With rumors surfacing yesterday about a possible HTC One running a stock Android install, another rumor surfaced that may be more interesting for current owners of the device or those not willing to wait for confirmation of the “Google experience” HTC One. Over on Twitter, developer @LlabTooFer responded to an inquiry about Android 4.2′s availability on the HTC One with “2-3 weeks I think.” @LlabTooFer has been a reliable source of information about HTC software updates in the past.

Along with the rumor about Android 4.2 coming to the HTC One, @LlabTooFer also posted recently about an update that was in the works for last year’s HTC One X which would bring it up to Android 4.2 and Sense 5.0. If all the rumors are true, it looks like HTC is working to bring the Android 4.2 goodies to a large swath of their customers. If they succeed and establish a reputation of quick work to keep devices up to date with Android versions, that could be a positive step in helping them regain some lustre and marketshare.

source: @LlabTooFar

Come comment on this article: Android 4.2 for HTC One only 2-3 weeks away?

According to a GL Benchmark test, a device with the model number GT-P5200 is going to include a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 Clover Trail+ processor working with a PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU. The GT-P5200 name seems to code for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, as the GT-P5100 was the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.

There were reports earlier this month of the same device running a 1.6GHz processor on the AnTuTu Benchmark site, which matches perfectly with the current information. It is rumored that Samsung is working on three variants of this device, one coming with only WiFi capabilities, one with both 3G and WiFi, and another with 4G LTE and WiFi.

We expect the device to launch with a 10.1-inch screen with a 1280 by 800 resolution. There’s no word yet on when the new Galaxy Tab will launch, and how much it will cost.

Source: GFX Bench

Come comment on this article: Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 rumored to ship with Intel processor

We had another busy week at TalkAndroid so here’s a recap of all the top stories. Google I/O was this week, so it’s no surprise that it dominated the headlines. Google officially unveiled their new unified messaging service called Hangouts and their new gaming service called Play Games Services. They also unveiled their new streaming music serviced called Play Music All Access. The only hardware announcement was the Galaxy S 4 Google Edition. All in all, it was an exciting event that featured a lot of new stuff for development, which is what Google I/O is all about. Even though I/O was the focal point for the week, there was still a lot of other news, so it’s time to get caught up and get ready for another exciting week.

Guides

Best Android music playing applications [May 2013]

Reviews

Quiz of Seers [Brain & Puzzle]

WeVideo – Video Editor [Media]

Google I/O

Re-experience all three exciting hours of the Google I/O 2013 keynote right here

Google I/O 2013 Keynote: Android activations account for nearly 1/7th of the world’s population with 900 million total activations

Google I/O 2013 Keynote: Play Store will bring more personalized recommendation, apps that will be “Designed for Tablets” and new All Access music subscription service

Google announces unlocked Samsung Galaxy S 4 with stock Android coming June 26 for $649

Google Play Developer Console gets a major injection of new features

Google announces Google Play for Education at Google I/O 2013

New Google Maps makes the Map the UI just a little better and easier for all

Google Search gets expanded functionality for users, brings new cards and improved Voice Search abilities

Google Hangouts officially announced at Google I/O, now live in the Google Play Store

Google Hangouts requires permissions to receive, read, and send SMS messages, could support be added soon?

Google Hangouts “easter eggs” revealed, include ponies and dinosaurs

Gmail and Google Wallet can now help you get money to people in your life

Google TV gets bumped to Android 4.2.2 and the latest version of Chrome

Hands on with the Map Diving simulator

Hands on with NVIDIA Shield

Quick look at the Google Street View Trekker

Hands on with WeVideo’s video editing solution for Chromebooks

Accessories

Samsung TecTiles 2 Now available to purchase

Apps – New

Blackberry Messenger officially coming to Android devices this summer!

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1 launches with full Android support

HTC Backup now available for AT&T users as free download from Google Play

Karateka Classic: Director’s Cut launches tomorrow for Android and iOS for a buck

Classic Sonic the Hedgehog by Sega launched to Google Play for $2.99

Apps – Updates

Android games begin to integrate with Google Play Games service, more to come

TuneIn Radio gets updated to allow Google Play Music Store purchases

Pinterest app for Android receives update

Time Warner Cable’s TWC TV app updated to allow streaming away from home

YouTube for Google TV updated, features new homescreen UI

SMS integration within Google Hangouts on its way

PBA Bowling Challenge adds multiplayer support thanks to Google Play’s game service

Fitbit adds Bluetooth 4.0 sync support for Samsung Galaxy S 4 in new update

Carriers

Google Wallet arrives for additional Sprint and U.S. Cellular smartphones

AT&T blocking Google Hangout video chats on mobile networks

Gaming Hardware

NVIDIA to begin accepting SHIELD handheld gaming device pre-orders from today

Google

Google Play developers now able to reply to user reviews

15GB of free storage now offered between Drive, Gmail and Photos

Google announces Gladstone, Missouri will be receiving Google Fiber

Google Sync Services quietly adds a couple new settings

Next version of Android to feature Bluetooth Smart support, expected in the coming months

Game over June 30th for Google+ Games

Google makes Android easier to use for visually-impaired users with TalkBack and BrailleBack

Google Glass

MedRef aims to help the medical field better, oh and it brings facial recognition to Google Glass in the process

New concept video surfaces, showcases how awesome, yet practical the head can truly be

Google Glass successfully unlocked, boots up with Ubuntu at I/O

Congress wants to know a little more about Google Glass privacy guidelines, sends a friendly letter to Larry Page in the process

Hardware

NVIDIA Tegra 4 devices to be announced this quarter

Phones – HTC

HTC One $100 trade up program ends this Sunday, no extensions planned

HTC employee hints at an HTC One with stock Android

HTC First reportedly to be discontinued by AT&T barely a month into its release

Verizon offering HTC Droid DNA for free through new coupon code promotion

Phones – Meitu

China’s MeituKiss phone catered to females equipped with 8-megapixel front camera

Phones – Morotola

Possible Motorola X Phone benchmark shows up on GFX Bench

Phones – Nexus

Another white Nexus 4 appears in the wild, preparing for a Google I/O release?

Video of white Google Nexus 4 surfaces

Google to debut Android 4.3 on white Nexus 4 June 10th

Phones – Panasonic

Panasonic launches P51 in Indian markets, packed with 5-inch screen and stylus

Phones – Samsung

Verizon Galaxy S 4 to launch in stores on May 23rd

Samsung Galaxy S 4 breaks the S 3 record by selling 4 million units in 5 days

Samsung officially outs Blue Arctic Galaxy S 4 in Japan

Samsung planning to free up storage space on Galaxy S 4 for users

Samsung Galaxy S 4 is the world’s first smartphone to recieve coveted TCO certification

Is success of Samsung Galaxy S 4 pushing company to look outside for components?

Samsung Galaxy S 4 to reach 10 million sales by next week, Note III to have 5.9-inch OLED display

Galaxy Note III not expected to offer flexible display or metal design

First photo taken from the Samsung Galaxy S 4 Zoom surfaces online

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Mini pictures leaked, smaller and less-powerful version of its bigger brother

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Mini specs leak, will feature high-powered Exynos 5210 chip

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Mini leaks once again, release set for end of May

Waterproof S 4 variant shows up in benchmark with downgraded processor, dubbed the Galaxy S 4 J Active

Samsung Galaxy S III comes to StraightTalk using Sprint’s LTE network

Samsung Galaxy Ace III gets Bluetooth SIG certification

Phones – Sony

Sony unveils Xperia ZR, a mid to high-end waterproof device made for underwater photography

Japan’s NTT DoCoMo releases summer 2013 device portfolio including Sony Xperia A

Phones – ZTE

ZTE reveals Grand X2 In with Intel CloverTrail+ processor capable of taking 24 photos per second

Tablets

Samsung working on a tablet/pc hybrid behind the scenes

HP Announces Slatebook 10 x2, a convertible tablet with Tegra 4

New project hopes to bring Android apps to HP Touchpad sans dual boot

Amazon Coins now available for Kindle Fire owners

Archos ChefPad appeals to the cook in us all

Notion Ink brings okay specs and an interesting display tweak with the Adam II

Ekoore Python S3 offers triple the operating system fun in one device

Upgraded ASUS Fonepad announced, will feature better processor and extra storage

Nexus 7 refresh expected in July, same price with updated specs

Photo and details leak of 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

Archos officially announces 80 Xenon tablet, set for June launch at $199 asking price

Sony Xperia Tablet Z receives AOSP support

Updates

T-Mobile rolling out Android 4.1.2 update to Samsung Galaxy S III customers

Sony Xperia Z smartphone receives minor software update

Samsung start rolling out Jellybean 4.1.2 update to Galaxy Ace 2 users

Sprint HTC One receiving OTA update to fix key sensitivity

HTC One X rumored to get Sense 5.0 in new incoming update, brings Zoe and Blinkfeed along for the ride

HTC sales increase for One and Butterfly, Butterfly to receive Sense 5.0 update

Miscellaneous

Consumer preferences towards larger smartphone screens on the rise

Smartphone sales in Q1 2013 great for Android, amasses whopping 75% of market share

NVIDIA announces SHIELD pre-orders will begin May 20th and will have a cost of $349

CyanogenMod eclipses 5 million downloads and counting

Apple preparing to wage war once again with Samsung, adds Samsung Galaxy S 4 to list of patent infringements

Modaco Toolkit enables easy multi-user access for rooted 4.2 phones

Former Nokia consultant launches Adaia, aiming to make the first fully seaworthy Android phone

Yup, Android 4.3 is confirmed thanks to a search result listing on a developer website

Samsung grabs 95% of global Android smartphone profits in Q1 2013

Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Weekly Recap for May 13 – May 19, 2013

As we’ve reported multiple times before, Samsung has big plans to release multiple variants of their newest flagship, the Galaxy S 4, to serve various purposes. The water and dust proof variant just ran through the GFX Benchmark site and we now have more information on the device including its official name, the Galaxy S 4 J Active.  There will be two models of the J Active, one presumably for AT&T (SGH-I537) and another for European markets (GT-I9295). 

The J Active will share a lot of similarities with the S 4 including a TouchWiz themed Android 4.2.2, the same gorgeous FHD screen and 2 GB of RAM. One very noticeable difference is the processor. Where the S 4 used either the Snapdragon 600 or Samsung’s own Exynos 5 Octa depending on which version you got, the J Active will pack a quad-core 1.9GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus(MSM8960) processor. While it is an odd decision on Samsung’s part to downgrade the processor and nothing else, the Snapdragon S4 is still a great processor and should do a fine job running the device.

The J Active will join the S 4 Mini and the S 4 Zoom sometime this summer and it will be exciting to see what else Samsung has up its sleeve.

Source: GFX Benchmark
Via: Phone Arena

Come comment on this article: Waterproof S 4 variant shows up in benchmark with downgraded processor, dubbed the Galaxy S 4 J Active

Google Hangouts has a lot of cool features, including over 800 emoji characters to use. Apparently there are also six hidden “easter eggs,” including ponies, dinosaurs, and the ability to change the background of the chat window. Google employee Moritz Toxdorff posted the above image on his Google+ account, which explains how to use them. All you need to do to experience the magic is type in your desired code into the chat window, and press enter. Right now, these easter eggs only work on the Google+ client of Hangouts, but the Chrome and mobile clients should surely get them soon.

Source: +MoritzTolxdorff

Come comment on this article: Google Hangouts “easter eggs” revealed, include ponies and dinosaurs

HTC employee Jeff Gordon replied to Android and Me, who initially reported Momii’s tweet, saying “HTC is not currently planning a ‘Nexus Edition’ of the HTC One.”  The key word in that statement is “currently,” as confirming a new version of their flagship phone would definitely hurt current sales for HTC.

If this rumor turns out to be true, could this be the start of more and more “Google experience”  Android phones? Stay tuned to Talk Android as we hear more.

Sources: Android and Me, @LlabTooFeR, @jetleigh

Come comment on this article: HTC employee hints at an HTC One with stock Android

You can see a Jelly Bean walkthrough of AOSP on the Tablet Z in action below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Source: Sony Blog

Come comment on this article: Sony Xperia Tablet Z receives AOSP support

These features were put on display at an “Enabling Blind and Low-Vision Accessibility on Android” presentation at Google I/O. Developers were explained how to optimize their applications to take advantage of Android’s accessibility tools.

Mobile Accessibility by a Spanish company called Codefactory has already been assisting blind users for a while by using a simplified audio-based user interface. Their developers say that Android’s new enhancements will allow the company to work on new features for the service.

It’s really great to see support being improved for the visually-impaired community. There’s no reason everyone shouldn’t be able to experience how great Android is.

Source: Phone Arena

Come comment on this article: Google makes Android easier to use for visually-impaired users with TalkBack and BrailleBack

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!

Guides

Best Android music playing applications [May 2013]

Accessories

Samsung TecTiles 2 Now available to purchase

Apps

Fitbit adds Bluetooth 4.0 sync support for Samsung Galaxy S 4 in new update

Classic Sonic the Hedgehog by Sega launched to Google Play for $2.99

Carriers

AT&T blocking Google Hangout video chats on mobile networks

Gaming Hardware

NVIDIA to begin accepting SHIELD handheld gaming device pre-orders from today

Google Glass

Google Glass successfully unlocked, boots up with Ubuntu at I/O

Congress wants to know a little more about Google Glass privacy guidelines, sends a friendly letter to Larry Page in the process

Phones

HTC One $100 trade up program ends this Sunday, no extensions planned

Google to debut Android 4.3 on white Nexus 4 June 10th

Panasonic launches P51 in Indian markets, packed with 5-inch screen and stylus

Samsung Galaxy S 4 to reach 10 million sales by next week, Note III to have 5.9-inch OLED display

Is success of Samsung Galaxy S 4 pushing company to look outside for components?

Tablets

Nexus 7 refresh expected in July, same price with updated specs

Photo and details leak of 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3

Archos officially announces 80 Xenon tablet, set for June launch at $199 asking price

Updates

HTC One X rumored to get Sense 5.0 in new incoming update, brings Zoe and Blinkfeed along for the ride

HTC sales increase for One and Butterfly, Butterfly to receive Sense 5.0 update

Miscellaneous

Samsung grabs 95% of global Android smartphone profits in Q1 2013

Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Daily Dose for May 17, 2013

Do you remember last month when we told you of the sad news that Samsung’s old TecTiles didn’t work with the new Galaxy S 4. Well cheer up my friends because Samsung TecTiles 2 are now available for you to purchase. For those of you that don’t know what a Samsung TecTile is, let me give you a quick refresher. They are smart NFC tags that can be programmed by the Samsung TecTile app to do many things. You can set TecTiles to change settings in the phone, call a specific number, or send a predefined text. As an example, you can place a tag at the office, and when you scan the it, it can set your smartphone to silent or it could bring up your work calendar. You choose what you want the tag to do when it is scanned, making the little tasks that much easier.

For those that have a Galaxy S 4 and want more info, check out the source.

Source: Samsung

Come comment on this article: Samsung TecTiles 2 Now available to purchase