Phil Spencer, Microsoft's VP of the company's internal game studio, clarified the issue via his Twitter account.
If you're reading this on a later GSM-only Samsung device, pay attention. After clarifying their continuing support for Tegra 2 devices earlier this week, the CyanogenMod ROM team wants to let you know about their position vis-à-vis Samsung's Exynos 4 series of chipsets. In a nutshell: devices based on the Exynos 4 will be getting CyanogenMod 10.1 (Android 4.2) nightly builds, and not much else. These phones and tablets will not be getting stable releases of the latest CyanogenMod builds for the time being.
Four days. Four days, fellow Google Reader pilgrims: that's how long you've got until Google turns its back on the RSS service forever. Apps that used to rely on Google Reader as a backend have switched to alternatives, usually Feedly's new and almost identical backend API. Popular podcast manager/player BeyondPod is the latest to do so, but in order to try it out, you'll have to leave the comforting confines of the Google Play Store for the treacherous waters of a non-Market Beta.
Now that the various sizes of the Galaxy Tab 3 are on the brink of release, it's time for Samsung to update a few of its older tablets... to Android 4.1.2. Commence grumbling about the sad state of the manufacturer/carrier update system. AT&T's LTE version of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (SGH-I497) is next on the list - since the tablet launched on AT&T's network back in November with a 4.0 operating system that was only a year out of date, it's almost fitting that the 4.1 update is coming almost exactly a year after Jelly Bean was introduced on the Nexus 7. Rabble, rabble.
Last month Google announced that they would remove Argentina from the list of regions supporting paid Android apps in the Google Play Store. The company cited "ongoing issues," likely having to do with rapidly increasing inflation and other economic problems in the country. Google had planned to remove all paid apps and IAP apps from Argentinian developers tomorrow, June 27th. Now the company has reversed its decision, and though they haven't said why, presumably it follows the outcry from the Argentinian developer community.
After a day filled with Android-flavored excitement (Google Edition phones!), disappointment (they're not really Google Edition phones, and SHIELD is late at the gate), and all points in between, it's time to kick back with some sweet app and game sales. Because no matter how good or bad your day was, saving money is never a let-down. Let's get right to it, shall we?
Hey there, 2012-era HTC smartphone owners. Wondering where your CyanogenMod nightly builds went? We were too, at least until CM team member Ethan Chen posted a short update on his Google+ page. New CyanogenMod 10.1 nightly builds are now rolling out for the HTC One XL (codename evita), One S (ville), Sprint's EVO 4G LTE (jewel), and Verizon's DROID Incredible LTE (fireball). You can find them all on the get.cm download page.
If you take a look at Motorola Mobility's company branding, you'd be hard-pressed to find much that's changed since Google bought them almost two years ago. Today that changes... a little. The Verge found the logo above in the site for Techweek, a Moto-sponsored technology show taking place in Chicago on June 27th. The new logo surrounds the familiar "M" with a segmented color wheel, and swaps out the all-caps name for a softer font with "a Google company" beneath it.
The day is here, AOSP fans: you can go pick up a gloriously stock Samsung Galaxy S4 or HTC One in the Google Play Store now. The "Google Play Edition" phones went live this morning, right on time, and are now for sale next to the Nexus phones and tablets. The GS4 Google Edition can be had for $649, while the HTC One goes for slightly less at $599. Both are running the latest version of Android 4.2 shod of all skins and add-ons, with promised updates via Google itself. At the moment, the phones are only available to United States residents.
Futuremark Bringing PCMark Benchmark App To Android, iOS, And Windows Phone
Futuremark Bringing PCMark Benchmark App To Android, iOS, And Windows Phone
Hardware enthusiasts are probably already aware of Futuremark and its PCMark software, a standard for testing and comparing computer hardware for years. PCMark is popular among reviewers and users for its comparison of hardware on standards that are more likely to reflect real-world, typical usage. Today Futuremark announced that it's bringing the software to the "Big three" mobile operating systems, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. Futuremark's press release did not include a date.
In the Android Police Galaxy Note 8.0 review, we mentioned that it would be a lot better with an adjusted price. The Samsung tablet has already seen some pretty significant discounts, and today eBay has the WiFi version for 5. That's $55 bucks off the US retail price, plus free shipping and zero taxes, at least if you live somewhere that isn't New York or New Jersey. This isn't one of eBay's Daily Deals - presumably the sale will end when stock runs out.
Invisible Gamepad Sticker-Controller Is Your Hilariously Bad Kickstarter Project Of The Day [Update]
Newsflash: touchscreen controls are almost universally bad. They're so bad that companies like Sony, Archos, and NVIDIA have created entirely new devices just for the novelty of shoving console-style physical controls onto Android hardware. There's got to be a way to make make non-tactile control schemes suck less. This Kickstarter project... isn't it.
CyanogenMod and other aftermarket ROMs are often the last recourse for tech-savvy users whose hardware has fallen behind the curve, or just been forgotten by a manufacturer or carrier. But even the CyangoenMod team can't keep supporting devices forever. In a Google+ post today, the CM team states that due to technical limitations, support for phones and tablets using the NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset will end with the next major Android release. CyangenMod 10.1 (Android 4.2) will be the last official version for these devices.
Gameloft's shooter magnum opus is getting a big update today. If you've purchased Modern Combat 4, head to the Play Store to start the download for the Meltdown update - it's free. Those who haven't bought MC4 can get it with a new purchase. The update is fairly typical for a high-profile first-person shooter: new maps, new weapons, and a new specialization class. But what will probably excite fans of the game most are two new multiplayer modes.
If you habitually rock climb, scuba dive, ski cross-country, or do any of the things you might regularly see on a heath food or Viagra commercial, you're probably in the market for a ruggedized smartphone. And if you're on Verizon, your options have been somewhat limited as of late (try not to drool over AT&T's shiny new Galaxy S4 Active, please). Verizon just made the Casio G'zOne Commando LTE official: it's a super-sturdy Android device in the same vein as the former Commando and the G-Shock watch line. It will launch on Thursday for $99.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate on-contract. Big Red isn't saying how much it will cost outright.
OUYA Android Console Officially On Sale Today For $100 - Best Buy, Target, And OUYA Store Now Shipping [Update]
OUYA Android Console Officially On Sale Today For $100
The day has finally come, true believers. The OUYA console is real, it's on sale, and you can have one of three online retailers send one to your doorstep. The $100 gaming SoC-in-a-box got its celebrated start on Kickstarter, but as of today you don't need to be among its backers to buy one. The OUYA storefront, Best Buy, and Target are all allowing orders to go through at the moment - Gamestop and Amazon are also retail partners, but the former isn't allowing you to add the item to your cart, while the latter is showing "out of stock."