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Instagram updated to outfit Nexus 7 tablets, now likes the taste of Jelly Bean slates
Bummed that Instagram wasn't suited for your shiny new Nexus 7? Well friends, those sorrows are about to come to an end. The photo application has been updated to accommodate the Jelly Bean slate with version 1.1.7. While the software's primary function is viewing the post-filter photography, you'll be able to employ the front-facing shooter for self-portraits and the like. Also included in the update, the option of posting your tablet and smartphone creations to Flickr via the app's share menu. Hit the source link to snag the current version for your 7-inch slate.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 9th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Motorola debuted the RAZR V in Canada and the Sony Xperia Ion was spotted at Rogers -- curiously, the phone has yet to be formally announced for the carrier. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 9th, 2012.
Google posts Android 4.1 Jelly Bean's changelog, explores its latest dessert in detail
We've certainly delved into Android 4.1 Jelly Bean's new features, but Google itself is just now giving us a full exploration of its update's sugar-laden heart through an official changelog. While Google Now, the updated camera app and other core components easily get their due, the checklist also has a decidedly more buttery feel than one would think -- key individual apps like Calendar now have more elegant transitions to go with the leaps and bounds in Android's overall speed. The breakdown even goes into corners that Google scarcely illuminated during the Google I/O keynote, such as accessibility and the finer nuances of the new keyboard. If you're the sort whose Jelly Bean fever has you checking for that Galaxy Nexus upgrade so often that you're nearly punching a hole in the screen, Google has your (no doubt temporary) placebo.
Google starts shipping Nexus 7 pre-orders, writes a rhyme to celebrate
Dr. Suess it's not, but Google just had to make a bit of hullabaloo about the launch of its first branded tablet, the Nexus 7. The search giant took the wraps off it a few weeks back, but now pre-orders have finally started shipping to those who plunked down the $199 (or $249) for the Jelly Bean-packing slate. A few of you tipped us that the charge had finally hit your credit card, and now the official Google Nexus Twitter account has confirmed the devices have been packed on to trucks. So, celebrate, unless you're one of the hesitant ones that didn't place your order early in the Google Play store. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
CyanogenMod developers slap Jelly Bean on an Optimus 4X HD, tease CM10 (video)
That didn't take long. The boys behind CyanogenMod promised a quick turnaround for its upcoming JellyBean-based update and are already teasing workable CM10 ROMs. CyanogenMod's Ricardo Cerqueira tossed a video of an early CM10 build on his YouTube page, declaring "it lives!" The early build is running on an LG Optimus 4X HD, and runs through unlocking the screen and recording and playing back a video. The build is still having some trouble with Google's revamped search integration, but considering Android 4.1's source code was released only days ago, the quick development is promising. Check out Cercuiera's quick demo for yourself after the break.
Nexus 7 pre-orders ship to some customers -- has yours?
It could be a trickle or a torrent, but reports are coming in that Google is shipping the first Nexus 7 pre-orders to those customers who pulled the trigger at the Google Play Store while the I/O keynote seats were still warm. Third-party retailers Adorama and Ebuyer also briefly started selling the Jelly Bean tablet, although they're now known to have jumped the gun: both were told by Google to freeze sales until at least Sunday. The word of an imminent arrival is no doubt music to the ears of those who thought that even the three-week wait was interminable. Still, we'd like to know whether yours is truly on its way or if that $199, ASUS-made Android dream will have to wait a little longer. %Poll-76356%
Google's Nexus 7 discovered to have Smart Cover-like magnetic sensor
You won't find this on its official specs list, but Google's Nexus 7 tablet apparently has a magnet-enabled sensor that'll automatically set the display to sleep -- it's hard not to think of the iPad's Smart Cover. YouTube user wwscoggin was able to discover and pin-point the functionality near the bottom left of the device by gliding a magnet along its bezel. As Android Police notes, the feature is seldom found on Android tablets, and there's no word on whether ASUS' decidedly Smart Case-esque cases will make use of it. We've been able to replicate the action on our end, but don't take our word for it, catch the video after the break.
Jelly Bean spreads the butter to Amazon's Kindle Fire in unofficial beta build (video)
Jelly Bean(s) for everyone -- essentially, that's just what Google's done for the tech savvy underground with 4.1.1's release in AOSP. Not two days after that source code was made available, has a developer by the name of Hashcode worked to get an early build up and running on Amazon's Kindle Fire. If you'll remember, that Bezos-backed slate runs a heavily customized UX with Gingerbread buried deep at its core and official plans for a software update beyond its 2.3 underpinnings have not been announced. So, for adventurous owners that are sick of living in the software-past, but aren't quite ready to part ways with 200 bills for that very now Nexus 7, a beta ROM is at the ready. Naturally, you'll need to have your device rooted and loaded with a custom recovery to get things going but, take note, this work-in-progress is far from complete: hardware video acceleration isn't yet supported and WiFi is somewhat unstable. Fixes are assuredly on the way, so the less carefree might want to abstain from flashing at the moment. For everyone else, you can find the necessary downloads at the source below and, while you're at it, check out the video tour after the break. Update: Looks like the crew got Google's apps (Play Store, Gmail, etc.) working as well as WiFi. Check out the updated tour video here.
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) now hitting all Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ devices
The Galaxy Nexus we reviewed back at Google I/O was gifted with Android 4.1 from the start, but alas, Google wouldn't say when exactly it'd be rolling out to the masses. How's about... now? Just days after the Samsung-built superphone went back on sale at the Play Store, Google has officially announced that Jelly Bean's rollout to Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ handsets has begun. Those hoping to snag it should keep an eye out for an over-the-air prompt to update, while Nexus S and Motorola Xoom owners are still being placed in a holding pattern.
Nexus 7 tablet now receiving Android 4.1.1 update
Android 4.1.1 just made itself available on the AOSP servers yesterday, and evidently it's wasting no time in heading towards the world's first Jelly Bean tablet. The ASUS-built Nexus 7 is now receiving the update -- a 12.6MB download that boosts the version number to 4.1.1. Our in-house unit isn't pulling down the new edition just yet (nor is our Galaxy Nexus), so it seems to be one of Google's typical phased releases. At any rate, Android Central is reporting that the code "improves performance and responsiveness system wide," while also adding Google Wallet to your app library. Seeing anything else? Let us know in comments below!
Verizon Galaxy Nexus welcomed back into the AOSP fold, Sprint shunned by Google
Slowly but surely Google is bringing CDMA devices back into the AOSP fold after giving them the boot in February over driver issues. The Nexus S 4G was welcomed back last week and now the Verizon Galaxy Nexus is joining it over at the Android open source site. Head on over to the developer portal and you'll find binaries for Android version 4.1.1. The LTE GNex isn't quite a full-fledged member of the family yet though, driver support is currently considered "experimental." So, don't be shocked if there's a bunch of bugs. Unfortunately, we have bad news for Sprint fans. Google apparently has no intention of adding the carrier's LTE Nexus to the list of supported developer devices. Jean-Baptiste Queru, lead of the AOSP, told the Android Building Google group that there were no plans to bring custom builds of the open source OS to the Toroplus.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean source code now available
Android Open Source Project technical lead Jean-Baptiste Queru has announced the source for the newest version of the OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (relive the releases for ICS, Gingerbread and Froyo), will be made available today. Currently, binaries are available for the Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus, with Nexus S and Motorola Xoom versions promised soon. As usual, this gets the countdown started for more manufacturers to work on builds for their devices and means third party coders like CyanogenMod can dive in as well. One other thing we should be used to by now is a warning that it still may take some time for things to go live as the code is replicated. Hit the source link for all of the information on the latest build or hit the AOSP site for more information what exactly this is and how to get it.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 2nd, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the HTC One V marked its debut at US Cellular and Verizon announced a dumb phone with a surprisingly handy feature. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 2nd, 2012.
PSA: Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ up for sale again at Google Play store (update: now shipping in '1-2 weeks')
And just like that it's back. Following a yesterday's temporary stay of the ban on Google's HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus by Judge Koh, the soon-to-be Jelly Bean-loaded device is again up for sale at the Play store -- and a bit earlier than expected. If you'll recall, Google notes that Android 4.1 apparently mitigates the issues brought up within the dispute by Apple, which has until July 12th to issue a response on the matter. Orders are slated to ship in "two to three weeks," (see the update below) so we'd suggest you grab one quick while it's fresh and tasty to ensure your taste buds get the latest Android sugar fix. Update: Well that was quick. Just a few hours after going up for sale, the shipping estimate has been reduced from ''two to three weeks'' to ''one to two weeks.'' It's so close you can almost taste it. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Google Nexus 7 tablet gets mid-July arrival dates from Staples in US and Canada
It's no secret that both the 8GB and 16GB variants of Google's Nexus 7 have been set to ship in two to three weeks from pre-orders placed at its Play store. While retailers like Gamestop are also remaining mum on specifics, Staples has stepped up with actual arrival dates on its US and Canadian websites for the 16GB model. Apparently, fast fingers within the United 50 that lay out $250 to reserve one of the Jelly Bean-loaded slates by July 10 can expect it to arrive as early as the 13th -- that said, Staples notes that this "limited quantity" of initial stock is set to ship "between July 12th and July 17th." Heading to Staple's site for the Great White North, the tablet is listed to hit shelves in-stores and online on the 23rd for 259 Canadian dollars, however, there's no word on when online orders might ship. We'd still advise you to take these dates with some NaCl at this point, but it's likely a safe to bet that you'll have yours before August if you place an order soon.
CyanogenMod plans a quick leap to Jelly Bean for version 10, existing devices likely to tag along
Whenever there's a new version of Android, Steve Kondik and the CyanogenMod team tend to swing into action almost immediately with plans for a major revision of the fan-favorite platform overhaul. For Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, that swing will be faster than ever. The crew's early looks suggest that there will only be a few minor tweaks needed to merge Google's latest with the custom Android code, making CyanogenMod 10 a relative snap to produce. The update's release is still very much up in the air without the Android Open Source Project code available to modify; that said, device compatibility also isn't expected to be an obstacle. Any device that can run CyanogenMod 9 should run version 10 when it's released. As long as we're willing to wait for a stable 9.0 to emerge first, there are few barriers to making Jelly Bean that much sweeter.
Google confirms Galaxy Nexus was pulled from Play store due to injunction, will return next week
Try to buy a Galaxy Nexus from the Google Play store today and you're greeted with the "coming soon" message you see above, and we now officially know the reason why. The company has confirmed to ABC News that the smartphone has indeed been pulled as a result of Judge Lucy Koh's recent decision to not lift the injunction against the device. It's also confirmed, though, that it plans to resume sales of the device sometime next week, when it will be shipping with the new Jelly Bean operating system -- a change that Google says will address the issues in dispute.
Google Now gets an epic 47-question interrogation, survives for now (video)
You've seen us give Google Now a shakedown in our Jelly Bean review, but one JLishere decided to give the voice command system an unusually thorough grilling. The 47-question test goes beyond what Google showed onstage at I/O and shows that, in some cases, Android's new rival to Siri can cover a wide range of answers, whether it's day-to-day queries like directions and image searches to more esoteric trivia, like the minimum height for riding Disney World's Space Mountain. There's even a special treat for those who dare to bring up Google's best-known Easter egg. That said, we wouldn't be too eager to kick earlier voice command systems to the curb: we've tried a few close variants on the questions and sometimes managed to stump Google Now, so it's clear Google could stand to layer on some more polish. JLishere's original video evidence is available after the break.
Nokia claims Nexus 7 treads on its WiFi patents, wants a little dough for that Jelly Bean (updated: Nokia statement)
We're fans of the Nexus 7. Nokia, however, isn't quite so keen. It claims to The Inquirer that the ASUS and Google joint project is using Nokia WiFi patents without a license. The two companies never even asked, Nokia argues. As it's a question of standards-based patents, it's more likely that Nokia will simply cough politely and ask for a royalty rather than launch into yet another legal battle -- still, it's not exactly a minor accusation. We've reached out to both ASUS and Google for comment, but we can't imagine that either will be happy with the potential hit to their respective bottom lines. Sending a slice of what's left to Finland could be more than a bit painful when that $199 Jelly Bean tablet is already operating on virtually non-existent margins. Update: We also reached out to Nokia to get an official statement on the matter and it had this to say: Nokia has more than 40 licensees, mainly for its standards essential patent portfolio, including most of the mobile device manufacturers. Neither Google nor Asus is licensed under our patent portfolio. Companies who are not yet licensed under our standard essential patents should simply approach us and sign up for a license.
Jelly Bean's Sound Search feature now available root-free on ICS
Did you know you can get a little squirt of Jelly Bean flavor in your Ice Cream Sandwich right now? It's nothing mega -- just a non-root APK for Google Sound Search, the new in-house rival to Shazam and SoundHound, courtesy of user "asdfzz" over at XDA. The widget, which is also known as "Google Ears," currently works in a similar way to third-party apps, analyzing a track via remote servers and bringing up the result within Google Play, but in the future -- according to Mobile Phones Fan -- it could achieve faster speeds and better integration with other Google services by running natively within the OS. Of course, if you're up for flashing a whole ROM, then Jelly Bean can already be had in its entirety.
