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Sony France says Xperia V pushed back to late January to make way for Jelly Bean (update: not universal)
Europeans who were slightly disappointed that the Xperia V would be shipping with Ice Cream Sandwich a year after the OS first appeared will be glad to know that at least one Sony division shares their feelings. Sony France says it's pushing back the launch of the 4.3-inch smartphone from late this year to the end of January so that it can ship with Jelly Bean from the start -- unfortunate, but possibly worth the wait. The company is simultaneously dropping the off-contract price ever so slightly from €549 to €529 ($704 to $678) to make the delay that much more palatable. We've reached out to learn whether or not other European countries are on a similarly adjusted schedule, although it's less likely that our Gallic friends will be singled out while everyone else gets their device earlier and waits for an upgrade. Update: As Mobiltelefon.ru notes, Sony Russia claims it's still on track to ship the Xperia V by the end of the year. While that's not technically Europe, it suggests that Sony may not wait until 2013 to put everyone on the same page.
Android 4.1 update for original Galaxy Note may bring Air View, Multi-Window and more (video)
If fortune smiles upon original Galaxy Note owners, there's a good chance of finding an Android 4.1 update before year's end. Rather than just the usual suspects like Google Now, however, a recently leaked software build suggests that Samsung's original smartphone / tablet may receive some of the same features as the current Galaxy Note II. We've embedded a video after the break that reveals what could be in store, which includes the Nature UX, the ability to watch video previews with the S Pen (Air View) and the ability to view two apps at once (Multi-Window). Whether the features make it to the final build is anyone's guess, though we're certainly crossing our fingers. In the meantime, feel free to hop the break to see what's in store -- sorry that it's in French.
Refresh Roundup: week of October 29th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Android 'smishing' vulnerability discovered by NCSU researchers; Google has a fix incoming
The art of smishing (SMS-Phishing) has been practiced for some time, but a discovery by the wizards at NC State University has uncovered a new vulnerability that could bring the aforesaid act back into the spotlight. Xuxian Jiang's research team recently identified the hole and confirmed that it impacts Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean. Put simply, if an Android user downloads an infected app, the attacking program can "make it appear that the user has received an SMS, or text, message from someone on the phone's contact list or from trusted banks." This fake message can solicit personal information, such as passwords for user accounts. The team isn't going to disclose proof until Google patches it up, but the school has said that Google will be addressing it "in a future Android release." For now, however, Jiang recommends additional caution when downloading and installing apps from unknown sources, while also suggesting that folks pay close attention to received SMS text messages.
Nexus 4 review
Movie sequels often don't live up to the hype of the original blockbuster, but the same isn't always true of smartphones -- on the contrary, they typically get even better. The Nexus lineup, initially thought of as a "playground" for Android developers to test their apps on, has continually gotten better at its craft (and popularity). Not only that, it's picking up momentum: in less than five months, Google has crafted two Nexus tablets as well as its latest and greatest smartphone known as the Nexus 4, and the attractively priced devices are now facing more interest than they ever have before. The Nexus 4 is a veritable dreamboat when it comes to looks and specs. It's a smooth, elegant-looking device that comes with a large, 4.7-inch, HD display, a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and plenty of other appealing components. It exhibits a lot of commonalities to LG's current flagship, the Optimus G. And for a starting price of $299 unlocked, it's sure to attract a whole new demographic that until recently had never even heard of a Nexus. But is this a flagship smartphone that everyone will want to buy, or should the fourth-generation offering just be another target of developers' envy? Stay tuned past the break to find out.
Google Now slips in a pedometer, reminds us we need to get out more
Anyone who checks Google Now compulsively on a Jelly Bean-equipped Android phone might have noticed a surprise appear while they were checking for directions home from that big Halloween bash. An unannounced pedometer card has surfaced that shows just how many miles we (or our phones) have been biking or walking in a given month, with the intent clearly to spur couch dwellers into action. The discovery at Droid-Life reveals that Google has been using the GPS information it already had to catalog our athletic progress since at least September -- a bit creepy, but not shocking when the positioning is already needed for directions. As for the mileage figure you see above? It's not this writer's only phone, so that distance is much lower than it should be. Really. Honest.
Samsung's Galaxy S III mini packs bags for November 8th UK arrival
Samsung just revealed that the half-pint Galaxy S III mini that debuted in Germany will arrive in the UK on November 8th. The 4-inch, WVGA super-amoled, dual-core smartphone will alight toting Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and all that entails, like Google Now and the whole butter thing. You'll also get Samsung's video and games hub plus a 50GB Dropbox for two years if you nab the device, along with all the TouchWiz-y doodads like S-Voice and Direct Call. Phones4U announced it was taking preorders for the device earlier, which will be free on contract for £25 and up. Check the PR after the break.
Ouya offers guidelines for potential developers, now runs Jelly Bean
It's been a while since we've heard anything on Ouya, the little Android game box that earned a whopping $8.5 million through its Kickstarter campaign. Today, the hardware's development team have ended its information drought with fresh details on the platform. According to the latest project update, Ouya developers can get started on making games for the system right now.Since Ouya runs on Tegra 3, potential devs can pick up a Tegra 3 Android tablet and get cracking. But in addition to that, there are other things to keep in mind, like how Ouya controllers will have a single-input touch pad or how Ouya won't support push notifications at launch.In a separate post, the Ouya team revealed changes made to the upcoming hardware. The console is now powered on the current Jelly Bean OS as opposed to the previously announced, and way older, Ice Cream Sandwich platfrom. Ouya is beyond the design phase at the moment and moving toward production, with the first run of circuit boards already fused together (as seen above).Ouya is on track to meet its deadline for development kits in December and is currently in one of several planned testing phases where both the controller and console are being put through its paces.
OUYA upgrades to Jelly Bean, gives early hardware details to game developers
If you were one of the many who funded OUYA and have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for tangible progress updates, you just received them in spades. The fledgling console builder is on track with its Engineering Verification Test phase (you're looking at a board sample here) and should not only deliver the initial developer kits in December, but include a pleasant surprise in the process -- the Android-based platform will be built around Jelly Bean rather than the originally promised Ice Cream Sandwich. Programmers who just have to start right away have likewise been given a head start on hardware expectations. They'll have free rein over as much as a 1080p screen for their free-to-play games, although they'll have to toss aside familiar Android tropes like back and menu keys, notifications and fallbacks for hardware keyboards. The distinctive trackpad is likewise just a single-touch affair. To us, though, knowing that the console is finally taking shape just might be enough to tide us over until the March launch.
N2Acards to let Nook Tablet owners dual boot Jelly Bean in November
If Nook Color owners cast their memories back to last summer, they may remember Nook2Android: a microSD card that could let their Barnes & Noble e-reader dual boot Gingerbread and the hardware's Android-based operating system. Now sporting the moniker N2Acards, they're just about ready to give Nook Tablet (but not Nook Color) devices a taste of Jelly Bean thanks to Cyanogenmod. The cards come in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB flavors and range from $30 to $90 in price, but you can download the OS image for $20 and load it onto a card of your own. While those who'd rather purchase the whole enchilada will have to wait until the cards ship on November 1st, folks who prefer the download can already load their slates with Android 4.1. [Thanks, Dmitry]
Google Search updated with Now improvements, available on Play store for Jelly Bean devices
Adding to the flurry of Mountain View-born announcements today, Google's just released an updated version of Search to the Play store. Available for devices running Jelly Bean 4.1 and up, this boost in functionality adds Gmail integration to the prescient Android software, in addition to tracking info related to flights, reservations for hotels and restaurants, scheduled events and even the delivery of packages. The company also bundled in a host of new cards for nearby attractions, movie openings, as well as expanded voice control that'll allow users to launch applications, check the calendar and set up future meetings. It's live now, so click on the source below to start your download.
Google bumps Android to 4.2, keeps Jelly Bean moniker
Well, it's no Key Lime Pie, but Android 4.2 is certainly a treat in its own right. The latest version of Google's mobile OS makes a number of evolutionary improvements to its already impressive repertoire -- including a new quick settings menu that can be accessed from the notification pull down and support for multiple user profiles. The multiple user support is especially handy for tablets like the new Nexus 10, which are much more likely to be shared, and now offer quick and easy user switching right from the lock screen. If you don't want to share your tablet, just what's on it, the new support for Miracast makes will allow you to wirelessly beam movies, games or anything else to a compatible display. The 10-inch tablet UI has also received a slight tweak, moving closer to the design for phones and the Nexus 7, with centered navigation buttons and the notification area up top. It might seem strange for users used to the Honeycomb-style tablet layout, but the new design is much simpler and provides a consistent experience across devices. Google has also overhauled the photo experience and added Photo Sphere -- a 360-degree panoramic shooting mode that captures everything around you. Obviously, you'll be able to post those shots to Google+, but you'll also be able to add them to Google Maps, basically creating your own personal Street View. Interestingly, Google has also taken a page from Swype's playbook, adding "Gesture Typing" to its keyboard. There's also a new screensaver called Daydream that offers up news, photos and other content when a device is docked or idle. Perhaps the biggest, and creepiest improvements are to Google Now, which can monitor your Gmail for relevant content such as flight numbers. Hotel and restaurant reservations are now presented as cards, as are packages enroute to your humble abode. The service will even remind you of events you've purchased tickets for, essentially making Calendar redundant for a lot of your personal life. For more info check out the source links.
Google's Nexus 10: 2,560 x 1,600, 300 ppi display and Android 4.2, shipping November 13th $399
Weather? What weather? Google has announced the Nexus 10, a Samsung-made 10.05-inch tablet that appears to share a lot of DNA with the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. Android chief Andy Rubin revealed that the device will be packing a 2,560 x 1,600 display, promising a pixel density of 300 ppi. Google has also indicated that the Nexus 10 will crank out nine hours of continuous video playback and 500 hours of standby on its 9,000mAh lithium polymer battery. Of course, no new tablet would be complete without a new operating system, and while we'll still be calling it Jelly Bean, it's now been bumped all the way up to Android 4.2. The official specifications match those that were leaked late last week, and inside the device is a dual-core, Cortex A15-based 1.7 GHz Samsung Exynos 5250 CPU. In addition, there's a Mali T604 GPU, stereo speakers, 2GB of RAM, NFC, 802.11 b/g/n (MIMO + HT40) WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, with front-and rear NFC (Android beam) radios. 'Round back you'll find a 5-megapixel main camera and a 1.9-megapixel forward-facing shooter. Weighing 603 grams, it's 8.9mm thick and offers microUSB, Pogo Pin, microHDMI and the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. It'll be available from November 13th on Google Play in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan -- with the 16GB edition costing $399 (£319 in the UK) and the 32GB version setting you back $499 (£389). %Gallery-169541%
Refresh Roundup: week of October 22nd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Nexus 4 priced at £390 by purported Carphone Warehouse in-store display placard
Oh, Carphone Warehouse -- it just can't seem to keep what it knows about the LG / Google Nexus 4 under lock and key. Just days after briefly listing the phone on its website, purported in-store displays for the yet unannounced device have leaked out to Android Authority. While essentially of the details are the same as what we saw last (1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 SoC, 8MP cam, 12-hour talk time rating, etc.), the listing reveals that the "sim-free" phone itself will sell for £390 (about $504) -- previously we'd only seen the per-month pricing at £31, which is also found here. There's no mention of that October 30th sale date this time, and it would seem unlikely now given that Google's had to indefinitely postpone its NYC-based Android event for the 29th due to hurricane Sandy. For now, you can get more details from the source link below.
HTC One X sees Jelly Bean rollout in Taiwan and Singapore, One S update reportedly coming soon
We've known for months that HTC intends to upgrade the One X to Jelly Bean, but now it appears the update is finally going live, at least for folks in Taiwan. Members of the XDA Developers forum are chiming in about a 352.87MB OTA update that's available within both HTC's home country and Singapore, which brings Android 4.1.1 and HTC Sense 4+ to the One X. Jelly Bean's appearance for the handset matches an earlier report from Engadget Chinese of an incoming update promised by HTC Taiwan. According to PocketDroid, general manager of HTC North Asia, Jack Tong, announced that One X users within Asia will see the update begin to roll today, and that the One S will also receive Jelly Bean a tad later. We've reached out to HTC to verify Mr. Tong's comments, and for clarification of specific regions throughout Asia. [Thanks, Ryan]
Samsung Galaxy S III mini radios get probed by FCC
The Samsung Galaxy S III mini (aka the GT-i8190) may have a Napolean complex, carrying as it does the name of its bigger sibling while endowed with a garden-variety 4-inch, 800 x 480 screen and other downmarket specs. But that didn't stop the inevitable FCC rendezvous, where its array of 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, GPS, GLONASS, FM, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) and NFC radios were waved through (and lack of 4G confirmed). That means the new runt of the Galaxy litter should be free to travel to Europe soon for €439 retail -- but there's still no word on when smaller form-factor lovers stateside will be able to grab it.
Samsung Galaxy Note II now available from Sprint for $300 on a two-year contract
Whether you're an existing or prospecting Sprint customer, the carrier's new big thing is now on sale. Priced at a whopping $300 with a two-year service agreement, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is the biggest smartphone to hit Sprint since the Hitachi G1000. As a reminder, the Now Network's Note II features an unbranded home button, a 5.5-inch 1,280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing shooter, Android 4.1 and international voice and data compatibility with GSM / UMTS / CDMA networks. If the aforementioned sounds pleasing to your mobile palate, then the only thing left to decide is marble white or titanium gray?
ASUS PadFone 2 review: two times is a charm for this phone-in-tablet combo
It's only been half a year since the peculiar PadFone made its much-delayed entry into select markets, and earlier this week, ASUS' launch of its second-gen phone-in-tablet brings us back to this old question: are we better off with just one mobile screen instead of two? Ask any ordinary manufacturer and the answer is likely the latter, because who doesn't want to sell more products? Similarly, carriers would likely back such manufacturers for the sake of selling more data plans, even if they admire ASUS' efforts (and they could already be selling ASUS tablets in the first place). Some folks also argue that if you have to carry the tablet module with you anyway, you might as well have two separate devices for better multitasking. It seems like there's a huge mountain to climb here, but on the flip side, ASUS' innovative differentiation does have some advantages. You only need one data plan (and no tethering required) for both form factors, you get to keep the same data in one place instead of having to duplicate them and you can pretty much instantly switch between a small screen and a large screen for the same content. Not to mention that there's also the added functionality of charging up the phone while it's sitting inside the tablet. Alas, the original PadFone and PadFone Station didn't quite hit the spot: the combined weight and bulk made it tough to justify the phone-in-tablet idea, which is why we said it's all about the PadFone 2 in our review. Let's see if ASUS has done it right this time 'round.%Gallery-168881%
Jelly Bean rolling out to Samsung Galaxy S III on Sprint beginning today
Sprint's the first US carrier to get the long-awaited Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) upgrade to the Samsung Galaxy S III. Featured as an OTA update, your device may start seeing it as early as today. Don't worry too much if this doesn't happen right away; experience has shown us that these large-scale OTA rollouts can be a lengthy process spanning the course of a couple weeks. Feel free to shout out in the comments if your device has already prompted you for the update. The press release is found below.
