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Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Note II [Gallery]

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The Galaxy Note II unveiled at IFA 2012 last month, amid a bevy of other Samsung-related news that dominated the popular trade show, and immediate reactions placed it somewhere between the original Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S III.

Well, those summarizations were spot-on.

SPECS

I recently sat down with Samsung at a media event in New York City to get a closer look at the global version of its “phablet.” At first glance, it is easy to notice the new Note’s lighter and thinner design, redesigned S Pen stylus, larger 5.5-inch display, faster 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, and a slew of fresh software features layered over Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The 720p Super AMOLED display, which boasts a slight improvement over the original, carries a 1,280-by-720-pixel resolution, and Samsung U.S. Director of Product Marketing Ryan Bidan noted it is the company’s “brightest, sharpest, clearest screen.”

The Note II also features a shrunken bezel and a physical design akin to the Galaxy S III, including the same 8-megapixel camera, and even its user-interface mimics many of the S III’s core highlights. The phablet is notably different, however, due to its new S Pen-specific functions.

“The Galaxy Note II brings the design and software experience that we created for the Galaxy S III to the Note platform,” Bidan contended.

Additional specs include a “Magic Wand” homescreen, NFC, 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage options, and 2GB of RAM. It ships in both Mountain White or Titanium Gray flavors and further touts a massive 3100mAH battery, which is 25 percent larger than the original Note’s, for 10- to- 12 hours of normal use.

A gallery is below.


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Google Wallet says it will cut Google Prepaid Cards next month

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Google Wallet launched nearly a year ago with free $10 prepaid cards for welcoming users to the mobile payments system, but Google just announced that it is discontinuing its complimentary gift next month.

In an email to existing Google Wallet users, Google revealed prepaid cards will permanently disappear from the app on Oct. 17. The Internet giant offers folks a chance to request a refund, however, but it might be easier to simply spend the cash now.

Moreover, as of Sept. 17, users will no longer be able to add funds to their prepaid cards. Go to Google Wallet online for more information, or just read the entire email announcement below.


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StubHub shows off 3D maps for mobile app and site, says open APIs coming soon

Yankee Stadium

StubHub is the latest company to join the 3D craze with updated maps for its online and mobile apps counterparts.

The 12-year-old online ticket reseller, bought by eBay in 2007, allows users to buy and sell tickets for sports, concerts, theatre, and other live entertainment events. It acquired Peekspy, which is a company that leverage’s Google Earth’s technology to create 3D products, in early 2012 for an undisclosed amount. Fanvenue, Peekspy’s website, further builds 3D interactive seating maps for venues and stadiums.

With Peekspy in its pocket for the last six months, StubHub is preparing to roll out 3D maps. The tech is for both online and mobile, but StubHub said it is working toward a consistent experience on both platforms. The first phase is onsite only, but upcoming rollouts will simultaneously land for both Stubhub.com and mobile.

StubHub Product Director Mats Nilsson announced at a media event in New York City recently that StubHub for Android would soon sport the tech, although an exact launch date has not been announced, so folks could find seats in a more easier and entertaining way. For instance: Users on either Android, iOS or Windows Phone will be able to hover over a desired seating section, tap to zoom, and then closely inspect desired seats, interior views, stage setup, bathroom locations, and more.

Only a few venues are now launch-ready for mobile apps, such as Yankee Stadium, but Nilsson said StubHub is diligently working with many arenas to get 3D maps into full swing. With that said, MLB stadiums are now live online as part of the “first phase” previously mentioned by StubHub.

In related news, StubHub CTO Raji Arasu revealed plans to completely open APIs in the coming months. The limited StubHub API already allows some partners, such as ESPN, to gain information and functionality, but the ticket reseller hopes full read-and-write access for all will further encourage development.

A gallery of StubHub 3D maps is below.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Mac.


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Nielsen: Young adults and teens push smartphone growth in US, with Android at 52 percent of OS market share in July

While getting its graphics’ proportions right this time around, research firm Nielsen revealed July 2012 findings today and announced 55.5-percent of mobile subscribers in the United States now own smartphones with young adults and teenagers leading the charge.

According to the Nielsen blog

As mobile manufacturers announce new phones in advance of the holidays, Nielsen took a snapshot look at the mobile market in the U.S. Smartphone penetration continued to grow in July 2012, with 55.5 percent of mobile subscribers in the U.S. now owning smartphones. This is a significant increase compared to July 2011 when only 41 percent of mobile subscribers owned smartphones.

Overall, young adults are leading the growth in smartphone ownership in the U.S., with 74 percent of 25-34 year-olds now owning smartphones, up from 59 percent in July 2011. Interestingly, teenagers between 13 and17 years old demonstrated the most dramatic increases in smartphone adoption, with the majority of American teens (58%) owning a smartphone, compared to roughly a third (36%) of teens saying they owned a smartphone just a year ago.

Android still dominates the smartphone OS market in terms of owners and recent acquirers, at 51.9-percent and 58.6-percent respectively, but iOS maintains second place with 34 percent of smartphone owners and 33 percent of recent acquirers.

Nielsen’s monthly survey is conducted across 20,000 mobile subscribers from the ages of 13 and up in the U.S.

Get additional details at Nielsen.

This article is cross posted at 9to5Mac.


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Sprint fulfills promise and announces 4G LTE expansion to 100 additional US cities

As promised last month, Sprint just announced it is expanding 4G LTE data network coverage to 100 additional U.S. cities, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, D.C., etc., in the coming months.

According to the press release:

Continuing its aggressive momentum in delivering a top-tier network experience for customers, Sprint announced today that the 4G LTE network build is under way in more than 100 additional cities within its existing nationwide 3G footprint. Some of the major metropolitan areas in which Sprint 4G LTE is expected to be available in the coming months are Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Memphis, Tenn.; Miami; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; New York; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C.

The full list of cities:

  • Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian, Puerto Rico
  • Albermarle, N.C.
  • Anderson, Ind.
  • Asheville, N.C.
  • Athens, Tenn.
  • Athens, Texas
  • Austin, Texas
  • Barnstable Town (Hyannis/Midcape), Mass.
  • Baton Rouge, La.
  • Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, Md.
  • Boston
  • Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Mass.
  • Charlotte, N.C.
  • Chattanooga, Tenn.
  • Chicago
  • Clarksville, Tenn.
  • Cleveland, Tenn.
  • Coamo, Puerto Rico
  • College Station, Texas
  • Columbia, Tenn.
  • Columbus, Ind.
  • Cookeville, Tenn.
  • Crossville, Tenn.
  • Daytona Beach-Deltona-Ormond Beach, Fla.
  • Elkhart-Goshen, Ind.
  • Fayetteville, N.C.
  • Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.
  • Gainesville, Fla.
  • Gary, Ind.
  • Goldsboro, N.C.
  • Greenville, N.C.
  • Greeneville, Tenn.
  • Guayama, Puerto Rico
  • Hammond, La.
  • Harriman, Tenn.
  • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C.
  • Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, La.
  • Hutchinson, Kan.
  • Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.
  • Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Johnson City, Tenn.
  • Jonesboro, Ark.
  • Kankakee-Bradley-Bourbonnais, Ill.
  • Kerrville, Texas
  • Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas
  • Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.
  • Kinston, N.C.
  • Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
  • Lancaster, S.C.
  • Lawrence, Kan.
  • Lincolnton, N.C.
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif.
  • Lumberton, N.C.
  • McPherson, Kan.
  • Memphis, Tenn.
  • Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla.
  • Morgan City, La.
  • Morristown, Tenn.
  • Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
  • Muncie, Ind.
  • Nashville, Tenn.
  • New Orleans
  • New York-White Plains-Wayne, N.Y.
  • Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Va.
  • Ocala, Fla.
  • Ocean Pines, Md.
  • Palatka, Fla.
  • Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Fla.
  • Peabody/Lawrence-Methuen/Gloucester, Mass.
  • Philadelphia
  • Ponce, Puerto Rico
  • Port St. Lucie, Fla.
  • Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
  • Rochelle, Ill.
  • Rockford, Ill.
  • Rocky Mount, N.C.
  • Salina, Kan.
  • Salisbury, Md.
  • Salisbury, N.C.
  • San German-Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Sebastian-Vero Beach, Fla.
  • Sevierville, Tenn.
  • Shelby, N.C.
  • Southern Pines-Pinehurst, N.C.
  • Springfield, Mass.
  • Statesville-Mooresville, N.C.
  • St. Thomas, USVI
  • Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.
  • Topeka, Kan.
  • Tullahoma, Tenn.
  • Tupelo, Miss.
  • Warrensburg, Mo.
  • Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria, Va.
  • Waukegan-Lake County, Ill.
  • West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, Fla.
  • Wichita, Kan.
  • Wichita Falls, Texas
  • Wilson, N.C.
  • Worcester-Fitchburg-Leominster, Mass.
  • Yauco, Puerto Rico

Sprint was the first national wireless carrier to introduce 4G (WiMAX) service in 2008; it currently offers 4G LTE service in 19 metropolitan areas. The carrier further revealed today that customers might soon begin to experience 4G coverage during the “pre-launch phase,” and those with 4G-capable devices are “welcome to use the network even before it officially launches.”

Sprint expects complete the nationwide build out of its 4G network by the end of 2013.

Get the full press release below.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Mac.


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Google pays homage to ‘Star Trek’ 46th anniversary with interactive Doodle

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Trekkies rejoice!

Google is celebrating the 46th anniversary of “Star Trek: The Original Series”, although the first episode’s anniversary is tomorrow, with an interactive Doodle on the homepage. Google told Mashable it launched the game-like Doodle a day early so “people would have time to play with it and discover the entire story.”

The Doodle spotlights the show’s primary characters as letters from the word “Google”. Spock, for instance, is the ‘G’, while Kirk is an ‘o’. It also combines many familiar sounds and sights from the iconic Sci-Fi series including scenery of the USS Enterprise and its Transporter.

Ryan Germick, a self-touted Trekkie and leader of the Google Doodle Team, sat down with Entertainment Weekly to discuss the design process behind today’s Doodle:

We went through lot of different iterations. What we’re looking to do is show them. And it seemed like a way to double-down sort of silly, campy nature of what we’re doing with the doodle to put in Kirk’s block of hair, Spock’s ears. It’s a testament to the power of the show, and how iconic it is, that you can just put a couple details on anything, even a letter ‘G’ and know it’s a Vulcan. That was really fun to play with and informs the whole direction of [the silly style].

Check out Entertainment Weekly for more inside details. 

Can you identify the other characters in today’s Doodle? A gallery is below.


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Motorola introduces the Droid Razr family in ‘Every feature comes standard’ ad [Video]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H49WBiQlI78&feature=plcp]

Motorola unveiled its fresh trio of Android-powered Razr smartphones earlier this week, and now the Google subsidiary wants folks to know “every feature comes standard” in the new Razr M, Razr HD and Razr Maxx HD. Check out its latest advertisements above; it starts out slow but quickly changes the pace (and angle).


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Samsung re-lives the major news from Unpacked 2012 at IFA [Video]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgo9WUE9qk4&feature=plcp]

9to5Google was live at IFA in Berlin last week, and we promptly reported all the breaking news from Europe’s leading trade show, but the folks at Samsung just posted a round-up video of its Unpacked 2012 highlights on YouTube for those who want to re-live the excitement. Check out the edited clips above mixed with a sparkling montage of sound that really play up the mood.


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Watch live streams of New York Fashion Week on YouTube [Video]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVayONnWGkM&feature=player_embedded]

New York Fashion Week is a semi-annual, Mercedes-Benz-branded runway series held in February and September of each year in New York City, and it is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world, but now everyone can experience the glitz and glam straight from home on their desktop or mobile device.

YouTube and Google+ are giving “front row access” to the tents at Lincoln Center, courtesy of a Maybelline sponsorship, with more than 30 fashion shows streaming live on the YouTube Live from the Runway channel. Additional YouTube and Google+ highlights, according to the Google and Your Business blog, include:

  • Lucky Magazine’s Fashion Week Photowalk: +LuckyMagazine is hosting a Fashion Week photowalk. All week long, bloggers, designers and Lucky editors will be uploading exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos. You can add this public Google+ Event to your calendar.
  • On September 7th, +TeenVogue Director +EvaChen212, and LYST are hosting an exclusive pre-show Hangout with designer Rebecca Minkoff on LYST’s page.
  • Paris Vogue Fashion’s Night Out: +VogueParis will be posting “Live-GIFs” of the event on their +Page, where notable guests, models and VIPs will have their images turned into GIFs, ready to be shared across the web. This is in addition to their 3H YouTube live broadcast, available on the Vogue Paris YouTube Channel or on www.vogue.fr.

Google also noted more people are using its search engine to help keep up with the latest fashion trends. Go to the Google and Your Business blog for more details.


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Google and Bing duke it out in Microsoft’s ‘Bing It On’ blind comparison test

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Microsoft built an interactive side-by-side “search off” that blindly compares Bing’s search relevancy to the all-powerful Google in an attempt to show consumers how effective its results are after branding and preconceptions are stripped from the engine.

Bing It On boldly advertises “people choose Bing web search results over Google nearly 2 to 1 in blind comparison tests.” So, how does it work? Participants submit a query and immediately see two panes with 10 results each. Bing and Google results are aggregated in the side-by-side panes with all branding removed. The test does not include ads, Bing’s Snapshot and Social Search panes or Google’s Knowledge Graph. The participants must decide which pane gave the best results for each query. They can choose either “Left side search engine”, “Right side search engine”, or “Draw.” After each participant performs five searches, their total votes determine the ultimate winner (Bing, Google or Draw).


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AT&T bulks up with 9 new LTE markets, over 40 more going live before holidays

AT&T just announced in a flurry of press releases that it expanded 4G data network coverage to customers in nine new cities. It further revealed over 40 more LTE markets will light up by the end of 2012 and its 4G network now covers 275 million folks in the United States. It is also the only stateside carrier to provide 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies.

The nine cities: 

  • Anchorage, Alaska
  • Bakersfield, Calif.
  • Bridgeport, Conn.
  • Jacksonville, Fla.
  • Modesto, Calif.
  • North Montgomery County, Md.
  • Syracuse, N.Y.
  • Omaha, Neb.
  • Northern N.J.

The additional markets:

  • Albany, N.Y.
  • Albuquerque, N.M.
  • Allentown, Pa.
  • Birmingham, Ala.
  • Boise, Idaho
  • Charleston, S.C.
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Columbia, S.C.
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Denver-Boulder, Colo.
  • Detroit, Mich.
  • El Paso, Texas
  • Fayetteville, N.C.
  • Ft. Myers, Fla.
  • Gary, Ind.
  • Grand Rapids, Mich.
  • Green Bay, Wis.
  • Harrisburg, Pa.
  • Hartford, Conn.
  • Hawaii
  • Knoxville, Tenn.
  • Lancaster, Pa.
  • Little Rock, Ark.
  • Louisville, Ky.
  • Memphis, Tenn.
  • Milwaukee, Wis.
  • Nashua, N.H.
  • New Haven, Conn.
  • Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • Portland, Ore.
  • Providence, R.I.
  • Reading, Pa.
  • Rochester, N.Y.
  • Sacramento, Calif.
  • Salinas-Seaside-Monterey, Calif.
  • Seattle, Wash.
  • Springfield, Mass.
  • Toledo, Ohio
  • Tucson, Ariz.
  • Tulsa, Okla.
  • Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
  • Wilmington, Del.

“Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks,” said AT&T in a press release.

Check out more facts in the carrier’s infographic below, and get all the pressers at AT&T’s website.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Mac.


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Motorola unveils three new Android smartphones: Razr M, Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD [Gallery]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VkIpT3-kBM&feature=plcp]

We are live at Motorola’s launch event in New York City, but a live stream is available for those who want to watch first hand, and the most notable announcement is the introduction of three new Android-powered smartphones.

The new Razr M, Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD notably feature Corning Gorilla Glass displays, DuPont Kevlar fiber and a splash-guard coating on the outside, while the software on the inside comes equipped with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (but each will upgrade to Jelly Bean by “the holidays”) and access to Google Play. They also tout Chrome for Android, Google Maps, Voice Actions for Android, Google+ and YouTube apps.

Additional premium specs include 4G LTE and NFC capability, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and 1080p HD recording, front-facing camera for video chatting, mobile Hotspot and a microSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB.

Check out more specs and images below.


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Whoops! Google leaks upcoming Google Drive for Android update

Google just accidentally revealed unreleased updates to its Google Drive for iOS and Android apps.

As TechCrunch first noted, Google prematurely published this post on its blog to announce the upcoming versions, but it deleted the announcement shortly after. The new tweaks for the iPhone counterpart include in-app editing for documents, so users no longer have to access a web browser to edit a Docs file, and the ability to view Google presentations.

The Google Drive for Android app will also get a new interface for editing while mobile, with more options for creating and editing tables in documents. Moreover, the Android app will soon boast comments in documents, as well as the means to create folders, move documents and upload files. Additional Drive features to Google Presentations include viewing, presenting and commenting capabilities.

Both updates are still in process, as indicated by the post’s removal, but they should come down the pipeline soon.

A screenshot of the deleted Google Apps post is above, courtesy of TechCrunch.

[tweet http://twitter.com/GAppsUpdates/status/243391270486175744]

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.


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‘Discussion’ function adds a little conversation to Google spreadsheets

Google Drive received an update today that makes it easier to collaborate and communicate, as Google’s popular discussion function, previously only available in documents and presentations, is now live in spreadsheets.

According Software Engineer Patrick Donelan on the official Google Docs blog:

Getting things done with others would be much easier if everyone was sitting right next to you. But since that’s rarely the case, we’re always updating Google Drive to make it easier to collaborate with others, no matter where you are or who you’re with.

Today we’re bringing the discussion functionality that’s already in documents and presentations to spreadsheets. If a cell has a comment in it, you’ll see an orange triangle in the upper right corner and when you hover over the cell you’ll see the full discussion.

Totaled comments are now at the bottom of the sheet tab’s screen, where a simple mouse hover on the comment icon will display a thread. Users can also +mention to include other people in the project’s discussion, which will send a notification to their email, and then they can choose to reply without even leaving their Gmail inbox.

Comments prior to today’s update are tucked away as saved “Notes”, which are still accessible in spreadsheets, and users can further take advantage of the black triangle in cell corners to differentiate them from the new-comment style. Moreover, users can create new notes or annotations in a cell from the “Insert” menu.

Go to the official Google Docs blog for more detailed information.


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Report: Oracle ordered to pay Google over $1M for legal expenses accrued during suit

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A jury decided earlier this summer that Google did not infringe upon Oracle’s patents, but it has now come to light that Oracle must pay $1,130,350 to Google for its steep legal fees accrued during the lengthy lawsuit and trial.

Oracle, a database software giant based in Redwood City, Calif., sued Google in August 2010, while alleging the Android operating system violated a number of patents and copyrights within Java, which Oracle acquired through Sun Microsystems. Android currently powers more than 150 million mobile devices. Google, based in Mountain View, Calif., adamantly denied Oracle’s contention, and claimed the Android team was unaware of Sun’s patents before the suit.

Oracle, of course, did not succeed in landing a $6 billion settlement from Google, but it did win the responsibility of paying Google’s legal expenses. Google first asked for over $4 million, according to legal news website Groklaw, but Judge William Aslup recently reduced that amount significantly.

The Google vs. Oracle drama stretched into weeks with much interesting news unveiling along the way. Chairman Eric Schmidt gave a sarcasm-riddled testimony, and Android’s founder Andy Rubin even took the stand to reveal a slide deck with Google’s ambitions to sell 10 million Android tablets during 2011.

Judge Aslup even required both companies to reveal a list of bloggers and journalists paid for commentary during the course of the trial, in which Google admitted to using Stanford professor Mark Lemly as a commentator on unrelated cases. Oracle, on the other hand, disclosed a controversial relationship with patent guru Florian Mueller.


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Google Chrome celebrates 4 years by going back in time

In just one U.S. Presidential term, Google has made the Internet experience more consistent across Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks, and even Android and iOS devices, by simply signing into Chrome.

Google Chrome is a freeware web browser that had 32.76-percent worldwide usage share of web browsers as of June 2012, making it the most widely used browser, according to StatCounter, although Internet Explorer now holds the top spot.

With that said, Google Chrome  is notably celebrating its birthday today. Senior Vice President Sundar Pichai took to the official Chrome blog to let the world know that his Google team is remaining focused on the four-year-old product:

Building on four years of security work, recent improvements such as more robust plug-in sandboxing and Safe Browsing for downloads ensure that your browsing is more secure than ever before.

To track Chrome’s journey from a better web to your web, we created a Chrome Time Machine (of sorts) that lets you travel through key moments in Chrome’s history over the past four years. You may even uncover a special birthday gift from the Chrome team, if you find the hidden clue and type in the secret code…


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Analyst: Samsung’s Galaxy S III bests Apple’s iPhone 4S sales for the first time since it was released a year ago

The iPhone 4S is no longer king.

For the first time since it launched in October 2011, according to BusinessInsider, Apple’s Siri-equipped smartphone did not outsell its competition in the United States for August. Canaccord Genuity’s Michael Walkley apparently conducted “channel checks” and discovered the three-month-old Samsung Galaxy S III outsold the iPhone 4S.

The Android-powered device reigned supreme on all carriers except for AT&T during the summer month, and it still managed to grab the lead. The next-generation iPhone will unveil in less than two weeks, however, so it is typical to see a slump in sales in the weeks leading up to a planned launch event.

Now let’s see if these numbers remain true for October.


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New LTE-enabled Pantech Flex spotlights ‘Easy Experience’ ICS mode [Video]

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_zyX7P1BCA&feature=player_embedded]

Pantech and AT&T are exclusively offering a simplified Android handset, dubbed “the Pantech Flex,” starting Sept. 16 for $49.99 with a two-year agreement.

The 4G LTE-enabled Flex runs on Android 4.0, but it also includes a new Easy Experience mode that “prioritizes customers’ apps on the home screen in a clearly organized and easy-to-read format.” Users can toggle between a traditional mode and the easy mode.

The smartphone further boasts a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD video recording, and a two-megapixel front-facing camera.

Get the full details in the video above or presser below. 


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Amazon adds ‘The Hunger Games’ and more EPIX content to Prime Instant Video in latest licensing deal

Amazon has consistently bulked its Prime Instant Video service with many Hollywood studio and cable network agreements since the Kindle Fire launched last year, and now it is announcing a new multi-year licensing deal with EPIX studio in the United States.

The agreement adds thousands of fresh and old titles, as well as original programming, from Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn Mayer Pictures, Liongates, and other EPIX partners. The beefed catalog more than doubles Prime Instant Video’s previous content offering, which provides instant, unlimited streaming to paid Prime members on the Android-powered Kindle Fire or other supported devices like the iPad.

A few of today’s content additions include “The Avengers”, “Iron Man 2”, “The Hunger Games”, “Transformers Dark of the Moon”, “True Grit”, and more. It is worth noting Amazon plans to hold a product launch event on Sept. 5 in Los Angeles; the glitzy location could suggest more content deals are coming down the pipeline.

The full press release is below.


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Verizon’s free LTE Samsung Galaxy Stellar with Android 4.0 set to hit Sept. 6

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Verizon Wireless and Samsung just announced they would exclusively offer the 4G LTE- enabled Samsung Galaxy Stellar starting Sept. 6.

The Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Stellar features a 4-inch WVGA display with an 800-by-480 pixel resolution, as well as a front-facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video chat, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera with auto focus, and a 1.2 dual-core GHz Snapdragon processor. It also comes with a microSD card slot with up to 32 GB support, Wi-Fi Connectivity, Google Play access, Google Mobile support, and a suite of popular Amazon apps.

The compact design further boasts a dual-interface that highlights either Starter Mode or Standard Mode. The first option gives customers a pared-down home screen display with preset widgets and a quick dialer icon, while the Standard Mode offers a more conventional layout with an included Help app so customers can learn the device more effectively.


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Report: Google seeks help selling Motorola Mobility’s set-top box division, bypasses chance to integrate Google TV?

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Google is looking to sell the set-top box division of its subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, and has allegedly enlisted the help of Barclays Plc.

According to Bloomberg, which cited “two people familiar with the situation,” Barclays will find buyers for the unit that could fetch up to $2 billion. The publication’s sources further noted sale talks are still in early stages.

Bloomberg continued:

Google, based in Mountain View, California, is shifting Motorola’s focus toward high-end smartphones as it competes with Apple Inc. (AAPL) This month Google announced it would cut 4,000 Motorola staff and close about a third of its 90 facilities as part of a plan to restore the hardware firm’s leadership in the mobile market. Google completed the $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility in May in its biggest takeover.

Light Reading Cable reported on Aug. 6 that Google was considering a sale of the Home Business unit. Motorola tried to sell the unit in 2009 for more than $4 billion, people close to the situation said at the time.


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Watch live streams of the 2012 London Paralympics on YouTube

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9VWge-Q_08&feature=player_profilepage]

YouTube just announced to the world that it is live streaming the 2012 London Summer Paralympics.

The news comes roughly 48 hours after the games actually began, however. Better late than never I guess. Over 500 hours of live content and 1,000 hours of on-demand and behind-the-scenes footage will run until the Paralympics end Sept. 9, according to the YouTube Global Blog:

Whether your favorite sport is powerlifting, sitting volleyball or wheelchair basketball, you can catch all the action on the International Paralympic Committee’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/paralympicsporttv. The channel will feature 500 hours of live competitions accompanied by a real-time commenting feature for viewers in the United States and Canada.  Additionally, others around the world have access to over 1000 hours of on-demand catch-up footage of current and previous games, interviews with Paralympic athletes and other behind-the-scenes footage.

The Paralympic Games is the second-largest international multi-sport event for physically disabled athletes. Folks can also watch original game content on YouTube by the United States Olympic Committee at youtube.com/teamusa.

YouTube also partnered with NBC earlier this summer to broadcast the 2012 London Summer Olympics online.


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ICS-powered Kyocera Rise lands on Virgin Mobile for $99 without contract

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Virgin Mobile USA now offers the Ice Cream Sandwich-powered Kyocera Rise for $99 without a contract.

The handset notably boasts Google Play access, and it features a touch slider with a QWERTY keyboard, 3.5-inch HVGA LCD touchscreen, 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Processor, 500 mAh Li-Ion Battery, 3.2-megapixel camera with LED flash and video capture, 2GB SD card and microSD card slot with up to 32GB support, and Wi-Fi and Stereo Bluetooth connectivity.

Check it out: Kyocera Rise

The Rise is compatible with Virgin’s prepaid unlimited data and messaging Beyond Talk plans starting at $35 per month, and it is available at select retailers, online, and in Virgin Mobile stores. It will also roll out across national retail outlets starting in late September.

Not a bad price for a prepaid Android device equipped with ICS, eh?

A gallery is below.


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PayPal for Android update brings new design and better navigation [Photos]

PayPal for Android now boasts a completely revamped user-interface. Version 4.0.0.2 hit Google Play today with a load of new features including a darker color scheme and an overhauled menu for managing and viewing accounts.

Additional new features in this version:

We’re proud to present you with the newly redesigned PayPal app. We’ve worked hard to improve the design and navigation, and provide the features that matter to you most: account management, sending money, and requesting money. Landscape support is coming soon!

The PayPal app is free at Google Play, requires Android 2.2 and up, and currently touts a 4-star rating.

Check out the new UI below:



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