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BLU Products to use stock Android from now on, gives Vivo 4.3 new colors and Jelly Bean
BLU Products most often draws attention by launching a smorgasbord of new phones. Today, the company is more interested in rethinking the devices it already has. Starting with a just-launched Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Vivo 4.3, the company is moving to stock Android for every new device and firmware upgrade in the hopes of improving battery life and streamlining the interface -- a distinct break from the growing trend toward hyper-customized experiences. Whether or not vanilla Android is your bag, the Vivo 4.3 is also receiving a minor hardware update through new colors. Pink, yellow and white variants of the dual SIM phone are now shipping from Amazon and other retailers for $229 each. Although we'd most like to see a full-fledged sequel to the older phone, we can't object too much to a spring tune-up.
Motorola Droid Bionic starts receiving Jelly Bean update, the love it needs
There's no question that the Droid Bionic has had a rough life between long delays, a more popular cousin and slow updates. Both Motorola and Verizon may be making up for lost time, however -- starting today, they're pushing an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the erstwhile flagship. The core updates will be familiar to anyone with a late 2012 Motorola phone, including Google Now and rich notifications. There are a few Droid Bionic-specific tweaks, including better data connectivity as well as removals of the preloaded Sling and (no longer relevant) MOG apps. A software update can't erase any bitter memories, but it does show that the short-lived leader is getting long-term affection. [Thanks, Jared]
ASUS Transformer AiO goes on sale in the US, unites desktop and tablet for $1,299
ASUS' distinctive Transformer AiO has been a long time in coming, having first reached our paws last June. For Americans, it's at last more than just a fantastical idea: Amazon, J&R, Rakuten and other US-friendly online retailers now list the oddest of odd PCs as on sale, and usually in stock. For a typical $1,299, more adventurous buyers get a Windows 8 base desktop with a 3.1GHz Core i5, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, a DVD drive and a GeForce GT 730M. The real fun, of course, rests in its display. Remove that 18.4-inch LCD from its dock and it suddenly becomes a gigantic Tegra 3-based Android tablet running Jelly Bean. We're not sure if we'll ever completely wrap our heads around the concept, but those who understand ASUS' expanded definition of an all-in-one can shop at the source links.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 8th, 2013
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!
Huawei G510 heads to Vodafone UK, puts Jelly Bean on a budget
Huawei's G510 isn't what you'd call a screamer. In fact, the handset's more of what the Chinese market refers to as a "1,000 yuan" phone, or as we so benignly call it: a budget device. Formerly available in Asia-only, the G510's now making the trek to the UK on Vodafone for £130 outright or £13 monthly. Despite its lower-end leanings, the Android Jelly Bean device packs a reasonably large 4.5-inch WVGA display, dual-core Cortex-A9 clocked at 1.2GHz, 5-megapixel rear camera, NFC and a 1,750mAh battery. It's also the first of Huawei's UK releases to ship with its custom skin, the Emotion UI. It's a questionable bragging right, we admit. But we'll let it slide for now.
Jelly Bean update for AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket now available
We've witnessed AT&T deliver a very fresh Android experience to a number of Samsung's galactic handsets in the past few months, but we definitely won't complain when others get the same treatment -- even if it is slightly overdue. Available now via Kies, this Jelly Bean upgrade will give Galaxy S II Skyrocket owners what will likely be a much welcomed boost, including new features such as Smart Stay, Direct Call and Pop Up Play. Of course, the aforementioned tidbits are only part of the bigger Mountain View picture, since the new version means automatic access to Google Now and overall under-the-hood enhancements thanks to things like Project Butter. It's here, it's real, and it's ready to rejuvenate your device -- all you have to do is pay our source link a visit, where you'll find specific instructions on how to get the goods.
Sony Xperia ZL review: a giant phone in a surprisingly compact frame
Sony took a rather unusual path with its flagship smartphone for 2013: it designed the hardware twice. The Xperia Z is ostensibly the star of the show with its glass body and waterproofing, but it's launching alongside the Xperia ZL, an equally brawny, yet plainer sibling. On a spec sheet, there's no apparent reason for the ZL to exist when its features almost perfectly match those of the slimmer and more stylish Z. Still, it's precisely that emphasis on function over form that might just win the day. Sony bills the ZL as the most compact 5-inch smartphone on the market, which could win over folks who see large-screened phones as unwieldy. But is it enough to challenge conventional thinking on big phones, especially in light of fiercer competition? And is there anything special lurking underneath the ZL's reworked hood? Read on and we'll let you know whether the second device in Sony's dual-phone strategy is strong enough to outshine the Z -- and, more importantly, its rivals. %Gallery-185056%
ZTE Geek unveiled with 2GHz Intel Clover Trail+ and a terrible name (video)
Oh ZTE you cheeky monkey. Towards the end of day one at IDF in Beijing, we stumbled upon this awkwardly titled Android Jelly Bean phone that is the Geek at ZTE's booth. Needless to say, this is yet another phone powered by an Intel processor -- a 2GHz Clover Trail+ Atom to be exact, which is what Lenovo's K900 also has. The rest of the device isn't too shabby, either: you get a nice 5-inch 720p display with Gorilla Glass, along with an 8-megapixel main camera, a 1-megapixel front-facing camera, 8GB of storage space, 1GB of RAM, 2,300mAh battery and wireless charging. Radio-wise we see UMTS 900/2100 courtesy of Intel's XMM 6260 chip, and there's also the usual lot of 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE and GPS. Design-wise the Geek takes a huge step away from the Grand X IN and shares a similarly clean look with the Grand S, but without the black eye around the main camera. This particular unit had a glossy white finish as well, but we'd prefer a matte finish for a more premium feel. Since ZTE admitted that it had to rush this prototype for exhibition at IDF, we'll come back to the build quality once we see a final retail unit. Until then, check out our hands-on video and the press release after the break. %Gallery-185196%
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 review
Overseas, it doubles as a phone. Here in the US, it's just a tablet with an S Pen onboard. For its stateside debut, Samsung's stripped the Galaxy Note 8.0 of the very HSPA+ radios that made it an 8-inch curiosity at this year's Mobile World Congress. Now, as it's primed to go on sale, the Note 8.0 has sobered up, combining a host of compelling TouchWiz software tricks lifted from its high-profile Galaxy mates into a more serious, along with a more pocketable, size. Its 8-inch form factor may be new, but the bits used within should be plenty familiar: Samsung's borrowed elements from previous products, including the Note 10.1's 1,280 x 800 TFT display (albeit with a higher pixel density of 189 ppi). Meanwhile, the Note 8.0 draws inspiration from some Samsung phones, too, with chrome accents, a bulging rear camera module and a build that manages to be reminiscent of both the Galaxy S III and Note II. What's more, it packs a 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad inside -- yep, just like its predecessor. It'd be easy to pass the Note 8.0 off as a comfortable retread; a Best of edition for the Note line. In a way, it is. But, Samsung's not so daft -- there's a cushy market for tablets as a second screen and the company knows this all too well. So, can it best the iPad mini as the go-to, do-everything couch companion? Or is this $399 tablet more of a supernova for the Galaxy line? Follow along to find out.%Gallery-184913%
ASUS' 7-inch MeMo Pad now on sale for $150
Cheap tablets are currently on the rise, but not just low-end hardware from manufacturers that you've probably never heard of -- true consumer electronics heavyweights are getting in on the action. Today, ASUS unleashed its $150 MeMo Pad to the frugal masses. This 7-inch slab packs a 1GHz single-core VIA WM8950 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, a 1-megapixel front-facing shooter and Android 4.1. While its specs aren't anything to sound-off about, this distant cousin to the highly acclaimed Nexus 7, might be worth considering if your budget happens to fall $50 shy of Google's entry-level slate.
Acer's 7.9-inch Iconia A1-810 outed with quad-core CPU
Acer doesn't seem to have officially announced the Iconia tab A1-810 yet... at least not that we can see. But French retailer Rue Du Commerce already has the 7.9 inch listed, though, since it was first spotted the spec sheet has been cleared. Thankfully, MiniMachines caught the page before someone scrubbed it clean. If the numbers are to be believed, then the Taiwanese company has the Nexus 7 and iPad mini squarely in its sights. The A1-810's crams some reasonably impressive internals into a diminutive and affordable package. Under the hood is 1GB of RAM, and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor. Granted, the Cortex-A9 chip is produced by MediaTek instead of one of the bigger boys like Qualcomm or NVIDIA, but it should prove plenty robust for everyday tasks. The 1024 x 768 IPS panel puts it right in league with Apple's mini, but it also means a lower pixel density than the middle child of the Nexus family. You'll also find 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS radios inside, along with a 3,250 mAh battery -- which is quite a bit smaller than its competitors (despite its 10.5mm thick, 430g body being quite a bit larger). The biggest news about this Android 4.2 device though, is the price: it's yet another uber-cheap slate, currently listed at €199, or about $259.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 1st, 2013
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!
LG Optimus G on AT&T starts seeing Android 4.1.2 updates (update: official)
Last month, Sprint served up a dose of Jelly Bean for its variant of LG's Optimus G, and today it appears that AT&T is following suit. We've received a flurry of tips and screenshots like the one above denoting that Ma Bell is slowly starting to trickle out Android 4.1.2 to its Optimus G owners. Seeking confirmation, we've reached out to AT&T and will provide an update of our own once we receive official word on the matter. Until then, if you're rocking an Optimus G on Big Blue's network, now might be the time to manually check your device for new software. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: It's official -- the Jelly Bean rollout has begun on Big Blue's network. Along with the usual upgrades associated with the OS, AT&T's over-the-air patch enables Isis mobile payments for those who happen to live in Austin or Salt Lake City.
Google changes Android dashboard numbers to count active users, not just pings
The Android device dashboard has been providing a picture of OS version distribution since before Froyo pushed aside Eclair, but now it's seeing some changes. A post on the Android Developers Google+ page indicates that starting this month, numbers are based on devices whose users actively checked Google Play during the reporting period. Previously, it counted all devices that pinged Google servers. The latest stats, updated today, show a jump in the amount of actives (previously devices, now users) on Jelly Bean (Android 4.1 or higher), up to 25 percent from 16.5 percent last month when it counted the old way. The number of devices recorded running Froyo and Gingerbread have taken the biggest hit, down 3.6 and 4 percentage points, respectively. There are a few ways to react to this, particularly remembering that these numbers are meant to help developers figure out how many users are available to target on the various versions of Android and types of hardware. It may help give a clearer picture of what setups the active users that developers hope to reach are using, without being muddied by little-used zombie hardware. On the other hand, it could be seen as a way to juke stats which have been used against Google's mobile OS by its competitors like Apple. Whichever side of the line one finds themselves on, more data is available by clicking on the source link below.
Refresh Roundup: week of March 25th, 2013
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!
AntTek's Quick Settings app brings the shortcut menu to users still waiting on Jelly Bean
Still waiting for that upgrade to Jelly Bean? So are most Android users, if that's any consolation. While you might not see Android 4.2 before Google moves on to the next letter in its OS alphabet, you can get Jelly Bean's Quick Settings feature via a new app from AntTek. Available via Google Play, the program is compatible with Android 2.1 or later (no rooting required). It's pretty straightforward: you get a customizable settings menu, with options such as direct calling and email along with shortcuts to apps. We downloaded the free app and spent a few minutes toying around -- it looks almost exactly like Quick Settings on Jelly Bean, and there are several controls for tweaking icon size, changing the theme and selecting what actions you'd like to display. We're not huge fans of the red drop-down panel that you swipe to bring up the app, but you can minimize its size and adjust its position on the top of the home screen. AntTek says a pro version, with additional functionality and an unlimited number of icons on the Quick Settings panel, will be available for €1.49. Hit up the source link below to download the app.
Google posts Android 4.2.x factory images for Sprint and Verizon Galaxy Nexus models
Many would call the HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus the only true Nexus of its era. Still, Google is willing to treat the CDMA versions as equals, and it just posted factory images with the latest available Jelly Bean builds for those devices. Anyone with a Verizon model can now flash with Android 4.2.2 if their existing OS install ever goes awry; Sprint users aren't quite on an equal plane, but do get a 4.2.1 image to work from. Relevant driver binaries are also available. Whether you're a custom ROM creator looking for a starting point or just want a fallback for any risky experiments, the relevant source links should have what you need.
Sprint Epic 4G Touch will receive Android Jelly Bean update today (update)
Sprint's Galaxy S 4 recently took one step towards being ready for mass consumption, however the carrier hasn't forgotten the device's forefathers. We've received a memo from an anonymous tipster advising that the Epic 4G Touch is set to make the jump to Jelly Bean (Android 4.1, to be exact) starting sometime today. The new software bump will come directly from Samsung and will require a visit to an external website that has yet to go live. The memo also notes that in order to perform the update, you'll need access to a rig with Windows 7, Vista or XP -- in other words, OS X and Windows 8 users will have to visit a Sprint store to get their fix. For those fortunate enough to gain access in the coming hours, let us know how it's treating you in comments below. Update: Waiting for official confirmation? Then just check Sprint's official log of updates for the Epic 4G Touch on its website, which now lists the GB27 version. It's scheduled to start today, and to answer the question of why it's only going out via PC download and not OTA, the log cites the (unspecified) size of the update. Update 2: GB27 is now available, and ready to install from your PC or Mac (using Kies). Click here for the 520MB download and instructions. [Thanks, anonymous]
Refresh Roundup: week of March 18th, 2013
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!
Archos picks a new CEO, ships 80 and 97 Titanium tablets to the US
Archos has been going through some tough times lately, having to reorganize and lay off a quarter of its staff toward the end of last year. You could say that the company is using the spring as a chance for renewal: company Chairman Henri Crohas has picked Deputy CEO Loïc Poirier to replace him in the full CEO position as of May 1st. Poirier's main focus will be on finishing the work that started in 2012, which should concentrate Archos' efforts on its signature tablet business as well as ventures into home automation and smartphones. As if to mark its potential comeback, the company is catering to Americans by shipping its 80 Titanium and 97 Titanium tablets their way alongside the already mentioned GamePad. The 8- and 9.7-inch slates are selling for $169 and $249, with screen size the real differentiatior -- both run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on top of a dual-core 1.6GHz processor and an IPS-based LCD. They won't give a Nexus 10 owner second thoughts, but they include a fair amount of bang for our US bucks.
