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Google posts video highlights of I/O 2012, for those craving one last sugary fix
Weren't able to fill up on all the Jelly Bean-flavored geekery that was Google I/O 2012? It's no matter, because you can catch all the highlights from Project Glass to the Nexus 7 in Google Developer's latest video -- provided you've got about four minutes spare to reminisce. You'll find the clip after the break, and naturally, we'd suggest landing at our hub for the event if you're hungry for another fixin' of our extensive coverage -- no parachute required. P.S. Don't forget to see if you can spot any Engadget editors in the clip while you're at it!
Security expert shows that Android and Nokia NFC can be hacked -- under certain conditions
A research consultant has revealed to Ars Technica that he can force NFC-equipped Android and Nokia phones to run malicious code in several ways -- but only with specific devices and constraints. The first violation used the near-field Google Beam function, but only affected certain NFC phones running ICS or Jelly Bean. This could allow an evildoer to send a malicious website to an unsuspecting victim to possibly compromise their data. The next exploit was limited to a Gingerbread-equipped Google Nexus S, since later Android releases patched the bugs necessary for the hack. It allowed a so-called tag to access the NFC functions in the OS, and with a little more legwork could offer up access to more malicious programs. The final invasion was made on the Meego-powered Nokia N9, which the expert controlled by Bluetooth, using NFC -- as long as the dupe overrode the defaults and enabled that function. If so, a hacker could dial out from the phone, send messages or upload and download files, depending on which security settings were enabled. Fortunately, exact hardware and software combinations aside, nefarious types would still have to be within an inch or two of your phone to enable their NFC box of tricks. Take a look at the source for the full interview.
Certified testers (and tweakers) get Jelly Bean for their Honeycomb-era Xoom WiFis
Considering that the Motorola Xoom WiFi was one of the first tabs to devour Ice Cream Sandwich, its plans to pop Android 4.1 Jelly Bean are hardly a surprise. While there's no official delivery date for the average user, certified testers who signed up for a pre-release won't have to wait -- it's just been pushed out to their devices. Of course, enterprising tinkerers can always get what they want as well, by installing it using a USB host cable or flashing a recovery file. If you're one of those brave souls, you'll score smoother performance, new search options and better keyboard -- but there may still be a few bugs before the full rollout happens. Also, if you were looking forward to finally having the update's Chrome pack-in, it missed the pre-release Jelly Bean bus and you'll have to stop at the Play store to grab it. Check out the more coverage link below for the gritty details on how to install the latest update.
Jelly Bean details spill for US Motorola Xoom WiFi
Rumor has it that Xoom WiFi owners in the US could soon be on the receiving end of yet another software update, though this time 'round it'd be a virtual jar full of that colorful and buttery smooth Android 4.1. According to a recent changelog received by Droid Life, the Jelly Bean refresh will bring a number of features previously seen on Google's Nexus 7 over to Moto's 10-inch slate -- some of which include an improved UI with the "smoothest version of Android," a new look for Mountain View's search, smarter overall keyboard and widgets that "work like magic." No word on when exactly we'll see the alleged build (JRO038) hit WiFi-only Xooms here in the States, but at least there's some tasteful hope for you.
Intel porting Jelly Bean to its Atom architecture, is in no hurry to tell you when it's done
Intel has revealed that it's working on bringing Jelly Bean to its low-power Atom architecture. In an email to PC World, company rep Suzy Greenberg confirmed the project was ongoing, but didn't offer a timeline as to when the latest flavor of Google's mobile OS would arrive on a device. It's the same story regarding when Ice Cream Sandwich would turn up on Medfield-powered devices like the San Diego and its brethren. The report also pours cold water on hopes for Clover Trail powered Android gear -- saying that it's pencilled in as a Windows 8-only platform.
Android Jelly Bean OS manages speedy launch on ZTE's N880E smartphone
Unless you've been buying your Android gadgets exclusively from Google's Play store, chances to get your hands on the latest iteration of its mobile OS are still pretty rare. Color us surprised, then, when ZTE announce that one of its humbler handsets from last year is making the leap from Android 2.3 all the way to version 4.1. The China-only N880E appears to be only the third smartphone to launch with the buttery smooth Android trimmings, spread across a 4-inch WVGA (480 x 800) display. The smartphone holds onto the four off-screen capacitive Android keys and is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm processor and 512MB of RAM. ZTE is still keeping quiet on whether the phone will appear outside of China -- and is similarly schtum on its upgrade plans for the other smartphones.
Google takes Nexus 7 camping for its first ad, can afford to pack light (video)
There's more than a small amount of fervor swirling around the Nexus 7, so it only makes sense that Google wants to seize the moment and pitch its first Nexus tablet to the world. Its first commercial is a very Norman Rockwell-like, father-and-son camping trip -- if Rockwell replaced Boy Scouts with Jelly Beans, that is. The 7-inch slate handles just about every task the two could care for, whether it's learning about (and exaggerating) the local fauna as well as keeping busy on a rainy day. We'll let you witness the slight twist of an ending first-hand, although we'll add that Google is careful to use a lot of Nexus 7 features that don't demand always-on WiFi: the search giant wants us to know that we can head to the boonies without the tablet becoming a paperweight. The one shock is the absence of that all-important $199 price, which you'd think would help trigger some impulse shopping. You can reconcile your disbelief and enjoy some family bonding by catching the full commercial after the break.
ULTIMAte hack: Nexus 7 hooks up with external USB storage, floppy drive for retro-gaming
There's only so much kit you can cram into a sub-$200 tablet without pushing past the price ceiling. And for Google's Jelly Bean-blessed Nexus 7, corners were definitely cut, leaving users without a handy microSD slot for expansion and rear-facing camera. But where there's a will, there's the XDA and its community of developers to remedy the situation. As you can glimpse from the photo above, an enterprising forum member by the handle of c0m47053 devised an interesting workaround for the slate's lack of expandable storage and then some. Using the StickMount app available on the Play store, which allows users to mount/dismount mass storage devices, he was able to connect the ASUS-made tab to a USB hub and hook it up to a keyboard, mouse and, most amusingly of all, a floppy drive -- to play Ultima on DOSbox, of course. It goes without saying that a feat of this kind requires root access, but thankfully that's what Mountain View made the Nexuses for.
Jelly Bean now available to Nexus S via OTA download, we coat our phones in more sugar
It's already possible to force Android 4.1 onto your Nexus S without much trouble, but for those of you that prefer life on easy street, then kick up those heels: many carriers have now made Jelly Bean available for OTA installation. The good news comes from Google itself, which has listed T-Mobile, Three, Rogers and Vodafone among the carriers. It doesn't stop there, however, as MobileSyrup also reports that Mobilicity and Wind users are also receiving a similar bit of Android 4.1 love. We've confirmed the rollout here in the US with T-Mobile, where the 114MB download is currently only available for download via WiFi. Seeing that it's Friday night, seems like a perfect opportunity to take Google Now for a spin, no?
Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?
ASUS spills jelly beans on why Nexus 7 has no rear camera, cites added cost
Google's Nexus 7 tablet may be receiving OnLive Universal Controller support soon. What the Jelly Bean-flavored device won't be getting, however, is a rear-facing camera. Now ASUS is offering an explanation for the omission -- and no, it isn't to prevent users from looking like a doofus when snapping photos in public. ASUS apparently faced two options for a rear-facing camera: go cheap or go for quality. The company says it decided against sticking a lower-end camera at the back of the device because it would compromise the user experience. Adding a high-quality rear camera, on the other hand, would increase costs too much, so that proposition was nixed as well. The good news is that apps such as Instagram are finding ways to make things work with just the Nexus 7's front-facing camera. In the meantime, here's a little ditty from Google that just might help put a smile on your face.
Got a GSM Nexus S and some flash skills? Get your Jelly Bean today
While many Nexus S owners are still hanging on for their bit of tooth-rot, folks in other places have already started receiving OTA Jelly Bean updates. If you can't wait, and if you own a GSM Nexus S (either I9020T or I9023), then you can find the full and official ROM file linked up at the XDA thread below. For the time being, if you have a Sprint Nexus 4G then you'll unfortunately just have to chew on something else. [Thanks, Onel]
HTC confirms Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for One X, One XL and One S, includes AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers models
Remember yesterday's rumor from down under about Jelly Bean coming to select HTC One handsets? Well it's now fact. HTC has just confirmed that the One X, One XL and One S will be getting upgraded to Android 4.1 at some point in the (hopefully near) future. Here's the company's statement: "We know HTC fans are excited to get their hands on Google's latest version of Android. At this point in time, we can confirm that we have plans to upgrade our HTC One X, HTC One XL and HTC One S to Jelly Bean. Please stay tuned for more updates regarding device upgrades, timing and other details about HTC and Jelly Bean." We've also learned that in addition to the aforementioned global models, carrier versions of the One X and One S for AT&T, T-Mobile and Rogers will also be receiving Jelly Bean. No word yet on timing, or whether the One V, EVO 4G LTE and Droid Incredible 4G LTE are included in those update plans.
Nexus S on Vodafone Australia won't get Jelly Bean today after all
Continuing this morning's Jelly Bean soap opera, we've just heard that Nexus S owners on Vodafone Australia won't be getting their pioneering update today -- despite the fact that only 24 hours have elapsed since the carrier said the roll-out was on its way. According to the carrier's official blog, the update has been delayed because Android 4.1 "does not meet all Australian regulatory requirements related to emergency calls." Ouch. On the other hand, that sounds eminently fixable. [Thanks, Daniel]
HTC 'preparing' Jelly Bean update for One XL and One S, no date yet
HTC has a long history of both raising and dashing hopes of Android upgrades on its devices. Moreover, the Australian network Telstra has often led that emotional rollercoaster, which means the detail on its software update page above is probably best approached with an air of detached calm. It tells us that both the HTC One XL (the global version of the American One X) and the One S have official Jelly Bean updates being "prepared" by HTC -- which is slightly more specific than what we last heard on this subject, when the manufacturer said it was "excited" about Google's latest OS version and planned to support it "across a variety" of handsets. If you happen to own a non-LTE, Tegra 3-based One X, then the absence of that handset on the list doesn't mean much -- that model simply isn't part of the carrier's line-up. [Thanks, Will]
Google rolls out final Jelly Bean SDK for download
Developers have been able to play with Android SDK 4.1 since it was unleashed at Google I/O, but it's now finalized and ready for prime time. New system images and platform components give devs access to the finished Jelly Bean APIs, while bugs in the Android SDK Tools revision 20.0.1, Eclipse plugin and NDK have been stomped. Follow the source link below to download the confectionary-themed OS development tools.
CyanogenMod 10 builds start offering sugary sweets to Samsung Galaxy S III users
Early builds of CyanogenMod 10 have sprung up to enable users to get that buttery-smooth Jelly Bean experience onto your Samsung Galaxy S III. Work is further along on the international edition of the quad-core CPU, while the US variants are still in need of some work. That said, if you're determined to free yourself from the watery shackles of Nature UX, you can get started right away -- but it might not be all that polished just yet.
Vodafone Australia promises Nexus S Jelly Bean upgrade on July 19th
While Google hasn't said when it will be bringing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to devices other than the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7, a blog post from Vodafone Australia has revealed a date for the update on the Nexus S. Vodafone's chart says Google's rollout taking its Nexus S from 4.0.4 to 4.1 is scheduled for 1PM AEST (11PM ET by our reckoning) on July 19th, at the same time updates are getting pushed for other devices (the original Galaxy S, for example, is getting the Value Pack update), even while its Galaxy Nexus JB update is still apparently under testing. That difference should be enough to tell you this doesn't necessarily mean anything is on the way in other territories, but Nexus S owners should probably stay on alert for updates all the same. [Thanks, Onel]
Nexus 7 pre-orders start shipping in UK and Canada (Update: model specific US details)
The Nexus 7 machine is in full swing. According to Google, all pre-orders placed by Friday the 13th in the US and Australia have been filled as of today (though some may still be en route), and our friends in the UK and Canada should be receiving theirs soon enough. Deliveries are currently heading out in waves, putting 7-inches of Jelly Bean in the hands of eager "footie" fans and beneficiaries of socialized medicine. Have you gotten your shipment notification yet? Let us know in the comments. Update: Google has since changed the wording on its site and, unfortunately, not "all" US and Australian have shipped. Now it's just "many." Update 2: Google has changed the wording yet again, now providing more detail broken down by model. As of 7:50~ ET, it indicates all standalone 8GB versions ordered on or before July 13th have been shipped, while standalone 16GB orders placed on or before July 11th will all be shipped by the 19th, and have also been upgraded to overnight shipping. Ordered with accessories like a case, charger or Nexus Q? Your slate will ship, overnight, this week although the extra bits may be following "soon." Got it? Hit the source link to get it all straight from the horse's mouth and to check whether it's (inevitably) been updated once again. [Thanks, Andrew]
HTC HD2 gets unofficial Android 4.1 Jelly Bean port, becomes the Phone That Would Not Die
There's a golden rule for the HTC HD2: if there's a new mobile OS, the HD2 must get a port. It's practically a law of nature, then, that Evervolv at the XDA-Developers forums has produced a pre-alpha port of Android 4.1 for the originally Windows Mobile-based legend. More components are working than not despite the extremely early state, with the camera, Google Now and web browser being the remaining bugaboos. We're still warned that the experimental firmware isn't meant for day-to-day use, but there's every intention of making the release stable -- good news for anyone who's eager to avoid a flash-in-the-pan ROM. If that happens, the HD2 will have had nearly as many lives as a cat.
