Android All Around (Android 360 Degree)

Best Android smartphones of the year 2013

2014-01-07T14:18:00.003+07:00

It has been another good year for Android. According to IDC, Android was on 81 percent of all the smartphones that shipped in the third quarter of 2013. The platform has driven real innovation, with new form factors, and accessibility, with affordable handsets. Google has rolled out many new features, improved its services, and kept optimization for lower-end hardware in mind, which could prove to be the path to conquering fragmentation. The number of apps in the Play Store sailed past 1 million in the summer. There has never been a better time to own an Android phone.

Whether you’re ready to choose your next Android smartphone, or you want to buy one for your nearest and dearest, we’ve been weighing up the highlights from 2013’s frenzied release schedule. We’ve broken them down into categories with a focus on what the buyer might be looking for.

Without further ado, here are the best Android smartphones of the year.

Best smartphone for gamers – Nexus 5

A stunning 4.96-inch 1080p display, a lightning fast 2.3GHz quad-core processor, and an Adreno 330 GPU, the Nexus 5 is ideal for gaming. It also rocks the latest version of Android, 4.4 KitKat, and updates will be rolled out here first. The feature set and connectivity tick all the boxes. According to Basemark X the Nexus 5 comes in third behind the iPhone 5S and Xperia Z1, but it’s a tight race. Google’s LG manufactured smartphone is much, much cheaper, which leaves gamers with plenty in their pockets to buy games and hop on board with the next-gen consoles.

Check out our Nexus 5 review for more.

BUY NOW: Google Play – Amazon

Runner up – The Sony Xperia Z1 is worth considering if you can stretch to the bigger price tag; it has a longer battery life, a far superior camera, and a microSD card slot.

Best smartphone for workaholics – Galaxy Note 3

Business people and hard workers of every kind, demanding a productivity boost from their smartphones, can’t look beyond the Galaxy Note 3. Samsung popularized the phablet form factor with the original Note and it continues to lead the field. The S-Pen allows you to write and sketch on that huge 5.7-inch display. A speedy processor is backed by 3GB of RAM and, combined with features like Multi-Window, this device becomes a multitasker’s dream. Samsung’s software features seem to make the most sense on the Note 3 and this device could easily be a contender in other categories, but in terms of productivity it is unparalleled.

Read our comprehensive Galaxy Note 3 review to find out what makes it so special.

Buy Samsung Galaxy Note 3 from Amazon

Runner up – The LG G2 is smaller and lighter than the Note 3 and it has a range of handy software features like QuickMemo and QSlide, but it doesn’t have the S-Pen or a microSD card slot.

Best smartphone for entertainment lovers – HTC One

Love to watch movies and listen to music on your smartphone? We have to recommend the HTC One, mainly for its superior audio. The 4.7-inch 1080p display is great, and high brightness makes it suitable for outdoor viewing, but it’s the forward facing BoomSound speakers that clinch the deal. Not everyone likes to wear headphones and on the HTC One you can comfortably watch a movie without them and still enjoy decent sound. Beats Audio is designed to improve the audio quality further, but if you want to mess with an EQ yourself then grab something like PowerAmp.

Our HTC One review will give you the full picture.

Buy the HTC One from Amazon

Runner up – The Samsung Galaxy S4 arguably has a superior screen for movies. If you’re watching in the dark you’ll enjoy deeper blacks and higher contrast, and there are also settings to tweak, which the HTC One lacks.

Best smartphone for students – Moto G

Money is tight when you’re studying and you don’t want to be locked into an expensive contract; the best option is the Moto G. This smartphone should really make the short list for anyone seeking a budget device. It blows the low-end of the market away completely. The Moto G packs a 4.5-inch 720p display, a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, and Android 4.3 (with a promise that 4.4 KitKat will be coming soon). The compromises — lack of LTE, 1GB of RAM, and a 5MP camera — should not be too hard to bear, and they are mitigated by the improvements in the Android platform. Load up QuickOffice andEvernote and you’ve got productivity on a budget.

Buy Moto G from Amazon

Runner up – If money is no barrier then the Galaxy Note 3 will serve you well.

Best smartphone for outdoorsy types – Sony Xperia Z1

This idea that rugged features or durability is a special niche that should be catered for out of the flagship line has been rejected by Sony, and that’s great news for outdoorsy types. Not only does the Xperia Z1 have Ingress Protection 67, which means it can deal with water, dust, and shock, it is also a cutting edge Android smartphone that’s awesome in every department. We’re talking about a 5-inch 1080p screen, 2.2 GHz quad-core processor, 20.7MP camera, expandable storage, and all the extras. Sony’s minimalist touch in terms of UI is refreshing and largely limited to things that are actually useful. The display is also very bright and the screen’s not too reflective, so sunlight legibility is good.

Read our Sony Xperia Z1 review to grow more tempted.

Buy Sony Xperi Z1 from Amazon

Runner up – The Galaxy S4 Active is basically a rugged S4 with some slight differences, most notably an 8MP camera instead of 13MP and LCD instead of Super AMOLED. It is also IP67 certified and some people might be interested in Samsung’s software extras.

Best smartphone for trendsetters – LG G Flex

If you have to be seen with the latest and greatest in smartphone technology then you’ll want to be pulling a LG G Flex out of your pocket. The next big development in mobile could well be flexible displays, which will enable manufacturers to create more interesting form factors. The LG G Flex is a small step in that direction, with a huge 6-inch display that curves from top to bottom using LG’s plastic substrate OLED technology. It also has some self-healing properties, though it didn’t fare that well in our LG G Flex drop test. If you’re concerned that the curve might be a gimmick, you needn’t worry, because the G Flex also packs a seriously impressive set of specs. The 2.26GHz quad core Snapdragon 800 processor is backed up by 2GB of RAM and performance is lightning fast. The 13MP camera is also very similar to the one in the G2 and it won our photography category.

Buy LG G Flex from Amazon

Runner up – The HTC One rubbishes the assertion that the iPhone is the most premium device around. It’s one of those phones that you just want to stroke all the time.

Best smartphone for gadget lovers – Moto X

Being at the cutting edge is about more than just the specs and no Android smartphone generated more excitement this year than the Moto X. The hardware is perfectly respectable, but it won’t top many benchmarking charts. The real killer feature here is the fact that your phone is listening for your command. It can be sitting, apparently asleep, on the other side of the room, and you can wake it up. There’s something beautifully advanced about that and improvements in Google Now are fast elevating it beyond gimmick status. The disappointment that the potential of hands-free voice controls has not been properly realized, because you have to preface every command with a button press, is relieved by the Moto X. Motorola also added some nifty, forward-thinking software features in the shape of Assist and Connect.

Find out more in our Moto X review.

Buy Moto X from Amazon

Runner up – The Galaxy S4 is a real all-rounder with a huge number of unique software features and cutting edge specs.

Best smartphone for photographers – LG G2

This category was tough because the HTC One proves that megapixel count is not where it’s at, and the Xperia Z1 goes the opposite direction with a camera that could improve with software updates. The 16MP Galaxy S4 Zoom is Samsung’s attempt at an amazing camera phone, but it’s horrible as a phone. We would assume most photography enthusiasts have a real camera, so a phone is for grabbing shots when you’ve left the camera at home. In that case, the 13MP G2 with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) won’t disappoint. The usual modes, Panorama, HDR, and Burst shot, are present and correct, and there’s access to a host of options allowing you to tweak ISO, exposure, white balance, and more.

Check out our LG G2 review for example photos.

Buy LG G2 from Amazon

Runner up – With a 20.7MP camera and Sony’s know-how in the photography space, the Xperia Z1is the runner up here. It also boasts some great features, but the image quality could be better.

Best smartphone for Android purists – Nexus 5

If it’s important to you to experience pure, unadulterated Android just the way Google intended, then there’s really only one choice right now and it’s the Nexus 5. It has Android 4.4, KitKat, and it will be the first device to get Google’s next platform update. In fact, Android 4.4.1 just rolled out, drastically improving the camera performance of that 8MP shooter, which has been one of the few complaints about the device. Built by LG, it’s also an extremely powerful phone at an extremely attractive price point. No bloatware, no manufacturer meddling, no carrier crap, just Android.

Runner up – The Moto X shouldn’t be far behind with updates thanks to Google’s ownership.

Source: http://www.androidauthority.com/

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Best big Android tablet 2013

2014-01-07T14:13:00.004+07:00

If you want to kick back on the couch, or surf the web in bed, then you want a nice big tablet to do it on. These are our top picks in the 10-inch space for 2013.

1 – Nexus 10

It really says something about the larger tablet category on Android that a device released in 2012 is still the best big Android tablet in 2013. The Samsung manufactured Nexus 10 wowed everyone with its 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution, providing an amazing 300ppi on a 10-inch display. Google understands that people primarily want tablets for content consumption and so, despite fighting to keep costs down, it never scrimps on the display.

The rest of the hardware is aging. We all expected an update before the end of the year, but it looks like the Nexus 10 refresh won’t land until 2014. As a stock Android device the Nexus 10 has already got the KitKat update and that 1.7 GHz dual-core A15 processor still performs really well. It’s also backed by 2GB of RAM, so it can handle multitasking. The lack of a microSD card slot is a downside, but the Nexus 10 is almost as good value as its smaller brother.

At $399 this tablet is still a pretty attractive proposition, but with a refresh around the corner, patience is a virtue. Have a look at our Nexus 10 review to find out more.

You can buy the Nexus 10 on Amazon here.

2 –Sony Xperia Tablet Z

If Sony had done a refresh, like it did with the Z1 then this tablet could have claimed the top spot, but there are a couple of weaknesses that we can’t overlook. The 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro is dated, even if it is backed by the Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. The display is also 1920 x 1200 pixels with a 224 ppi. It still looks great, and Sony’s Bravia technology is not to be sniffed at, but it’s not at the same level as the Nexus 10.

In terms of build quality the Xperia Tablet Z is a real winner. It looks and feels beautiful, it’s impossibly svelte, and you can take it into the shower or bath with you, so you never need to be parted. Seriously, the waterproof feature is more than just a gimmick and it’s awesome to be able to watch a movie in the bath without fear. The battery life is also excellent and there’s a microSD card slot for expanding that storage.

Sony also has a nice UI and some decent apps, and the tablet works well as a universal remote, thanks to an IR blaster. You can find out more about it in our Sony Xperia Tablet Z review.

Buy the Sony Xperia Tablet Z on Amazon.

3 – Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014)

Samsung’s new Note 10.1 is a beast. The 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution translates to 299 ppi. The powerful specs extend to a 1.9GHz Exynos 5420 quad-core processor with 3GB of RAM. It has 16GB or 32GB of storage with a microSD card slot. The dual speakers offer good quality sound. The battery is rated at a whopping 8220mAh. Despite all that, it’s definitely not as silky-smooth in operation as the Note 3.

Samsung is being criticized a lot lately for overloading its products with features and there’s a suspicion that TouchWiz is to blame for less than stellar performance and battery life. What we definitely can say about it is that it works better visually on a big tablet than on the S4. The S Pen is there, along with all the features of the Note 3, and that helps to make the Note 10.1 an obvious choice for anyone seeking a productivity tool, as well as an entertainment tablet.

What keeps the Note 10.1 from creeping higher in the list? It starts at $599, and if you don’t intend to use the stylus and all those extra features, it’s never going to be worth the extra money for you. Our Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 review lays out the full picture.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014) edition on Amazon.

Source: http://www.androidauthority.com/

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Best small Android tablet 2013

2014-01-07T14:13:00.000+07:00

We’ll start with the small tablets, ideal for people seeking a portable solution when they’re out and about. We’re not going to look at forked Android tablets, like the Kindle Fire range or the Nook because we simply don’t recommend them.

1 – Nexus 7 (2013)

When Google partnered with Asus to create the original Nexus 7 it was a smash hit. Consumers and critics alike loved the tablet, and it offered unbeatable value for money. It was perhaps inevitable that a sequel would follow and sure enough we got one in the summer. Google stuck with Asus to produce another understated, but solid design that’s slimmer and lighter than its predecessor, with several important improvements.

The first thing that strikes you about the Nexus 7 is that stunning 1920 x 1200 pixel display. With 323 pixels per inch, books and movies look fantastic on it. Throw genuine stereo speakers into the mix and it’s the ideal portable package for content consumption. Inside, the 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, with 2GB of RAM, proves itself capable of running the latest games. Stock Android is super slick, Jelly Bean brought another raft of subtle improvements, and the Nexus 7 was quick to get KitKat, as it will be to get future updates.

Google had to increase the price slightly, to $229 for the 16GB version, but this is still the best value small tablet on the market. Check out our Nexus 7 review to learn more.

Buy the new Nexus 7 (2013) at Amazon

2 – LG G Pad 8.3

LG decided that 7 inches wasn’t enough and so its best small Android tablet offering is the G Pad, which has an 8.3-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels. That’s the same resolution as the Nexus 7, but because the screen is bigger the ppi is 273. The specs are very good with a 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage backed up by a microSD card slot.

The G Pad has a pretty premium feel and you’ll find LG’s suite of features, from QSlide apps to Slide Aside, are actually quite useful, even if the interface doesn’t look great. The downside here is the much higher price tag ($350) and the average battery life. Even with a 4600mAh battery, this tablet will need charged every night, and it dies fast if you watch movies or play games.

We think this is an underrated option and if you want something a little bigger than 7 inches it’s a good choice. Read the LG G Pad 8.3 review for more.

You can buy two versions of the LG G Pad – one with stock Android 4.4 KitKat from Google Play ($349) and also one with LG’s UI and Android 4.2.2 from Best Buy ($299)

3 – Asus MemoPad 7 HD

As the manufacturer behind the Nexus 7, you can rest assured that Asus knows how to put a good tablet together. The budget end of the Android tablet space is seriously competitive and you have to be careful to avoid being stung by a poor quality release. If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is. For tight budgets the MemoPad 7 HD is something we can recommend. The display manages 216 ppi thanks to a 1280 x 800 resolution, and you’ll find a 1.2GHz quad-core Cortex A7 inside with just 1GB of RAM. Nothing earth-shattering going on there, but it does have one thing that the Nexus 7 lacks – a microSD card slot.

There isn’t a great deal of difference between this and the original Nexus 7. This tablet was released at $150, but we’ve seen it as low as $99 and that makes it a compelling bargain. Get a closer look in our Asus MemoPad 7 HD review.

Buy the ASUS MemoPad 7 HD from Amazon.

Source: http://www.androidauthority.com/

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Android in Feb 2013: Jelly Bean grows, Gingerbread dominates

2013-03-07T17:13:00.002+07:00

The platform distribution numbers for Android in February are out and they bring little surprises. The trends from the previous few months continue, with Jelly Bean gaining ground on ICS and the now long outdated Gingerbread.

The Gingerbread userbase has dropped from 45.6% to 44.2%, but this is still enough to make it the most popular Android version globally. And given that Gingerbread is more than two years old now, this hardly bodes too well for Android OEMs and their updates.

The ICS has seen a drop of 0.4 percent points, but it still holds nearly twice bigger market share than the two Jelly Bean releases combined.

The good news is that the Jelly Bean user base is up by 3 percent points over the previous month and the latest version of Android is starting to quickly gain traction now. Still, it remains to be seen if Jelly Bean will become the most widely-spread Android release before its Key Lime Pie successor comes in the summer.

Source: gsmarena.com

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Google Maps, Drive and Earth updated with bugfixes

2013-02-21T16:39:00.002+07:00

Google has just pushed out some bugfix updates in Google Play for both Maps and Earth, along with a couple of feature improvements for Drive. Those improvements for Drive are the ability to stream video files from the app on devices running Android 3.0 and above, as well as the ability to now use pinch-to-zoom in the presentation viewer. Maps and Earth aren't getting anything notable, but we're never going to turn down a good set of bugfixes that will improve the overall experience of using these apps.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Sony may release Jelly Bean 4.2 for the Xperia Z next month

2013-02-20T17:15:00.000+07:00

Sony's flagship device, the Xperia Z, will come out with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on board, but as rumored before, the company might upgrade their brand new flagship device to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean just weeks after its initial launch.

A screenshot sent by an anonymous tipster to Xperia blog shows the Sony Xperia Z C6603 being powered by the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, with a firmware version of the latest Android build as 11.1.A.1.450. Of course, this would be the beta version, but should it prove to be the real deal, we can expect the firmware version to be in the same form after its release.

The Android 4.2 update for Xperia Z will feature an updated 3.6 kernel, compared to the 3.4 kernel found on stock Android 4.1.2 firmware. The Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update is further rumored to be officially released in Europe by the end of March, but take that with a pinch of salt, since the information is not from an official source.

Source: gsmarena.com

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ROM Manager adds delta updates, TWRP recovery support

2013-02-15T12:14:00.002+07:00

ROM Manager, a staple app used by practically anyone who roots and switches ROMs often, has just added support for both delta (incremental) updates and TWRP recovery. Delta updates (downloads, really) will let users who are downloading and flashing new ROMs -- like those of you on nightlies -- just download and apply the new portions of the ROM, rather than the entire thing. If you have a previous zip file of your ROM on the device, ROM Manager will send you an incremental zip (of about 20MB) to apply and get the changes. This will save a lot of time, battery and data when flashing updates to the same ROM over and over again.

The latest ROM Manager also supports TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project), so if users prefer that over ClockworkMod Recovery, they can flash it directly through the app rather than separately.

Source: androidcentral.com

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What's new in Android 4.2.2

2013-02-13T14:30:00.000+07:00

Android 4.2.2 isn't quite official yet, but it's slow roll out has been bolstered by manual download links and folks are finding a few new things in the latest firmware. Most of it is behind the scenes and will be covered by words like "stability enhancements" and bug fixes, and those are what's really important. A specific that folks are reporting is a fix to the Bluetooth stack to fix audio stuttering, and that's something folks have been waiting for. Equally important is that plenty of people are saying their Nexus devices are no longer randomly rebooting, so if you have an issue there hopefully Android 4.2.2 fixes it.

There are some other user-facing changes that probably won't apply to anyone without a Nexus device. Once a manufacturer gets their hands into the code, they tend to change these types of "features" to something that fits in with their version of Android a it better. Often times their version works better than stock Android, so we're not going to complain that they get changed. Here's what folks using stock are seeing:

When connecting via adb to a computer for the first time, you're prompted to allow the connection. This small security enhancement will help keep your bootloader locked device safe if you lose it.

App download notification have been changed. Now you'll see a progress bar that tells you the time remaining in addition to a percentage downloaded.

Quick settings have been enhanced. Users can now long press on the Wifi and Bluetooth icons to toggle the setting.

New sounds for wireless charging initiation and low battery alert. Users will now hear a notification sound when the device is placed on a wireless charger. In addition the low battery sound has been changed.

Removed option to show all calls in the phone app's call list.

New Gallery app animation allows faster loading.

Really, nothing there anyone would miss if Samsung, HTC or any other manufacturer decided not to implement it. In short, 4.2.2 sounds like the bug fix update everyone has been waiting for. These kinds of updates are the ones we like seeing!

Source: androidcentral.com

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Chrome Beta for Android updated, actually pretty speedy now

2013-02-08T10:58:00.000+07:00

Google has once again updated the Chrome beta channel for Android, bringing the pre-release browser up to version 25.0.1364.74. The new update fixed compatibility issues with the Samsung Galaxy S2, while addressing the long-standing beta bug that caused the tap disambiguation popup to appear more often than it should. That's in addition to fixes for some other bugs.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Sony confirms Xperia V, T, TX Jelly Bean update, details changes

2013-02-08T10:54:00.001+07:00

Ttoday Sony has officially confirmed the arrival of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the Xperia V, Xperia T and Xperia TX. A post over on the official Sony Mobile blog details exactly what's new in this firmware update -- and there's quite a bit, besides the usual Jelly Bean stuff like Google Now and "project butter."

The update includes new, redesigned Sony media apps such as Walkman for music, Album for pictures and Movies for, well, movies. There're also new personalization options in the home screen launcher, including support for up to seven screens, and auto-resizing of widgets, like the stock Jelly Bean launcher. Changes to the app drawer make creating folders easier, and the drawer itself now features a search box.

Sony also promises camera improvements, including a new "auto" scene setting, and a button for switching between the front and rear camera.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Motorola RAZR i receiving Jelly Bean OTA in the UK

2013-02-07T13:33:00.001+07:00

The RAZR i, Motorola's tweak of the RAZR M with an Intel chip inside, is receiving its Jelly Bean update in the U.K. starting today. Although its cousin the RAZR M started to receive its Jelly Bean update back in November, there are certainly some extra tweaks required to getting the update ready for devices with Intel processors still. The RAZR i Jelly Bean rollout started in France just a few short days ago, so the U.K. isn't far behind here.

The update will bring all of the notable improvements of Jelly Bean, including Project Butter, Google Now and improved notifications. Motorola says the update will begin rolling today and will head out in phases (of course). If you've got your hands on a RAZR i, keep on the lookout for a system update notification.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Sony Xperia T gets the Android Jelly Bean update

2013-02-04T16:33:00.001+07:00

Sony has started rolling out the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for the Xperia T smartphone. The update is being made available just a day after it appeared on the PTCRB website and was certified and a week after an alpha version was released.

The update version number is 9.1.A.0.489 and brings the usual Jelly Bean features, including Google Now, Project Butter, improved notifications, etc., along with Sony's own changes. The update is currently rolling out in Netherlands but should be out elsewhere shortly. Check to see if the update is available for your Xperia T in your region.

Source: gsmarena.com

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Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note to get 4.1.2 in March

2013-02-04T16:29:00.002+07:00

Samsung Ukraine has announced that it will start rolling out the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update to some of its devices from March. The first ones to get this update is the Galaxy S II as well as the Galaxy Note. The Galaxy S II, as you may know, has already started getting the update elsewhere in the world.

Along with these two device, Samsung will also be updating the Galaxy Ace 2 to Jelly Bean, but that will happen in April. And last but not the least, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will also be joining the Jelly Bean party around the same time.

Source: gsmarena.com

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Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update starts rolling out in Spain

2013-01-23T17:24:00.000+07:00

The rollout has now begun and Spain is one of the first countries to get the update, with other countries to follow shortly.

The 4.1.2 update is currently only available to the international GSM version of the handset (I9100). The update will bring a new interface design, similar to the one on the Galaxy S III or the Note II. Other changes include a smoother UI thanks to Project Butter, Google Now, two homescreen modes, Direct Call, Smart Stay Pop-up Play, new notification toggles, camera improvements and much more.

The update needs to be downloaded using Kies on your computer. If it is not available for your device right now, it should be available shortly.

Source: gsmarena.com

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U.S. version of the Galaxy Note 10.1 getting its Android 4.1.2 update

2013-01-16T10:14:00.001+07:00

Good news for those of you with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. Not only do you have a pretty good tablet with pretty great stylus (excuse us -- "S Pen) interaction, today you're getting an update to Android 4.1.2. Jelly Bean. New features should be in line with what we described in November -- the new "multiwindow" viewing and "air view" controls for the S Pen, "easy clip" for cutting out images, and updated applications to go along with it.

Folks in our forums are all over this one, so hit the link below and get your update on.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Samsung to launch Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update in February

2013-01-16T10:06:00.000+07:00

Just over a week ago, Samsung announced the details surrounding the upcoming Galaxy S II Jelly Bean update, but didn't mention an exact date when for the start of its rollout.

Today a company spokesperson has told CNET the update for the former Android flagship is coming in the beginning of February in Singapore, with the rest of the markets to follow.

The update will be downloadable only via the Samsung Kies app and not over-the-air, because of its extra large size.

Launched with Android 2.3 Gingerbread back in 2011, Samsung has been taking good care of its former flagship upgrading it to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and now to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. More than 40 million people have bought the device paving the company's road to the throne as the biggest smartphone manufacturer out there.

We'll continue to follow the news surrounding the update in the coming weeks.

Source: gsmarena.com

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Galaxy S II and Note to get 4.1.2 Jelly Bean in January

2012-12-21T13:20:00.003+07:00

There is some good news for the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note loyal users. The Jelly Bean update is coming as soon as early January.

As indicated by the leaked test ROM, both devices will skip the initial Jelly Bean 4.1.1 release and move straight to the 4.1.2. The update will also bring some of the Note II features to the two devices.

Canadian carrier Rogers officially confirmed The JB 4.1.2 updates will be hitting the S II LTE and Note LTE versions in late January and given that unlocked models always get new firmwares before carrier-locked ones, early January rollout seems like a safe bet.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy S III users are also expecting the 4.1.2 update availability to expand beyond Poland and Germany sometime around Christmas.

Source: gsmarena.com

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Samsung Exynos 4 Exploit Discovered: Root And Full Access To RAM Possible In A Single App

2012-12-17T13:58:00.002+07:00

There's some disturbing news today on the Android security front: an vulnerability has been discovered for Samsung's Exynos 4-powered devices. While the related exploit is useful for the mod scene in that it can be harnessed to gain superuser permissions and root pretty much any device running on an Exynos 4 chip, it's also got some rather disturbing implications. According to an XDA member with the handle "alephzain", who developed the exploit, using this security hole can also grant an app access to all physical memory on a given device - basically, anything stored in RAM is fair game. The virtual directory for memory within the kernel, dev/exynos-mem, is wide open, apparently for access to various camera-related functions.

The exploit bypasses system permissions on the kernel level, taking advantage of read/write permissions within the kernel. Affected devices potentially include anything running an Exynos 4210 or 4412 processor, including the international models of the Galaxy SII and SIII, the Galaxy Note and Note II, Galaxy Tab 7.7, Galaxy Note 10.1, and various devices from Meizu, Lenovo, and smaller Asian manufacturers. Most U.S. Samsung models equipped with LTE, including the Galaxy S III for all four major carriers, are not affected.

If it sounds like we're making a big deal about this, that's because it is a big deal. For some reason, when Samsung's software department created the kernels for these two series of processors, they elected to leave read/write permissions open. Theoretically, any app could gain root access to an affected device without any user-facing alert, or even restarting the device. While some have speculated that this is to enable wider access for Samsung's own internal apps, this seems unlikely, and in any case would be a poor reason for doing so.

Well-known XDA member "Chainfire" has released an APK that will root an affected device and patch the vulnerability. You can download it on the first XDA page below. Root is not required, but if your device is not rooted already, it will be after using the app. This could void your warranty, but it would also make your Exynos 4-powered device measurably safer. According to Chainfire, Samsung has been made aware of the issue. Android Police has also contacted Samsung's PR department. They have not issued a statement at the time of writing.

XDA Developers - ExynosAbuse APK v1.10 (Chainfire)

XDA Developers - Root Exploit on Exynos (alephzain's documented exploit)

Source: androidpolice.com

Android All Around (Android 360 Degree) - Explore the world of Android; All Things about Android: Android Updates, News, Devices, Apps, Reviews, Tips, and Tutorials.

Facebook native Android app now live

2012-12-17T13:50:00.002+07:00

Facebook for Android got native Android app now live and twice as fast.

Keeping up with friends is faster than ever.
• See what friends are up to
• Share updates, photos and videos
• Get notified when friends like and comment on your posts
• Text, chat and have group conversations
• Play games and use your favorite apps

Android All Around (Android 360 Degree) - Explore the world of Android; All Things about Android: Android Updates, News, Devices, Apps, Reviews, Tips, and Tutorials.

Google calendar for Android updated

2012-12-17T13:42:00.002+07:00

Have an Android phone with Android 4.0.3 or higher installed? If so, you can take advantage of a new update to the Google Calendar app that makes things a little easier. Directly from the notification screen, you can make a phone call, or look up the location to an event if a reminder includes an address.

If you are in the month view on the calendar, you can long press on a time and date to enter an event. Google will fill in some of the blanks based on past history. The update is in the Google Play Store and is free, just waiting for you to install it. It is not an earth shattering update, but it does make life a little easier for Android users.

Source: phonearena.com

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Google Currents updated with UI improvements, widget

2012-12-13T09:40:00.002+07:00

Google's own news reading aggregation platform, Currents, is receiving an update today with pretty much a complete UI overhaul. When first launching the app, you're now greeted by your news stream. In new Google design fashion, you have a main page, and a navigation bar comes in from the left side to help you select other stories and categories. You can swipe left or right between panels to switch categories, or within an article view to switch between articles. There's also a new widget that's similar to previous Google widgets (like the YouTube one) that let's you flip through cards of recent stories.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Sound Search widget now available on Google Play

2012-12-13T09:34:00.000+07:00

Sound Search (affectionately known as Google Ear to the Android faithful) has landed in Google Play, ready for downloading on devices running 4.0 or higher. In case you're unaware of exactly what this is, it's pretty much like Shazam -- let it listen to a song that is playing, and it will identify what song it is, and in the case of Sound Search, link you to Google Play Music where you can buy a copy.

Source: androidcentral.com

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Samsung Galaxy Note II gets Android 4.1.2 update

2012-12-12T11:57:00.000+07:00

The Note II has been selling very well for the Korean tech giant, so it's understandable that Samsung has been hard at work at getting all of the kinks out of the 4.1 Jelly Bean release.

This latest update is being pushed out now to both the international Galaxy Note II and international Galaxy Note II LTE models.

What's included in the JZO54K update are new notification toggles and customizations, smoother browser performance, and the new Ink Effect lockscreen and Group Cast app, among other bug fixes and optimizations.

You can get the latest version either through Samsung's KIES utility, or via OTA software update. Follow our source link to see if the update has gone live in your region.

Source 1 | Source 2

Source: phonearena.com

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Android 4.2 only detects 20% of malware apps

2012-12-12T11:54:00.000+07:00

One of the new additions to Android 4.2 was a new scanner designed to check sideloaded apps for potential malware threats. This was seen as a great addition, but the feature has been tested and has not fared well, only detecting about 20% of malicious apps. Of course, as we know by now, only about .5% of all malware is found in the Google Play Store, so Google's Bouncer software has been doing its job. But, that still leaves 95.5% of malware coming from sideloaded apps, which is a concern, especially in places like China where the Play Store isn't always available.

Testing was done by Xuxian Jiang, a professor of computer science at North Carolina State University, who tested 1,260 samples of malicious apps on a Nexus 10 running Android 4.2, and found that the built-in scanner detected only 193, a detection rate of just 15.32%. Jiang then tested Google's malware detection compared to antivirus apps from Avast, Symantec, and Kaspersky, and found the detection rates of the antivirus apps ranged from 51% to 100%, compared with 20% for Google.

There were two reasons that Jiang cites for Google's failure to detect malware that is sideloaded. First, the service uses cryptographic hash signatures to identify apps known to be malicious, but these hash signatures can easily be manipulated and bypassed. Second, the scanner is hosted in the cloud, and doesn't have a client-side option, so if you aren't connected to the web, it can't detect malware at all.

As we said, this isn't much of a concern if you get all of your apps from the Play Store, but if not, you should still be careful about where you get your apps.

Source: phonearena.com

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YouTube update for Google Play Store brings new UI for 10 inch tablets

2012-12-12T10:15:00.000+07:00

Say you have a 10 inch Android tablet like the Google Nexus 10. You just might not be happy with the YouTube experience on the larger screen. Well, Google is trying to accommodate you and has issued an update for the streaming video site that includes a new UI for 10 inch tablets. The new interface includes the Android Fragment layout first seen with some Honeycomb applications. This allows two independent windows to open for the app. The smaller window on left is used to navigate the app and allows you to make selections, with the content-in this case the video you've selected-playing on the right.

While the update certainly helps those with a 10 inch tablet more easily select the video they want to view, it also repairs bugs on all devices that have been affecting the app. Earlier this month, Google launched a new YouTube app for iOS that takes advantage of the larger screen on the Apple iPhone 5 and the Apple iPad.

You can find the newly updated YouTube for Android app at the Google Play Store where it is a free download.

Source: phonearena.com

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