Hasta La Gadget!

The launch of Android 4.2 brought a welcome smattering of extra features to the mobile world, but a recently discovered bug omits something slightly important: namely, the month of December. Dive into the People app on any device using the new OS, and the last 31 days of the year will be unavailable for contacts’ anniversaries and similar special occasions. Google is aware of the flaw, although it hasn’t yet said when it will have a fix in place. We’ve reached out to get a more definitive timetable for a solution beyond just what’s implied by the Gregorian calendar. In the meantime, don’t lean too heavily on that smartphone to remember an imminent birthday; people born in December are stiffed out of enough presents as it is.

[Thanks, Waverunnr]

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Google

Android 4.2 bug omits December from the People app, makes end-of-year birthdays even less bearable originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 03:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Play opened the Nexus 4 floodgates yesterday, but today it’s T-Mobile’s turn. America’s fourth largest carrier is officially offering Google’s latest purebred smartphone for $200 on its Value and Classic plans with a two-year service agreement. If contracts aren’t really your thing and wasting money is, you can purchase the phone outright for $500, a $150 markup on Google’s asking price. As it stands the first LG-made Nexus handset will be available at select T-Mobile retail locations, so if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Of course, you could always order online directly from the carrier, but considering yesterday’s turn of events, we suggest that you move quickly.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, T-Mobile

PSA: Nexus 4 now available from T-Mobile for $200 on a two-year service agreement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good news for fans of Android alternatives: Google’s just added binaries for Jelly Bean 4.2 to AOSP. Up until now, only the Nexus 10 and Nexus 4 had been privy to the company’s latest OS version bump, but with the presence of these files on its developer portal and updates leaking out early, custom ROMs are just now a stone’s skip away. Curiously, Mountain View has omitted the Nexus 4 from the list, but devs willing to get their hands dirty with the Nexuses 7 and 10, as well as both variants of the Galaxy Nexus — yes, Verizon’s model is on the list — can have at it right now at the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Google

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean binaries added to AOSP originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google just pushed an OTA update to Android 4.2 for our Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 review units. As expected, the update adds lock screen widgets to both devices and multi-user support to the Nexus 10. We’ve reached out to Google and the company’s confirmed that this is the build that will be shipping on its flagship phone and tablet tomorrow. We’ll soon be putting this latest build of Jelly Bean through its paces, but in the meantime, take a look at our gallery of screenshots below.

Update 1: Speaking of Android 4.2, check out this amazing collection of Photo Spheres.

Update 2: You’ll find benchmark results after the break — we’ll update with battery rundown numbers as time permits.

Continue reading Android 4.2 update for Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 adds lock screen widgets and multi-user support (benchmarks)

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Samsung, Google, LG

Android 4.2 update for Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 adds lock screen widgets and multi-user support (benchmarks) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 21:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sideloading apps on Android implies a whole set of security holes, but the new malware scanner included in Android 4.2 could provide a much-needed plug. Talking to Computerworld, Android VP of Engineering Hiroshi Lockheimer revealed that Google’s been analyzing APKs that crop up online, regardless of whether they’re official market apps or not, in order to maintain a growing database of good and bad code. The scanner — shown above — then works in a similar way to the Bouncer on the front gate, comparing all the apps on your phone to that database. The new sentry helps Google build upon other Android 4.2 security features such as an improved app permission screen and a block against apps sending premium SMS messages in the background. On the other hand, some might say that collecting samples of existing malware will never be as powerful as truly understanding its DNA.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Google

Google explains how its Android 4.2 malware scanner guards the side door originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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