Mobile Nations - Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, WebOS, etc...

[irvinehomeowner]

Forget Key Lime Pie... I'm already waiting for Zeppolis:

Mmmm... italian donuts... ottimo!

 

[Irvinecommuter]

The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Samsung Galaxy S II has been a long time coming but it seems that the wait is soon to get over. Although Samsung did earlier mention that the S II, along with a few other Samsung devices will be getting the update sometime in March, it did not provide the actual date.

Now, however, a Samsung importer in Isreal called Sunny Communications have revealed on its Facebook page that the update will arrive on March 15, just over a week from today.

http://www.gsmarena.com/android_40_update_for_galaxy_s_ii_said_to_arrive_on_march_15-news-3930.php

Hopefully this is true...I was tempted to load the unofficial version on my phone last week but will wait to see when the official upgrade comes out.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I don't recall... but on ICS upgrades for phones that have physical buttons... how does that work? Does it stretch the main screen to cover the extra space or do you get two rows of buttons?

 

[roundcorners]

From what I've read and seen; ICS knows you have physical buttons, those will be activated, no additional on-screen buttons...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiy_KIAtEHU[/youtube]

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I can't view the video right now... but does it stretch the screen to cover the extra space?

 

[roundcorners]

I can't view the video right now... but does it stretch the screen to cover the extra space?

I think, it's pretty safe to assume that ICS know your screen resolution; and fits to adjust, without stretching the UI... It very well know if your hardware is a Phone, Tablet, Landscape or Portrait Mode and adjusts accordingly... like I said, it will know if you have Physical Buttons and account for that...

 

[roundcorners]

We were all bombarded with Android phones last week at MWC; in sitting down and really digesting all the news... this is a clear indication of where things are going this year...

Just chew on the One-X specs for a bit...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yp8TurP6Nbc[/youtube]

Dimensions: 134.36 x 69.9 x 8.9 mm

Weight: 130g (w/ battery)

4.7-inch Super LCD2 capacitive touchscreen (720 x 1280)

Corning Gorilla Glass

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

Sense 4.0

Quad-core 1.5GHz Tegra 3 processor or Qualcomm Snapdragon (depending on LTE radio)

GPU: ULP GeForce

HTC ImageSense

1GB RAM

32GB built-in storage

8-megapixel (rear) camera w/ AF and LED flash

1.3-megapixel (front) camera

Non-removable 1800mAh battery

Bluetooth v4.0 w/ A2DP

NFC capable

MicroUSB

3.5mm audio output

Beats audio


We just got word this morning; that AT&T will get an LTE-toting version of the One X with a Snapdragon S4 chip instead of Tegra 3, while T-Mobile USA will range the One S.

Truly Amazing... HTC is truly back on top of it's game...

 

[roundcorners]

What is this...?  Updating Google "Play" Books & Listen now... Chrome, Android.. it's all comin' together...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdZxbmEHW7M&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TaZSMlq10oU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nt9KI6TxVCQ[/youtube]

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I thought "Google Play" was going to be the name for their 7" Nexus tablet... guess not.

iPad HD Day tomorrow!

See you there at 10am (you know you'll be following... RC... so you can see the right way to do a tablet).

 

[jvna]

I got a bunch more apps with the $0.49 promo with the new Google Play.

 

[roundcorners]

Yo all...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E4zCt3rvW98[/youtube]

 

[WoodburyDad]

The Monday brief video you posted is quite informative.
I did have a difficult time however concentrating on what was being presented.

 

[roundcorners]

Playing around with Launchers again on the old HTC... surprising; I have not touched the Nexie at all since December, besides loading some Widgetsoids customs & Power Bars, I'm all stock; we're getting some great reviews out there for ICS, but I honestly don't see a need to...

Phoenix Launcherhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.phoenix.launcher

Nova Launcher
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oogZ1wYYIlc[/youtube]



Apex Launcher

 

[roundcorners]

I'm starting to get it... as you guys know I'm not a huge gamer; the thought of sitting there by myself, hacking away at some imaginary character, shooting some space alien or playing a puzzle doesn't sound like the most appealing thing to do with my time...  although I could spend a few hours on Shadow Gun, it does eventually get pointless...

That is, until you bring back the social elements back into games; why do we love Board Games so much?  I think partly or mostly, it is because people are spending time together.  We've all heard of  games like Angry Birds on G+ where you try to beat your friends best score; but Social Games actually take it to the next level.

I'm not on Facebook but I'm starting to get the appeal why social games like FarmVille, Words with Friends and World of Warcraft are so popular.  I haven't felt this way about a game since the Grand Turismo days where I would play through the night on launch day.

I picked up the game Draw Something
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EjF9rM_8KiI[/youtube]

It's $.99; it looks simple but it's pretty hard on the small screen and you do have to be creative; I'm already pretty hooked just playing with strangers, I can only imagine if my friends jump on.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Draw Something is the new Words With Friends.

My kids play against each other on our phones.

 

[roundcorners]

Looking good...

Will my device run CM9..?

G-Note on T-Mobile... done

Beautiful Widgets Update, just in time for the rain this weekend...

Great article on what to do with Older Smartphones (N-1..?) yup...http://lifehacker.com/5892896/what-can-i-do-with-an-old-smartphone-besides-sell-it

Happy Friday everyone... I think I might have already linked this...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Xtuxax8Dtk4[/youtube]

 

[roundcorners]

morning.. all

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DpFsivFxwHo[/youtube]

 

[roundcorners]

I have never heard Ira so pissed-off; if Ira can ever instill indignant justice or righteous anger, this would be it.  TAL handled it whole thing with grace, transparency and integrity.  When Mike was being grilled by Ira, and Mike had those long pauses between questions, I thought my computer crashed or something; way to go Ira, don't let him off the hook...  They will survive the incident and go on to build an even greater fan base.

I however thought the Mike Daisey piece was and is entirely plausible; and that it should have just been labeled as theater versus a news piece; it still would have been just as effective and powerful.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/460/retraction

Another great commentary?
4 important truths about Mike Daisey?s lies & the way ?This American Life? told them
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/...ies-and-the-way-this-american-life-told-them/




Speaking of dam lies? Tera 3?s comeback?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TQlu39SIH6M
[/youtube]



Another great read from Phil
From the Editor's Desk: We don't need Just Another Android Tablet
Great points ? But Google got to have something up their sleeves? they are smart people working over there?http://www.androidcentral.com/editors-desk-just-another-android-tablet



CyanogenMod 7.2 release candidate now live with support for 69 Android deviceshttp://www.androidcentral.com/cyanogenmod-72-release-candidate-now-live-support-69-android-devices

The Millionth Samsung Galaxy S III leak

http://phandroid.com/2012/03/18/the-millionth-samsung-galaxy-s-iii-leak/



Micro-Arc Oxidation - wa soo cool... totoolly defferent...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZPZ7y1EDKvk[/youtube]



Monday Bonus...
Panasonic: Android-operated rice cookers? You got it, and for over $1000!http://phandroid.com/2012/03/17/pan...ed-rice-cookers-you-got-it-and-for-over-1000/

 

[roundcorners]

humm... eat lunch or mess with the phone... isn't it obvious?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_5jgJe8G9k&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Sorry RC, this is gonna hurt your manhood...

App developers continue to choose iOS, Android and BlackBerry fall behind
http://www.bgr.com/2012/03/20/app-d...hoose-ios-android-and-blackberry-fall-behind/

Appcelerator, in conjunction with market research firm IDC, on Tuesday announced the results of a recent joint survey of 2,173 app developers from around the world. The report found that developers are more interested in Apple?s iOS platform than any other mobile operating system. 89% of respondents said that they were very interested in developing for the iPhone, and 88% were interested in the iPad. Google?s Android operating system, which was once neck-and-neck with iOS in terms of developer interest, has decreased ?due to continued fragmentation of the platform.? Interest in the platform dropped nearly five points to 78.6%, while Android tablets dropped 2.2 points from the previous survey to 65.9%. Windows Phone 7?s appeal, on the other hand, remains high and it is clear that the platform is the ?number three OS in terms of priorities,? while interest in Research in Motion?s BlackBerry platform continues to fall. The study found that developer interest in the BlackBerry OS declined from 20.7% in the fourth quarter of 2011 to 15.5% in the first quarter of 2012. Read on for Appcelerator and IDC?s press release.

Not to mention all those ads on free apps for Android are probably responsible for the poor battery life:
http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/20/free-apps-power-drain/
http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/19/2884902/android-apps-battery-efficiency-study