Samsung Galaxy Discover coming to the US through Net10 and Straight Talk

Samsung Galaxy Discover hits the US through Net10 and Straight Talk

Just weeks ago, Samsung slipped the entry-level Galaxy Discover into Canadian shops, with no word on whether or not it would ever cross the border. It has — or rather, it will. The company has listed the Galaxy Discover as coming to the US through contract-free carriers Net10 and Straight Talk. Hardware-wise, the US version is the familiar starter smartphone with a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, an 800MHz processor and a 3-megapixel camera. The American model touts a slightly curvier frame, however. Its real stand-out remains the removal of TouchWiz in favor of pure Android 4.0; while not unique, it’s still a rare break for a company that likes its custom UI layers. We don’t have ship dates or prices when the phone hasn’t yet been announced or listed for either network, but we’d venture that it will be one of the cheaper prepaid options when it arrives stateside.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: Phone Scoop

Source: Samsung

Stitcher overhauls its Android app to dovetail with Google’s interface world

Stitcher overhauls its Android app to dovetail with Google's interface world

Stitcher’s Android app can do many things with radio and podcasts, but one thing it hasn’t done lately is blend in — its interface is out of sync with a platform that has had its own distinct style for more than two years. A major remake today helps make amends. The new Stitcher app relies on the Action Bar and overall concepts of Holo-native apps for input, simplifying things for anyone who’s comfortable with Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean — and more than a little prettier, we’d add. It’s more than just eye candy, though. The Android build now has a dedicated Smart Station to listen to recommendations, browsing that keeps interruptions to a minimum and Jelly Bean-specific playback controls in notifications. While there’s no fundamental changes that would lure someone who’s wedded to a single-purpose app, the Stitcher refresh could be worth a look if previous versions ever felt like strangers on Google’s turf.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Google Play

BLU Products unveils Tegra 3-running Quattro 4.5, 4.5 HD and 5.7 HD

BLU Products unveils Tegra 3running Quattro 45, 45 HD and 57 HD

It was just weeks ago that BLU Products’ smartphones were largely dual-core models like the Vivo 4.65 HD. The company clearly wants to ramp things up, as it’s kicking off the Quattro line based around Android 4.0 and the quad-core, 1.5GHz Tegra 3. At the entry level is the $250 Quattro 4.5, which includes a qHD display at its namesake size as well as a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of built-in storage and a microSD slot. The next step is, unusually, the biggest: the $300 Quattro 5.7 HD (what you see above) keeps the same storage, but jumps to the extra-large category while upgrading to a 720p display and an 8-megapixel camera. BLU sees the $350 Quattro 4.5 HD as the real darling. It beats its non-HD cousin with a curved, 720p screen touting Gorilla Glass, and throws in a larger 16GB capacity as well as a more light-sensitive 8-megapixel camera. The two smaller models ship to the US early this month, to be followed by the 5.7-inch behemoth in late March. When they arrive, every one of them will carry unlocked HSPA+ 3G that supports both AT&T and T-Mobile.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: BLU Products

Verizon green-lights HTC Thunderbolt’s Ice Cream Sandwich update

Verizon rubber stamps HTC Thunderbolt's Ice Cream Sandwich update

Sweet relief from Gingerbread is finally here for HTC Thunderbolt owners who haven’t jumped ship or upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich without Verizon’s blessing. Big Red’s finally approved Android 4.0.4 laced with Sense 3.6 for the device and is serving it up for download. In addition to souping up the hardware with increased stability and the features you’ve come to expect with ICS, the upgrade removes the Verizon, BlockBuster, Rhapsody, and Mobile IM apps from the smartphone. Ready to welcome your lightning rod for bad luck phone to 2011? Mosey over to your handset’s system update section to check for the fresh build.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Via: Droid-Life

Source: Verizon (1, PDF), (2, PDF)

Acer intros Liquid C1 smartphone packing Intel Lexington, low price to match

Acer intros Liquid C1 smartphone packing Intel Lexington, low price to match

Remember that unnamed Acer phone we caught skulking about Intel’s CES event? It’s been given a proper launch: meet the Liquid C1. True to form, the fully revealed device centers around a Lexington-based, 1.2GHz Atom Z2420 processor. The chip gives the C1 enough grunt to power an 8-megapixel camera with burst shooting while keeping the price in check, at about 9,990 baht ($335) off-contract for the inaugural Thailand release in February. Locals will otherwise get a solid Android 4.0 smartphone with a 4.3-inch display, HSPA+ 3G and a battery that lasts for nine hours of 3G talk. Other countries in southeast Asia are next on the list to get Acer’s turn at an Intel-powered handset, although we wouldn’t expect to see it everywhere — Intel’s Uday Marty warns ZDNet that the absence of LTE will keep phones like the C1 away from markets where the faster data is commonplace.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: ZDNet

Alcatel One Touch Evo 7 makes FCC pitstop, still runs Ice Cream Sandwich

Alcatel One Touch EVO 7 makes FCC pitstop, still runs Ice Cream Sandwich

If it’s ICS, you can be sure it ain’t fresh. And Alcatel seems to know that, but it’s offering a base version of its non-HD One Touch Evo 7 tablet that runs that so very 2011 Android OS anyway. Yes, this is the very same 7-inch “modular” slate we saw at this past CES, except now it’s made an appearance at the FCC, indicating market availability on the horizon. Just in case you need a refresher, Alcatel’s outfitted the tab with a WSVGA (1,024 x 600) display, single-core 1GHz Rockchip CPU buffered by 1GB RAM and 4GB of internal storage — nothing to get excited about, really. All the goods are here on display, from test setup shots to its user manual. So, feel free to peruse the source below for a glimpse at the official docs.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: FCC

Exynos-powered Kite tablet flies Android 4.0 and Ubuntu 12.04 for €309

DNP Exynospowered Kite tablet flies Android 40 and Ubuntu 12 for 309

Italian electronics firm DaVinci Mobile Technology is now accepting pre-orders for its Kite Full-HD tablet. This European slab features a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, a Samsung Exynos 4412 quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a front-facing VGA camera and a rear-facing 2-megapixel shooter. In addition to packing some decent specs, the device also dual-boots Ubuntu 12.04 for ARM and Android 4.0. While there’s no telling if this switch hitter will ever officially make its way to US soil, our friends abroad can fly this Kite for €309 (around $413 USD).

Filed under:

Comments

Via: Notebook Italia (translated)

Source: DaVinci Mobile Technology (translated)

Android Dashboard update shows Jelly Bean on 10 percent of active hardware

Android Dashboard update shows Jelly Bean on 10 percent of active hardware

The last time we checked out Google’s Android Device Dashboard, penetration of the latest version had reached 1.8 percent of active hardware. A couple of months later and Android 4.1 / 4.2 Jelly Bean is accounting for more than 10 percent of devices that accessed Google Play in the last 14 days. The share of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich devices also grew to represent 29.1 percent of active hardware, and while 2.3 Gingerbread still has the largest slice, it slid below half to 47.6 percent. That means developers can more confidently taking advantage of the latest APIs, but while the environment is much improved over when the dashboard launched in 2009, those fragments still mean some hard choices on exactly what to target with apps. Hit the source link for a larger look at the current numbers.

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Source: Android Developers

Huawei puts Ascend P1 on sale in the US through Amazon for $450

Huawei Ascend P1 review lead

We’ve grown accustomed to the Huawei Ascend P1 ourselves, but most Americans haven’t had that same luxury without going through an importer. Huawei wants to be more accommodating, if somewhat belatedly: it’s now selling its mid-tier phone directly to the US through Amazon. Shelling out $450 gets the same 4.3-inch screen, dual-core 1.5GHz processor and lightly customized Android 4.0 as elsewhere, but in an unlocked form with a proper US warranty. The only real disappointment is that it’s not the LTE variant, although we’ll bite when there’s HSPA+ 3G for American GSM carriers like AT&T, Straight Talk and T-Mobile. If you’re willing to make the sacrifice for carrier independence, the Ascend P1 awaits at the source link.

Continue reading Huawei puts Ascend P1 on sale in the US through Amazon for $450

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Amazon

Samsung’s possible Galaxy M Pro sequel poses for the camera, may hang on to Android 4.0

Samsung's possible Galaxy M Pro sequel poses for the camera, may hang on to Android 40

Samsung’s Galaxy M Pro is one of the few widely distributed, fixed-QWERTY smartphones available for the Android world, but cutting edge it’s not: the messaging phone originally shipped with Android 2.3 just as 4.0 was about to take center stage. It may be nearing a sorely needed update. Blog of Mobile has followed up a June FCC filing for an unannounced GT-B7810 with some purported details and photos for the same device. Most of the change is reflected on the outside: aside from a similar 480 x 360 display, it could have a considerably fresher metal-effect design. The improvement on the inside is tougher to reckon. While there should be a 1,200mAh battery, HSPA 3G and a micro-SIM slot, the only major upgrade claimed here is the shift to Android 4.0, or just enough to stay on the trailing edge. That is, assuming the B7810 launches at all. Having spent more than half a year in limbo, the budget-focused phone may be out of step with the modern market unless there’s a pre-release update in store.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: Unwired View

Source: Blog of Mobile (translated)