AFN | Android Fan Network

Official Galaxy S3 3000mah Extended Battery Review

2013-03-14T02:04:00.000-04:00

As promised, our review of the official Galaxy S3 3000mah extended battery kit is up. Many of you Galaxy S3 owners have had your phones for almost a year now. After almost a year of use, your battery has lost some of its ability to hold a good charge. If you're considering replacing your battery, definitely take a look at the extended battery kit. Although it does cost a bit more than the standard battery, it's well worth the price. After going two full days with the extended battery, I wouldn't even consider going back to the stock battery.

Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - 3000mAh - Blue
Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - 3000mAh - White
Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - 3000mAh - Black

ZooGue Galaxy SIII Social Case(Extended Battery Case)

Check us out:
Twitter
Facebook
Google+
YouTube

Github removes files due to DMCA violation, including one from CyanogenMod

2013-03-13T18:08:00.002-04:00

Now this is getting interesting. github(the repository for open source code used by most Android developers) was sent a notice by a French based company called DxO Labs SA, to take down certain files for violation of DMCA.

Here is a quote from the original notice:

[3] I have a good faith belief that the file downloads identified below (by URL) are unlawful under these copyright laws because among other things, the files circumvent effective access controls and/or copyright protection measures;
[4] Reason:
Content Type: "Custom Firmware" files
Violation(s): Trafficking a device that circumvents effective access controls and/or trafficking a device that circumvents effective copyright protection measures.

There is a repository of CyanogenMod which is a part of the list as well. What we fail to understand is if it is violation of DMCA then what took DxO Labs so long to find that out. We'll see how this story progresses and if the owners of the repositories give us their side of the story.

Andy Rubin passes the Android baton to Sundar Pichai

2013-03-13T16:35:00.002-04:00

In some interesting news just a few months prior to Google I/O, Google announced today that Andy Rubin is moving on to other ventures and Sundar Pichai will be in charge of Android henceforth It was Andy Rubin who proposed the idea to Larry Page and Sergey Brin. After making Android one of the most popular open source mobile operation system Andy has decided to explore new ventures. Sundar Pichai, who is the brains behind Chrome Browser and Chrome OS, will now also be handling the progression of Android.Many look forward in anticipation to what Pichai can bring to Android. Rubin will no doubt be missed greatly for all of the wonderful additions he brought to the little green fellow.

Here is the official statement from Google:-

Sergey and I first heard about Android back in 2004, when Andy Rubin came to visit us at Google. He believed that aligning standards around an open-source operating system would drive innovation across the mobile industry. Most people thought he was nuts. But his insight immediately struck a chord because at the time it was extremely painful developing services for mobile devices. We had a closet full of more than 100 phones and were building our software pretty much device by device. It was nearly impossible for us to make truly great mobile experiences.

Fast forward to today. The pace of innovation has never been greater, and Android is the most used mobile operating system in the world: we have a global partnership of over 60 manufacturers; more than 750 million devices have been activated globally; and 25 billion apps have now been downloaded from Google Play. Pretty extraordinary progress for a decade’s work. Having exceeded even the crazy ambitious goals we dreamed of for Android—and with a really strong leadership team in place—Andy’s decided it’s time to hand over the reins and start a new chapter at Google. Andy, more moonshots please!

Going forward, Sundar Pichai will lead Android, in addition to his existing work with Chrome and Apps. Sundar has a talent for creating products that are technically excellent yet easy to use—and he loves a big bet. Take Chrome, for example. In 2008, people asked whether the world really needed another browser. Today Chrome has hundreds of millions of happy users and is growing fast thanks to its speed, simplicity and security. So while Andy’s a really hard act to follow, I know Sundar will do a tremendous job doubling down on Android as we work to push the ecosystem forward.

Today we’re living in a new computing environment. People are really excited about technology and spending a lot of money on devices. This is driving faster adoption than we have ever seen before. The Nexus program—developed in conjunction with our partners Asus, HTC, LG and Samsung—has become a beacon of innovation for the industry, and services such as Google Now have the potential to really improve your life. We’re getting closer to a world where technology takes care of the hard work—discovery, organization, communication—so that you can get on with what makes you happiest… living and loving. It’s an exciting time to be at Google.

Posted by Larry Page, CEO

Source-Google

HTC: BRINGING IT THE RIGHT WAY SINCE 2013...

2013-03-13T07:40:00.001-04:00

HTC releases a Developers Copy of the One: can we all agree this is the perfect way to appease the ones of us that full enjoy tweaking our phones?
Here's a bit of the old official from their blog:

—————

What could be better than the HTC One; an all-metal phone with 64GB of memory and a 1080p Full HD screen? How about the same phone shipped SIM and bootloader unlocked?

Introducing the HTC One Developer Edition, the most powerful smartphone HTC has delivered specifically for our developer community:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor
2 GB RAM
64 GB of storage
SIM and bootloader unlocked
Open APIs for Bluetooth Low Energy, Infrared, and more
Front-facing stereo speakers
Two dual-membrane microphones for recording
Multiple frequency compatibility:
- HSPA/WCDMA: 850/1900/2100 MHz
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- LTE: 700/850/AWS/1900 MHz (US)

And let’s not forget that gorgeous 1080p Full HD display that brings graphics, photos, and videos to life. With the HTC One Developer Edition you have a modern platform to build and test your apps.

The HTC One Developer Edition will be available in limited quantities to customers with a US Zip Code for $649 when the HTC One is released in the United States.

——–——

As a long-time fan of their devices, I feel like I should just stand up and applaud HTC.

This isn't something they're known for.

Getting fully unlocked phones to their customers hasn't always just happened. Fully customizing their devices has been limited in the past to an online software method: the company provided a limited bootloader unlocking method thru external channels, and only then upon the sacrifice of warranty redemption. (Ouch.) That headache of a system has been in place since the Evo 3D days. ("Back in my day, 5uNny...we had to unlock our bootloaders manually...like MEN...") It was only instituted in the first place after heavy petitioning by "custom users" and software hackers of their devices (you know, those of us over at XDA, Rootzwiki and the like.)

Although appreciated, and a decent first step, "fully" unlocked devices haven't been available from HTC, and could only be attained via personally hacking them after purchase with third-party methods.

(Initially, this is only official for the Verizon release of the HTC One, more carrier's versions are sure to follow, if this "Developer's Version" system of offering devices mimics other manufacturers that offer the same.)

HTC: I for one just want to say 'Thank you'.

This gesture has been Noticed, and Appreciated, and this is Progress.

Anytime any manufacturer visibly caters to its customers' wishes, they should be congratulated.

(Seems like HTC really is pulling out all the stops for this device, and here's hoping they sell a zillion of them.)

Thoughts?

Stay Tuned!

2013-03-13T07:11:00.001-04:00

OK! So here's the deal!

I've been saying for the past two weeks that our site will be down for a few days while we switch formats. Why are we still posting? I have no idea! It's completely out of our hands while we're waiting for everything to transfer from Enom, a web hosting company, to our new format. All of us here at AFN have been kind of sitting on our hands waiting for the transfer to happen, not entirely sure if our posts will be even seen by you.

Once this does happen I promise you all of us here at AFN will hit the ground running and will be one of your top Android news sources. This has been a very frustrating time for AFN, as all of us here are excited to start spreading the Android gospel.

Until then..... Stay Tuned!

Nexus 4 Bumper : Catch me if you Can

2013-03-12T20:10:00.000-04:00

Catch me if you can, that's what the Nexus 4 bumper is saying to us right now. It's back in stock in the Play Store and claims to be delivered in 3-5 days.

Go grab one before it runs out of stock again.

Nexus 4 Body Glove Nova Case Review

2013-03-12T11:10:00.000-04:00

The Body Glove Nova case is perfect for those who would like a slim case like the Poetic Atmosphere, but would also like a little more protection. It boasts dual layer protection that includes a hard shell exterior and a soft gel interior. Think of it as a soft-touch Speck Candyshell for the Nexus 4. At only 1 ounce in weight and $16 on Amazon, it won't hurt your pocket or pocketbook.

Check us out on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter!

HTC Sense 5 ported to the HTC Droid DNA

2013-03-10T14:40:00.000-04:00

So you are not a writer for one of those big news websites, nor do you have a friend who is a HTC employee, but you want to play with HTC Sense 5? All you need is a bootloader unlocked Droid DNA. Yes peeps, HTC One (aka M7) rom has been ported to the Droid DNA giving it some Sense 5 goodness. Did you just say Oh my God, that's so damn cool, we agree with you.

What works:-
*Data
*Calls/Txt
*Bluetooth
*Wifi
*GPS
*Camera
*Video
*Audio
*Nfc
*Hdmi
*Sdcard
*Usb Mount

What doesn't work:-
*Mms
*Zoe

So without further delay, head over to the original thread on xda for download links and more details.

First Custom ROM for the HTC One is here

2013-03-09T17:44:00.000-05:00

The developers over at xda are wreaking havoc (in a good way). First custom ROM for the HTC One has been baked and is now available for download. The ROM is called Android Revolution and has been baked by xda recognized developer mike1986.

We are pretty sure once the HTC One gets in the hands more developers we will see a flurry of roms for the latest flagship device from HTC, the One.

For more details and downloads head over to the original thread on xda.

Site is going down today folks!

2013-03-06T08:41:00.001-05:00

We're switching formats on our website, unfortunately we're going to be down for 5-7 days.

I just wanted to drop a quick note before it goes down.

Stay tuned peeps! When we relaunch we're going to be bigger and better than ever!

Until then follow us on Twitter @TeamAFN, Google+ and Facebook (hit the link on the top right of our page for Google+ and Facebook)

From all of us at AFN, see you next week.

H2o Wireless (AT&T Prepaid) Review and Comparison

2013-03-06T01:31:00.000-05:00

Aside from the little girl in the Capital One commercials, everyone wants more cash. Switching to a prepaid provider is one easy way you can save a decent hunk of change each month without sacrificing cell coverage or features. H2o Wireless offers one of the best prepaid monthly plans for those who wish to stay on AT&T's network. They offer unlimited minutes and texts plus 2GB of data for $60 a month. Compare that to AT&T's contract plan of unlimited minutes and texts plus 3GB of data for $90 plus tax. If you don't need that extra gigabyte of data, H2o is obviously a better deal. Sure, you won't get LTE, but AT&T's 4G network is more than fast enough to stream HD content. H2o supports number porting, so you don't have to worry about losing your current number. For more information, check out the video above and H2o Wireless's website. If you have any questions about a phone you'd like to use with H2o Wireless, feel free to leave a comment.

Custom Recoveries already available for the HTC One

2013-03-05T19:37:00.003-05:00

The HTC One is yet to land in the hands of the common man, but custom recoveries for the device are already available.

Xda member Flyhalf205 has posted ClockworkMod and TWRP recoveries for the HTC One.

Please note the bootloader on the HTC One is yet to be unlocked and we do not know if HTC will support that from their portal or not. Only time will tell if the One's bootloader can be unlocked or not.

Link to CWM for HTC One
Link to TWRP for HTC One

Optimus G ROM ported to Nexus 4

2013-03-05T19:23:00.000-05:00

We know that you can run Nexus 4 ROMs on the LG Optimus G, but how about running the Optimus G ROM on the Nexus 4? Sounds interesting to me.

Please note this is an alpha build and all warnings of running a custom ROM on your beloved device apply.

What works:-
- It boots
- Screen works
- Sound works
- Charging works
- Bluetooth works
- Connecting to PC works
- LED notification works
- Anything related to CPU/GPU is working
- Navigation buttons for Nexus 4 work

Whats not working:

- GSM + WiFi
- Camera
- GPS
- Notebook FC's
- Random reboots

As you can see this is nowhere near to a daily driver as of now but we are pretty sure progress would be made soon.

If you still feel implied to try it out, head over to the original thread at xda.

Ubuntu Touch ported to the Nexus S

2013-03-05T18:39:00.000-05:00

Ubuntu Touch is making waves and being ported to a multitude of devices, the new OS has now been ported to the Nexus S.

Here is a video of Ubuntu Touch working on the Nexus S.

What works:-

Touch
Screen
Sound
Camera
Power Button
RIL (Phone/SMS) (works for some users)
Wifi
BackLight Conrtol

Excited, head over to the original thread on xda for more details.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 keeping the plastic design and back cover.

2013-03-05T14:45:00.001-05:00

Love it or hate, Samsung is sticking to their guns with the "plastic-y" design and removable back cover. The biggest complaint I would say I hear most about the Samsung Galaxy S III is how plastic-y it feels in your hands, while other companies are using glass, aluminum and other higher quality plastics.

Samsung has argued that the plastic back is more durable than competitors because it can absorb physical impact due to it being bendable. They are also fond of the fact that that this particular plastic is faster to manufacture which means they can ship a higher volume at a faster rate (so that's what happened to the Nexus 4).

Whether you're a fan or not of Samsung's "plastic-y" feel, this is how the Samsung Galaxy S4 is being shipped.

Source : cnet

Verizon Galaxy S3 Update to Android 4.1.2 today

2013-03-05T13:54:00.000-05:00

We all know the two words Verizon and update aren't normally in the same sentence, in this case it is. The extremely popular Verizon Samsung Galaxy S III is receiving an update to Android version 4.1.2. There's not many big improvements with this update, with the exception of performance improvements made to Bluetooth (my wife will happy to update hers) but hey..... beggars (Verizon users) can't be choosers.

Full changelog for VRBMB1:

Keyboard Predictive Text feature has been improved

User can take pictures while on a call

Manual refresh button has been added to lock screen stock ticker

Email syncing has been improved

Bluetooth® performance has been improved

VZ Navigator and Amazon have been added to stub applications

If you're stock rooted and want to keep root always do some research or ask us here before you accept the update.

Official Galaxy S3 3000mAh Extended Battery Now Shipping!

2013-03-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

The much anticipated official Samsung extended battery for the Galaxy S3 has begun shipping from Mobile Fun. Unlike other 3rd party batteries, the official Samsung battery is made of the same high quality materials as the stock battery. At 3000mAh, it's only 100mAh short of the Galaxy Note II battery pack. Although Mobile Fun has had the battery listings up for a several months now, they just received stock on Friday and orders began shipping yesterday. Currently, the white version is out of stock, the black version won't be in stock for a month, and the blue version is still in stock.

We will have our review of this battery up within a few days, so stay tuned!

Grab yours while you still can:

Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - White

Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - Blue

Genuine Samsung Extended Battery Kit for Galaxy S3 - Black

CyanogenMod 10.1 – M2 now available.

2013-03-04T20:43:00.001-05:00

Well the Cyanogenmod Mod news is flowing tonight (as most nights). Cyanogenmod 10.1 - M2 is available for the Nexus line, also quite a few phones and tablets. They're basically saying stop reporting bugs on nightlies because they'll be ignored and start reporting issues on the M2 release. Also remember to always provide a logcat or adb bugreport or they'll be ignored (logcat apps can be found in the Play Store).

So if you own one of these devices and want to take a break from the nightlies, get your flash on and take a break.

List of supported devices as of today :

Devices receiving an M release today are as follows:
Acer Iconia a700
Google Nexus S (crespo, crespo4g)
Google Nexus 7 (grouper, tilapia)
Google Galaxy Nexus (toro, toroplus, maguro)
Google Nexus 4 (mako)
Google Nexus 10 (manta)
Google Nexus Q (steelhead)
Hardkernel Odroid-U2
HTC One X (evita)
HTC Incredible 4G LTE (fireball)
HTC Evo 4G LTE (jewel)
HTC One S (ville)
LG Nitro HD (p930)
LG Optimus LTE (su640)
LG Spectrum (vs920)
Samsung Galaxy S (captivatemtd, galaxysbmtd, galaxysmtd, epicmtd)
Samsung Galaxy SII (i9100g, hercules, skyrocket)
Samsung Galaxy SIII (US variants d2att, d2cri, d2mtr, d2spr, d2tmo, d2vzw)
Samsung Note (quincytmo, quincyatt)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (p3100, p3110)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (p5100, p5110)

It always gets me excited to see a release that gets us closer to a stable release and I'm guessing M2 is just a few kinks away. After all M1 was released just a little over a month ago.

Will a stable - daily 4.2.2 CM 10.1 ROM be here by next month?

Source: Cyanogenmod

Twitter retiring TweetDeck for Android, iPhone & TweetDeck Air

2013-03-04T19:01:00.000-05:00

After not increasing the token limit for Falcon Pro, Twitter today announced (via the acquired TweetDeck) that TweetDeck for Android, iPhone & TweetDeck Air would be retired in early May 2013.

They would instead be focusing on web based versions of TweetDeck, which to me is a strange approach considering the fact that more and more people are moving over to smartphone & tablets. Personally, I think Twitter is going backwards with this decision, people are moving away from desktops & laptops and Twitter is moving towards them. Strange, isn't it?

Official TweetDeck statement.

Source - theverge

CM 10.1 nightlies now available for the HTC One X (Endeavoru)

2013-03-04T15:22:00.001-05:00

Cyanogenmod nightlies available for the HTC One X (Endeavoru)

Just tweeted by @Cyanogenmod - "HTC One X (endeavoru) This device has graduated to 10.1 nightlies. Note the warning below. Link"

As the article says, wait for the next nightly to drop or still use beta - 10 (Note - this is NOT for the AT&T One X).

Keep plugging away Team Cyanogenmod! We all appreciate what you do for our older and newer phones.

Otterbox Playing Favorites?

2013-03-04T12:51:00.000-05:00

Is Otterbox playing favorites? With the release of the glass-clad Nexus 4, many consumers were eagerly anticipating an Otterbox case. Unfortunately, Otterbox decided that the demand wouldn't be high enough. Perhaps Otterbox didn't sell many Galaxy Nexus cases, and decided the risk was too great for the next generation Nexus. Interestingly enough though, Otterbox has created not one, but two Otterbox cases for the HTC One VX. While the One VX is a nice mid-range device, it is definitely not a flagship device like the Nexus 4. It has been estimated that Google has sold over 1 million Nexus 4s since launch. While that number isn't mind blowing compared to the Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5 sales, it's somewhat surprising that Otterbox would create two cases for the relatively unknown One VX.

If you're still interested in an Otterbox or similar case, check out the Acase Supperleggera review. If you simply have your heart set on an Otterbox Defender, sign this

Otterbox: Create cases for the LG manufactured Google Nexus 4 petition.

Nexus 4 Seidio Surface Case Review

2013-03-04T12:18:00.001-05:00

Seidio has finally released its slim Surface case for the Nexus 4. Instead of offering two variations, Seidio decided to only sell one version with a built-in kickstand. Similar to previous Surface cases, this case includes the same soft touch plastic shell and high quality materials. If you're looking for a full protection case that isn't bulky, the Seidio Surface is perfect for you.

Sasmung Teases the Galaxy S4 with no peeks for us

2013-03-04T07:34:00.000-05:00

With just about over a week left for Samsung's unpacked event, Samsung has started teasing us with those unpacked videos. The first teaser video was upload a few hours ago on Samsung's Youtube channel.

There is no glimpse of the Galaxy S4 for us on the video, but one thing is worth mentioning, even Samsung knows that girls can't keep secrets (no offense meant to any of our female readers).

Is it possible? Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus getting 4.2.2?

2013-03-02T18:50:00.003-05:00

It can't be! Could it?

Screen shot provided by El Madhatter over at Xda has us Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners wondering if this could be true. For us geeks this isn't that big of news because most of us already have 4.2.2 on our Galaxy Nexus one way or another. For the average Joe Blow that bought this phone because they were told by someone (probably a phone geek like us) that this phone will get Android updates faster than any other phone. Three updates behind later (thanks Big Red) Joe is using an outdated phone (Thanks again Verizon).

Its looking like we'll have new radios, which is fantastic news but the same kernel and boot loader, which is a bit of a bummer. The new baseband info is also new and can't be changed with a simple build.prop edit which leads me to believe this is the real deal. I guess someone could go through a hell of a lot of work to fake this but I doubt it.

So Joe Blow! Keep your head up! Your pretty little Verizon Galaxy Nexus just might be updated to 4.2.2. What do ya say Verizon?

We're on twitter now folks! @TeamAFN

2013-03-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Follow us on our brand spanking new Twitter handle @TeamAFN for all of the latest and greatest Android news, rumors, rants and giveaways. Even though our website will be down for a few days you can always follow us on twitter to read our news, rants, reviews, videos and to see if you are the lucky winner of one of Nicks giveaways. Hit the link, follow us and tell Nick you want to be the winner of his giveaways.

@TeamAFN