| MacUpdate Weekend Sale | :This weekend MacUpdate has slashed prices on Painter 12 and Painter Lite. Painter 12 retails for $429, but has been reduced by 54% to $199. Painter Lite has seen a 58% price cut from $69 to $29. Hurry, because these deals are only available until May 19th 2013. |
Canonical has announced that it is set to release the first public preview of its Ubuntu Phone operating system for smartphones. The initial release will be available in two builds, one for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and another for LG's Nexus 4, while source code will also be posted for developers to begin working on installations for other devices.
Google has started rolling out the latest version of Android to Galaxy Nexus (GSM), Nexus 7 (GSM) and Nexus 10 users, reports Android Police. The ‘Jelly Bean’ update carries the build number JDQ39, although little is known about what the latest build brings with it. One likely fix included in the latest patch is expected to rectify a glitch reported by users when streaming audio over Bluetooth A2DP.
The US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected an Apple bid to revive a pretrial ban on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Reuters reports. The company wanted the court to re-examine an October decision it made on the matter, which had it gone in Apple's direction would've kept the Galaxy Nexus off the market until at least March 2014, the current target date for the trial. The Court of Appeals hasn't issued any explanations or dissenting opinions for today's ruling.
Samsung is pressing the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to uphold an October ruling which denied Apple a pretrial sales ban on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone, Reuters reports. Apple has requested an "en banc" review, pushing all nine Federal Circuit judges to look at the ruling again. In a Samsung filing submitted last Friday, however, Samsung argues that Apple lacks the evidence to show a "causal nexus" between a patented search function and iPhone sales that would warrant a Galaxy Nexus ban. The October ruling used "well established" reasoning in line with Supreme Court precedents, Samsung elaborates.
We got a chance to check out a demonstration of Ubuntu's mobile operating system that was announced at the start of the year. It was running on a GSM-version of the Galaxy Nexus, and was certainly impressive when viewed from a close distance. The graphics look clean and smooth, without any hiccups on what is an older, though one-time flagship device.
An over-the-air update to Android 4.1.2 is reportedly now available for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S. Some owners of the device report receiving notification of the update today, and others can check if the update is available for their devices yet by going to the System Updates section under Settings. The update is an incremental one, bringing a few modifications to the user interface.
A US appeals court has overturned a preliminary injunction that placed a sales ban on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone. The case will now return to a California court for reconsideration. Apple initially won an injunction against the Galaxy Nexus in June of this year, but today's ruling found that Judge Lucy Koh's court had "abused its discretion" during its decision on the injunction.
It's been only a few months since Google unveiled Android 4.1, but the search giant appears to be readying the next version of its Android operating system for release. This according to tech blog Android Police, which claims to have seen devices running Android 4.2 popping up in its server traffic logs. According to a post on the site, at least four devices have shown up in the logs running version 4.2: the Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus, the Asus-built Nexus 7, a phone currently codenamed "Occam," and an as yet unknown device that could be a new tablet from Google-owned Motorola.
TomTom has gone ahead and delivered its promised navigation app ($50, Google Play) for Android-powered mobile devices. The app brings offline navigation capability as well, making it suitable for driving to new and remote places. It's largely the same app as the one offered for iOS users, and includes radar camera warnings in some countries, free map updates, and traffic guidance, among others.
Just over seven days after Apple was handed a sweeping billion-dollar victory over Samsung in its contentious patent lawsuit in California, Apple has added "at least 21 new smartphones, media players, and tablets that Samsung has released beginning in August 2011 and continuing through August 2012" as infringing products in a separate US bench trial in San Jose, scheduled for 2013. In addition to the devices, Apple is asserting four new patent claims against the infringing products, which include the Google-branded but Samsung-built Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
A purported list of upcoming devices set to arrive on Japan's NTT DoCoMo network suggests that the carrier expects to receive not only the Samsung Galaxy Nexus II, but also a new Sony Xperia Nexus as well as an LG Optimus Nexus. While not out of the question, it would mark the first time that Google has opened the Nexus branding to more than one handset manufacturer at the same time. Nexus-branded handsets have been reserved as Google's flagship handsets and run a 'Pure Google' experience.
Apple has reiterated its arguments against Samsung as part of an ongoing case in the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington. Attorney Mark Perry of law firm Gibson Dunn suggests Samsung's "beat-Apple strategy" focused on copying the iPhone's Siri feature and implementing a patent-infringing alternative in the Galaxy Nexus.
Sprint is now offering the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for free on its site. New or renewing customers signing up for a two-year agreement will receive a pair of discounts off the phone's normal $550 price. Sprint does require that customers buying the Android 4.1-compatible phone sign up for a data plan, bringing the monthly cost of the handset to at least $80 per month.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has continued a temporary stay of the sales injunction on the Samsing Galaxy Nexus smartphone Apple won earlier this month. The ruling allows Samsung to continue selling the smartphone model. The expedited appeal of Judge Lucy Koh's original ruling of the sales suspension is scheduled for August 20, with a decision on the appeal following in the days or weeks after the hearing.
Samsung has taken steps to avoid a potential ban on the sale of the Galaxy S III following up its software patch for US models with a similar patch for international unlocked versions of its flagship handset. Although described as a "stability update" by the Korean tech giant, it removes the local on-device search function that is a feature of the Google-developed Android OS. It is the same type of patch that Google and Samsung issued for the Galaxy Nexus in order to help it avoid a possible sales injunction.
The price of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus has once again been slashed over at Verizon, now being as low as $100 when purchased online. When buying the phone in a store, it will cost $150. Of course, a two-year contract with voice and data is required in either case.
Samsung's request to expedite its appeal of the preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus phone has been granted in the US Court of Appeals. Samsung has until July 16 to file its court brief starting the process. Apple has until July 30 to respond to Samsung's filing, with final comments due on August 6. Additionally, Apple's response to the temporary stay on the sales injunction of the Galaxy Nexus was accepted by the court on time, and will be considered.
Two major Android updates have arrived overnight. International Samsung Galaxy Nexus users with HSPA+ handsets are now getting an update to Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean). Highlighting the fragmentation plaguing the Android ecosystem, just as the plain vanilla Galaxy Nexus gets the latest OS update, the Samsung Galaxy Note on AT&T has coincidentally just received an update to the superseded Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
The recently-enjoined Galaxy Nexus will be returning to Google's Play Store next week. As ABC News reports, Google is working on a software update that will see features removed from the Android handset, thus negating some aspects of Apple's infringement claims, which were the cause of the injunction. When the Galaxy Nexus reemerges, it will be running the latest version of Google's Android operating system.
Google has withdrawn the Samsung Galaxy Nexus from sale on the Google Play store as it moves to comply with US court orders banning it from sale. US District Court Judge Lucy Koh earlier rejected Samsung’s appeal against the injunction order, leading to the smartphone being pulled. Google currently has the device listed as ‘Coming Soon,’ with potential buyers offered the opportunity to sign up for notifications.
Google has allegedly vowed to back Samsung in the Korean handset maker's ongoing legal battles with Apple, unnamed sources have told the Korea Times. Although Google so far has taken an indirect role in defending device makers that utilize its Android platform, the recent injunction focused on Galaxy Nexus sales, handed down in a California court, is said to have pushed the search giant to deepen its involvement.
Samsung has quickly responded to a recent loss in an ongoing legal battle with Apple, filing a notice of appeal in an attempt to delay an injunction against the Galaxy Nexus. The Korean handset maker has asked a California court to stall the sales ban until the appeal process has come to an end, or until the Court of Appeals has established its own preliminary ruling.
Northern District of California Judge Lucy Koh has awarded Apple a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in court today. The injunction will take effect once Apple posts a $96 million bond in case the injunction is overturned on appeal. The Galaxy Nexus was Samsung's and Google's flagship smartphone, and non-CDMA versions remain on the reference phone list for Android 4.0. An appeal is expected.
Jelly Bean, or the 4.1 version of the Android mobile OS, may be arriving any day now on Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ handsets if a leak spotted by an XDA Developers forum member proves accurate. A Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ was upgraded to Android 4.1 as far back as December, though the new update would likely be more widespread. The unlocked handset from the Google Play store is said to come with Android 4.1 preloaded, leading some to hypothesize that some phones could ship with the latest software before the update is officially released to existing owners.
Samsung has made the microUSB port on its Galaxy S III flagship incompatible with current MHL/video adapters, Clove found. The pin connection has been changed from the older Galaxy S II or Nexus phones, so those upgrading to the latest handset will need to buy the new accessory. Being a retailer, Clove is offering the accessory for sale on its site, priced at the equivalent of about $39, taxes inclusive.
The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has reversed a previous judge's ruling that there was no merit to Apple's copyright complaint against Samsung. Prior judgements on iPhone versus the Galaxy Nexus phone were left untouched. The original ruling against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was that Apple's patent was "obvious", meaning that the original patent should never have been granted.
After months of rumors, the Samsung Galaxy S III was officially unveiled at the currently ongoing Mobile Unpacked event in London. As expected, the Super AMOLED touchscreen is 4.8 inches in size and has 1280x720 resolution, while the processor is Samsung's own Exynos quad-core unit clocked at 1.4GHz and paired with 1GB of RAM. The phone weighs in at 4.7oz (133g) and its thinnest point measures in at 8.6mm.
Galaxy Nexus owners on Sprint will receive an update
fixing the missing 3G support on the handset. Subscribers have been reporting network connection issues on the carrier's public forum for the last week.
Habitual smartphone experimenter Steve Wozniak in a podcast (embedded below) gave strong compliments to Windows Phone. Having picked up a Lumia 900 weeks earlier, the Apple co-founder still picked the iPhone as his favorite but argued to aNewDomain that Windows Phone was better than any Android phone. It had the "most beautiful" visual experience of any platform, Wozniak said, and its presentation made him feel like he was "with a friend, not a tool."
Google's Android Open Source Project (AOSP) engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru drew flak late Thursday after comments that many have interpreted as giving a pass on slow Android upgrade intervals. He saw Sony's Android 4.0 upgrades having rolled out in a "very reasonable time," five months after 4.0 was available, given the nature of the OS. Sony had even had a head start, since its AOSP code contributions gave it an idea of what to expect for its own upgrades, he said.
Sprint subscribers are sounding off in the company's support forums, reporting that their 3G support for the Galaxy Nexus isn't working. The Wi-Fi radio continues to operate perfectly, however. One user, who provided the screenshot below, said the network state on his smartphone is 'Connecting,' while showing EVDO Revision A as available.
LG on Friday grew the reach of the Optimus True HD LTE to more countries than just Germany. The 4G phone is now launching in Portugal and Sweden in a slightly larger European release as well as the headlining Asian cities of Hong Kong and Singapore. The device is an international edition of the Optimus LTE already on sale in Canada as the Optimus 4G LTE at Bell and the US as the Nitro HD at AT&T.
Sprint on Wednesday reported steep losses for its winter quarter but had relatively strong iPhone results. The company's losses nearly doubled, from $439 million a year earlier to $863 million, owing largely to a $543 million depreciation from the Nextel iDEN network ramp-down. At 1.5 million iPhone sales, however, it saw only a slight drop from the fall in what's widely believed to be its primary smartphone platform.
Google on Tuesday opened up a Google Play Devices section for its web store with an emphasis on selling Android hardware directly. The first offering will answer a longstanding call for direct sales of the Galaxy Nexus in the US. Americans now buy the unlocked, HSPA+ version of the Android 4.0 flagship for $399, or far less than it normally costs at importers.
Verizon has lowered their 2 year contract subsidized price on the Galaxy Nexus LTE by $100 from $299 to $199. This price reduction comes one day after the phone became available on Sprint. The off-contract price remains the same at $649.99.
Google and Samsung have quietly solved a problem with sudden signal drops on the Galaxy Nexus. A minor update to Android 4.0.4, IMM76I, gives the phone the consistent performance. Some owners have noted another fix for unresponsiveness on the lock screen when automatic brightness is on.
Verizon is planning to quickly follow up on the Sprint Galaxy Nexus launch with a steep price drop. A leaked minimum advertised price guide at Droid-Life has Samsung's Android 4.0 phone dropping to the same $200 on April 23, a day after Sprint stores get their examples. While it could be a storage cut ike the 16GB RAZR, it's more likely to remain the 32GB edition.
Pre-orders for Sprint's version of the Galaxy Nexus, begun on April 16, may have reflected very strong demand. Earlier Thursday, the pre-order page indicated that inventory had been sold out for those not willing to wait until the April 22 launch. The exact quantities Sprint will have aren't known and make it difficult to gauge actual interest.
Spotify on Thursday addressed complaints over its Android app with a new preview version of its remake. The new version is completely remade and designed explicitly to support Android 4.0 phones like the Galaxy Nexus or One X. The UI change brings swipe-based navigation columns, extra-large artist artwork, and a Facebook-style slide-out menu.
Google gave the Chrome for Android beta a major update (Google Play) Tuesday that filled in key gaps in the otherwise advanced browser. Like the stock Android 4.0 browser, Chrome can now ask for the desktop version of a page if the mobile version is either undesirable or doesn't work. Address a feature that's been on iOS devices for years, Google now lets users add bookmarks as shortcuts on the Android home screen.
The AT&T version of the HTC One X may get its final release window very soon. Rumors emerging from BGR have an announcement due as soon as Tuesday, with shipping coming "within five to seven days" of that date. Pricing itself wasn't given out, but it's expected to come in at $250 to $300 given AT&T's past 4G phone pricing.
Sprint ended one of the longer waits for one of its phones in recent memory by taking pre-orders for its version of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus. The device will ship to its second American LTE carrier on April 22, with some advance order makers possibly getting theirs as soon as April 20. Pricing will be much more aggressive than at Verizon, at $200 on a contract with unlimited on-device data compared to Verizon's $300 and data caps.
Sprint will be releasing its version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on April 22nd, according to a company document. The leak, via BGR, shows that the LTE-enabled smartphone will be released on the same day as the already announced LG Viper 4G LTE.
Sprint stores will soon begin stocking Galaxy Nexus LTE handsets, as indicated by some stores getting promotional materials plastered with the April 15 launch date. Shared by Phandroid, this lines up with earlier rumors that had the handset arriving at the carrier between April 15 and 22. Unfortunately, the Sprint store materials aren't making a reference to the LTE capabilities of the phone, supporting evidence that the handset won't have 4G enabled, at least at first.
Google has posted a Chrome 19 beta that answers a common call for fast access to tabs across devices. Signing in on the same Google account both on a desktop and an Android device running Chrome for Android will give either device access to whatever tabs happen to be open on that device at that moment. The approach makes it easy to continue reading an article from an Android phone or to check directions that were just on the desktop.
One of the more extensive custom Android ROMs has been given a unique new customization in an update. The Android Open Kang Project's 30th build links up with a new NovaLauncher beta to let those whose phones get Android 4.0's on-screen navigation bar, mostly the Galaxy Nexus, customize the bottom space with apps. It still packs in the existing controls, including the app launcher, but expands the control points to five to allow either for shortcuts or just to change the layout.
A rumor from an uncommon source has an AT&T version of the Galaxy Nexus close. A tipster leaked stock units to Andro Rev that pointed to full-size, likely LTE-capable SIM cards intended for the phone, implying that the phone itself might support the faster data. Most if not all of AT&T's LTE-capable devices to date, including the just-shipping Lumia 900 and the new iPad, are using micro-SIMs.
Samsung late Thursday gave upbeat early estimates of its first calendar quarter results that showed a possible breakthrough in smartphone sales. Its pure operating profit would be 5.8 trillion won (nearly $5.2 billion), or almost twice as much as from a year earlier. Pure revenue would sit at $39.8 billion.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus owners are having problems with their phones after updating them to the latest Android 4.0 release. Users are complaining about signal strength problems or loss of signal since installing version 4.0.4, which Google began rolling out as an over-the-air upgrade last Wednesday. The problem appears to affect only phones with GSM radios.
What appears to be a US patent for a Face Unlock feature for smartphones has been granted to HTC. This is odd because we first experienced the feature on the Galaxy Nexus late last year, and it's one of the standard features found in Android 4.0. Since then, a number of other phones from various makers that sport a front-facing camera and were updated to Android 4.0 got this feature as well. How this new patent grant will affect the future of handsets not made by HTC but sporting Android 4.0 remains to be seen.
