Slatedroid info

As can be seen in the above graphic, Jelly Bean continues its growth, which is nowhere near last month’s increase of 8.5%.  Unfortunately, the numbers still aren’t at a point where Google (and Android customers) should be satisfied.  Of course the Jelly Bean numbers will naturally rise as newer phones are released and older phones become discontinued, but we would like to see this happening at a much higher rate— this starts with the manufacturers.

They need to start developing their skins/bloatware for updates more efficiently, or getting rid of it altogether. (Which would make a lot of us pretty happy.)  Stock Android with unlocked bootloaders for all phones is still somewhere in fantasyland, but hopefully the imminent release of Android 4.3 (or 5.0) will make OS-integration simpler.  

Some great news for the oft-forgotten Droid Bionic this month— Motorola finally dished out their Jelly Bean update to the phone, causing Bionic owners to rejoice everywhere! (Probably making up the majority of the 3.4% increase…)

Here are this month’s numbers:

• 1.6 Donut: 0.1%
• 2.1 Eclair:  1.7%
• 2.2 Froyo: 3.7%
• 2.3 Gingerbread: 38.5%
• 3.2 Honeycomb: 0.1%
• 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich: 27.5%
• 4.1 and 4.2 Jelly Bean: 28.4%

Devices with Gingerbread slowly continue to go down, and devices with Jelly Bean saw a solid 3.4% increase in the past month.  We’ll update you guys next month with Google’s next release of distribution statistics.

Source: Android Developers

Come comment on this article: Latest Android Distribution Reveals Gingerbread Down 1.3% and Jelly Bean Up 3.4%

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!

Reviews

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Review: The smartest smartphone ever

Apps

HTC ditching HTC Watch support in 6 countries on May 31

EA Brings iOS Hit Monopoly Hotels to Google Play, Lowers Price of Need For Speed: Most Wanted to $0.99

T-Mobile offers MLB.com At Bat 2013 for free through June 30th

Ingress players level 2 and up begin receiving extra invitation codes

Cameras

Samsung quietly working on the EK-GN120, a Galaxy Camera that’s also identified as a mobile phone

Carriers

AT&T bumping up LTE coverage in 9 regions, adding 17 new regions

T-Mobile/MetroPCS merger is complete, new company now known as T-Mobile US

Google

Google I/O 2013 full schedule released

Google Glass

Bulletproof is a 3rd Party Application That Brings A Much-Needed Lockscreen to Google Glass

Phones

HTC M4 looks like a smaller HTC One with mid-range specs

Motorola XT1055 shows up in benchmarks with Snapdragon 600

AT&T and LG make the Optimus G Pro official, pre-orders start May 3

Hands on with the AT&T Optimus G Pro smartphone

Samsung Galaxy S 4 bootloader unlock picks up steam with latest hack

Samsung Galaxy Note III rumored to have octa-core processor, octa-core GPU, and 3GB of RAM

More details emerge for Sony’s ‘Honami’ handset, includes Snapdragon 800 and 20MP Cybershot G lens

T-Mobile Sony Xperia Z with LTE passes through FCC

Tablets

HP SlateBook 10 X2 leaks, packs Jelly Bean and NVIDIA Tegra 4

Updates

Latest Android Distribution Reveals Gingerbread Down 1.3% and Jelly Bean Up 3.4%

Miscellaneous

Android tablets pull ahead in Q1 2013, running on 56.5% of all tablets shipped

Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Daily Dose for May 1, 2013

If you’ve been enjoying Google’s augmented reality game, Ingress, you’ll soon have the chance to invite some buddies to join the fun. The Ingress profile on Google+ has announced that all players over level 2 will be getting some invites to hand out to friends, which is great news for everyone. So if you’re already playing, get some friends on board. If you haven’t gotten an invite yet, now’s your chance to start bugging your buddies for one.

source: Google Plus

Come comment on this article: Ingress players level 2 and up begin receiving extra invitation codes

IDC has released their numbers for tablet market share in the first quarter of 2013, and it looks great for Android tablets. In the first three months of the year, 27.8 million Android tablets were shipped, up 247% from Q1 last year. The 27.8 million tablets also happen to make up 56.5% of all tablets shipped during the quarter, snagging the top spot from Apple. Apple’s share dipped to 39.6%, which is almost a 20% decline in market share from the previous year. While Apple didn’t ship less tablets, (they actually shipped almost 8 million more than they did in Q1 2012) there was a significant boon in the tablet market compared to last year, and a ton of those tablets ran Android.

Obviously, this just represents one quarter of this year, which a small slice of the pie. Android tablets have a ways to go, especially in popularity and app selection, before they can really penetrate the tablet market the way Android has done with phones. Still, though, grabbing up over half of an entire market in a quarter is a huge step in the right direction.

source: IDC

Come comment on this article: Android tablets pull ahead in Q1 2013, running on 56.5% of all tablets shipped

It looks like HTC is going to be refocusing its efforts this summer, starting with announcing that it will be dropping HTC Watch support in 6 European countries come May 31.  These countries include Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.  Due to the massive unpopularity of this application, this won’t affect too many of you. HTC released this comment:

“As we continue to deliver new content for HTC Watch, we’ve made the decision to focus our efforts on markets with the highest engagement. After May 31, we’ll discontinue support for HTC Watch in countries with less application traffic”.

There is a solid alternative in Google Play Movies, which would obviously be a solid fallback plan— however, the Google service is only available in Spain, with none of the other countries listed above.

If you’re from one of the above countries and know of some good alternatives, let us know below in the comments!

Come comment on this article: HTC ditching HTC Watch support in 6 countries on May 31

We already knew that tonight’s LG party was all about the Optimus G Pro for AT&T so they decided to just go ahead and make it official. The Optimus G Pro will finally land in the U.S. with AT&T on May 10. It will be priced at $199 and pre-orders start this Friday, May 3. This is the same phone that has already been available internationally and features a 5.5-inch 1080p IPS display, a 1.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600, 2 GB of RAM, 32GB of internal memory, microSD slot for expanded memory, 13MP rear camera, 2.1MP front facing camera, 3,140mAh battery, and IR blaster. Let’s not forget the Value Pack update as well.

One thing I will say is kudos to AT&T as they now offer the three best phones on the market, the Galaxy S 4, the HTC One, and now the Optimus G Pro. On the other hand, Verizon Wireless will only offer the Galaxy S 4, and that won’t be out until the end of May. Full presser and video after the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

AT&T and LG Unveil Powerful, Full HD Optimus G Pro

LG Optimus G Pro(TM) Enables Users to Connect and Share Like a Pro; Suite of Sharing, Multitasking Capabilities Enrich Users’ Demanding Lives

New York, New York, May 01, 2013

AT&T* and LG Electronics USA announced today the LG Optimus G Pro, available exclusively from AT&T, for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement beginning May 10. LG Optimus G Pro is a powerful smartphone offering innovative solutions designed to help users creatively and more deeply connect, express and share their lives while providing the superior power and performance required to manage life on-the-go. Customers excited to reserve their Optimus G Pro can pre-order the device beginning May 3 at www.att.com/optimusgpro. While supplies last, anyone who pre-orders will receive a free Quick Cover black folio case.

The LG Optimus G Pro comes packed with a host of high-performance features that refine mobile communication and help users better organize their lives. Backed by the powerful Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 1.7GHz quad-core processor with 2 GB of RAM, users can access content and complete tasks faster than ever:

The brilliant 5.5-inch, 1920 X 1080 Full HD IPS display (400ppi) gives users more pixels and screen real estate to view and show off content.
The 13 MP Full HD rear-facing camera and 2.1 MP Full HD front-facing camera let users zoom in on even the most intricate of details and its unique Dual Recording feature allows simultaneous recording with both cameras for an amazing dimensional perspective.
The LG Optimus G Pro runs on AT&T 4G LTE, which currently covers nearly 200 million people; with plans to expand to cover 300 million people by the end of 2014. In a report**** by independent testing organization RootMetrics, AT&T’s 4G LTE network was called “blazing fast.” The report found AT&T’s 4G LTE network delivered the fastest pure LTE speeds in markets where AT&T provided 4G LTE.

“From engagements to weddings, to newborns to family gatherings and work to vacation, active and involved people require robust mobile technology designed specifically to support and enrich their lives,” said James Fishler, senior vice president, marketing, LG Electronics USA. “LG Optimus G Pro is the ultimate device for creating, viewing and sharing media content, whether it be HD video in full 1080p or high-resolution photos. This device offers a vast collection of features and capabilities for those who want and need the best multitasking functionality.”

“The LG Optimus G Pro gives AT&T customers the ability to create and share rich content easily,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president – Devices, AT&T. “There’s no better place to experience that content than exclusively on our 4G LTE network, the nation’s fastest.”

Whether users are multitasking industry professionals who require powerful recording and viewing capabilities or just want great mobile technology, LG Optimus G Pro provides the tools to capture important moments and share them with family, friends and co-workers.

With Dual Recording, users capture special and productive moments from both sides of life, all simultaneously on a single screen. The combination of a powerful quad-core processor and 13 MP video camera lets you zoom in tight on the finest of details when viewing your recordings and helps maintain video playback quality and image resolution.

LG Optimus G Pro features a stylish ergonomic design with a narrow screen bezel delivering a more comfortable in-hand experience and great “pocketability.” Hardware features enhance productivity while providing fun, entertaining moments. QuickRemote is a universal remote application that utilizes the built-in Infrared (IR) sensor, turns the device into a Universal Remote Control for use with compatible TVs, Blu-Ray players, cable provider set-top boxes and more.

The LG Optimus G Pro also comes packed with features designed to enhance and simplify your experience. With VuTalk™, users can draw and share fun and productive notes in real time*** between compatible devices, creating new ways for to express your creativity beyond traditional text-based communication*****. Using QSlide 2.0, you can also overlay up to two application windows on an existing open application, adjusting size and transparency as needed, for advanced yet convenient multitasking. For spur-of-the-moment thoughts or just to add some fun commentary to photos or screenshots, QuickMemo™ lets you take screenshots and add personalized notes, drawings and messages, then share them via social media, text or email.

Key Features

- Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor with 2 GB RAM

- Expansive 5.5″ 1080p Full HD IPS Screen (400 ppi resolution)

- Long-Lasting 3,140 mAh Battery

- Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)

- Advanced 13 MP Full HD Camera with Dual Recording

- 2.1 MP Full HD Front-Facing Camera for Dual Recording and Video Conferencing

- Visually and Audibly Collaborate in Real Time with VuTalk

- QSlide 2.0 for Advanced and Convenient Multitasking

- Audio Zoom to enhance audio quality during video capture by focusing audio mics on the video target

- QuickRemote for Universal Remote Control

- Pocketable Ergonomic Design with Narrow Bezel

- Internal Storage: 32 GB on-board, support for up to 64 GB of expandable memory for a total of 96 GB

- Bluetooth® Version 4.0

Pricing and Availability

LG Optimus G Pro will be available for preorder online May 3 at www.att.com/optimusgpro and in AT&T retail stores May 10 for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement.

Come comment on this article: AT&T and LG make the Optimus G Pro official, pre-orders start May 3

According to rumors, Motorola’s next phone will be the X phone. Unfortunately the rumors have flip flopped in so many ways, it’s hard to determine if there will be only one X phone or several. What we do know is that Motorola is working on new phones, not surprisingly. We recently saw a Google X phone in an AnTuTu benchmark, which we can only assume is made by Motorola. Now we have some details about another Motorola device with the model number of XT1055.

We don’t know if this will be an X phone or something entirely different. To be honest, we don’t even know if the image above is real since these kinds of things can be fabricated pretty easily. If this phone is indeed real, it will have a 1.7GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU with Android 4.2.2. The AnTuTu benchmark of 18,252 does seem a little low, but lets not forget this result is most likely not from final hardware. We will let you know as soon as we hear more.

source: PhoneArena

Come comment on this article: Motorola XT1055 shows up in benchmarks with Snapdragon 600

It’s almost that time of year again- the equivalent of Christmas morning for Android developers and fanatics alike: Google I/O 2013.

On Tuesday night, Google released its session schedule for the conference, which will last three days (May 15-17) and will deal with not only Android, but Chrome & Apps, Google+, Google Cloud Platform, Google Maps, YouTube, and many other Google products as well. Google makes it pretty easy for you to know exactly what’s going on at what time, where it’s going on, and who the speakers will be.  When you click on any specific session, a summary page about it opens and gives more details than you’ll ever need.

Of course if you’re not going to Google I/O, the schedule will give you a good idea when the latest products/updates may be coming out, so you’ll know when to be watching for I/O coverage from us. As usual, the main keynote will be streamed live via YouTube, so definitely tune in to get a firsthand look at the newest releases.

Who else is excited? We know we are!

source: Google Developers

Come comment on this article: Google I/O 2013 full schedule released

It looks like HP is going to be making a big splash in the tablet market pretty soon, as it may be launching what seems to be a higher-end device by the name of SlateBook 10 X2.

There aren’t too many specs available right now, but what we do know is that it’s got a 10-inch display.  The resolution is unfortunately unknown, but it’ll definitely be pretty speedy with a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor onboard clocked at 1.8GHz.  The device will also be running Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, Google’s most up-to-date OS release.

The tablet included in the image above is of HP’s first tablet released to the US, the Slate 7, which is available at only $169.99. Maybe it’s a way for HP to test the market before releasing a more stable product like the SlateBook 10 X2.

We don’t know when the HP SlateBook 10 X2 will be released, but we’ll be sure to be the first ones to let you know!

What do you guys think?  Leave us some comments below.

source: UnwiredView

Come comment on this article: HP SlateBook 10 X2 leaks, packs Jelly Bean and NVIDIA Tegra 4

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!

Guides

How to use S Translator and the Optical Reader on the Samsung Galaxy S 4

Apps

Twitter for Google Glass gets outed, shows it’s very much real and on the way

Yahoo! Launches Revamped App with Summly and Mail Integration

Carriers

T-Mobile loses market share while Verizon and AT&T continue to dominate

Verizon introduces its Cloud service for customers, includes 500MB for free to start

Google Glass

Google shows off Glass UI in new how-to video

Early Glass adopter posts in-depth interaction videos for Glass UI

Hardware

Samsung’s 20nm 4Gb LPDDR3 Mobile DRAM now in production

Phones

HTC 608t smartphone outed, brings a whole lot of One in a more affordable package

NEC Terrain leaks, headed to AT&T with Android and QWERTY keyboard

Sprint Samsung Galaxy S 4 pre-orders now delayed 2 to 3 weeks at Best Buy

Steve Kondik of Cyanogenmod confirms AT&T Galaxy S 4 ships with a locked bootloader

ROMs

Paranoid Android ROM to feature floating bubble notification system similar to Chat Heads

Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Daily Dose for April 30, 2013