Jordan Kahn

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Look what we have here, an early pre-release build of the Galaxy Nexus has apparently landed in the hands of AndroidForums.com member drandrew18 who is part of the “Samsung Mob!lers”, which he describes as “an official Samsung group of people who review, blog and share information on the latest Samsung mobile tech”. He also gives us a look at Ice Cream Sandwich running on the device and a demo of the Face Unlock feature in the videos after the break. This is probably your first up close look at the design, at it looks gorgeous, to say the least.

Last we heard the device was set to launch on various UK carriers come November 16th and 17th. However, we’ve received a tip this morning that companies are confirming Samsung UK has postponed the UK release until November 21st. Retailer Phones4U initially had the device listed for a November 16 ship date, but has now bumped it up to the 18th. We’ll have to wait a few more days to find out for sure. Until then, you can learn what you need to know about the Galaxy Nexus here.

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Qualcomm has just issued a press release announcing the commercial availability of their Gobi 4000 chips for 4G LTE and HSPA+ capable devices, variants of which could very well land in any number of  forthcoming dual and quad-core LTE Android devices. Qualcomm is already working with OEMs to include the Gobi 4000 platform, which comes in both LTE/HSPA+ and LTE/EV-DO designs, in devices including Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops, and Dell’s Latitude E6420 laptops, in addition to other Android and Windows powered mobile devices. Qualcomm explains:

Qualcomm’s latest Gobi-enabled 4G platform features the Gobi Application Programming Interface (API) with LTE extensions and is compatible with leading connectivity standards, including CDMA2000® 1xEV-DO Rev. A and B, HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE with integrated backwards compatibility to HSPA and EV-DO. The Gobi 4000 platform also includes software enhancements for select MDM™ chipsets that enable a common software interface to help connect, locate and manage 3G/4G devices regardless of wireless interface and operating system. 

The new chips, now shipping to OEMs through Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless, are based on Qualcomm’s MDM9600 and MDM 9200 3G/4G wireless modems, and as the company notes, have been specially designed for deployment in Android devices utilizing Snapdragon dual-core and quad-core processors. In addition to HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE support, the Gobi 4000 platform is also backwards compatible with HSPA and EV-DO. You can expect the chip to land in a number of LTE-capable Android devices in the months to come.

Qualcomm’s senior vice president of produdct management for CDMA Technologies, Cristiano Amon, had this to say about the announcement:

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Google announced in a post today on the AdWords blog that a new API for third-party apps will allow businesses to manage their branded Google+ pages through social media management services like HootSuite.

Initially the API will only be open to six partners including Buddy Media, Involver, Context Optional, Hearsay Social, Vitrue, and HootSuite. Starting with selects users, these services will allow businesses to manage their circles, make posts to their Google+ page, and monitor activity and analytics. On the Hootsuite website, for instance, features listed include the ability to manage circles, as well as “monitor, search, share, and post” right within the app’s interface.

The API will inevitably be opened up to more third-party apps after the initial experiment, and social media management companies can already click here to sign up. Below is an image showing Google+ integration in the updated HootSuite dashboard, which is probably the most in-depth solution, and it looks like just about every aspect of a Google+ page has been included.

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It has been just over a week since Google opened up branded pages for businesses on Google+, and according to a report from TPM, a page for Bank of America has already been vandalized with satirical messages mocking the company’s business practices. Here’s an example of one of the posts made to the page:

“We are committed to making as much money as possible from usury, coercion, bribery, insider trading, extortion, and debit card fees as possible.”

You can see the “We took your bailout money and your mortgage rates are going up” tagline in the screenshot of the page above, which was snapped before the page was not so promptly taken down a week after it was created. You will also notice the candid photos of former CEO Kenneth Lewis along the top. Other posts were of the same entertaining caliber:

“Starting tomorrow, all Occupy Wall Street protestors with Bank of America accounts around the country will have their assets seized as part of BofA’s new Counter-Financial-Terrorism policy…You will sit down and shut up, or we will foreclose on you.”

It should be noted the page wasn’t exactly hijacked, rather created, as one currently only has to link a page to an official website and provide an address and phone number. While Google hasn’t officially commented on the Bank of America page, they did have this to say to TPM regarding the situtation:

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Google’s pedicab trike is once again out and about capturing 360-degree Street View shots of its surroundings, this time NY Times found a team of Google cyclists capturing 58 miles of pathways in New York’s Central Park. Earlier this month Google started adding local parks to the Street View feature in Google Maps, some of which include High Line Park in New York City, Kensington Gardens in London, and the Knuthenborg Safari Park in Denmark.

So far Google has traveled to 20+ countries across the globe to capture panoramic views of areas inaccessible by their Street View cars, so expect many more parks, paths, and other outdoor spaces coming to Maps in the near future. They even recently attached the trike to the front of a train to capture 122km of the Albula-Bernina railway line in the Swizz Alps.

No word on when exactly you’ll see Central Park added to Maps, but it typically takes a few months from the time the trike is deployed. You can check out some of the parks already available in Google Maps here.

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There is good reason Google collects our geographic location data through wireless access points, specifically to deliver location services to devices such as our smartphones faster than technologies like GPS. However, in September Google made it clear that they will “go further in protecting people’s privacy” related to collecting user location data to facilitate location services. Today, they are putting their first new initiative in place to address concerns by allowing a new method to opt out of having your location data stored in the Google Location Server.

Google explains:

“We’re introducing a method that lets you opt out of having your wireless access point included in the Google Location Server. To opt out, visit your access point’s settings and change the wireless network name (or SSID) so that it ends with “_nomap.” For example, if your SSID is“Network,” you‘d need to change it to “Network_nomap.” 

A couple things to note:

1. The opt-out will become active the next time your device sends information to the Google Location Server with the _nomap tag, which will remove the access point from the server. The quickest way to do this- “open Google Maps on an Android Device with WiFi enabled, and use the My Location feature”

2. Google is hoping all location service providers, who will start notice the SSID opt-out method, will adopt the “_nomap” tag as a industry standard and “unified opt-out process”.

Google has also posted a support guide walking you through location-based services and the new opt-out feature. You can find detailed instructions under “How do I opt out?”, which essentially just walks you through changing your access point’s SSID.

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Netflix has just begun rolling out a refreshed UI to their Android tablet app today. The changes might make for a stark contrast compared to the outdated smartphone UI that poorly translated to the larger screen, but the new interface is actually much more like the Netflix you’re used to on other larger screens, such as your PC or TV. The majority of the UI has been replaced with the familiar rows of large cover-art tiles, allowing twice the amount of movies to fit on one screen. The rest of the layout appears to be the same, however, with “Continue Watching” up top, followed by “Top Picks”, and your “Instant Queue”, etc. This update essentially just brings the UI up to date with the rest of the Netflix apps deployed on other devices.

“In the last 12 months we have seen a threefold increase in how long Netflix members are watching on their tablets,” said Neil Hunt, chief product officer at Netflix. “We’re happy to debut a new user experience coinciding with the release of the next generation of devices from industry leaders. The new Netflix interface offers a significant improvement in browsing and searching for TV shows and movies to instantly watch.” 

The update will me rolling out today to all Android tablet users through the Android Market. That includes Amazon’s recently launched Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet (a revamped iPad UI is coming within weeks as well).

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AT&T just sent out a press release confirming a version of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 8.9 will be landing on their 4G LTE network beginning November 20th for $479.99.  To accompany the launch, AT&T will also run a promotion allowing you to grab a Galaxy S II or Galaxy S II Skyrocket free of charge (on a two-year contract, of course).

If you’re unfamiliar with the Tab 8.9, expect Android 3.2 onboard, 1280×800 display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 3.2-megapixel main cam (2MP front cam), 1GB RAM, 16GB memory (expandable to 32GB), and in the AT&T variant, both 4G LTE and HSPA+ capabilities.

November 20th will also see their LTE network roll out to six new markets including Kanas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, bringing the total to 15 markets. Full press release and info on AT&T’s LTE network coverage after the break.

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Photos by Veronica Oggy

When the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 was introduced, it was hardly proof the iPad had much to worry about from the 7-inch Android market. Not because of the its 7-inch display, however, which actually turned out to be a much nicer experience than cheerleaders of Apple’s view would have you believe. If the new Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus accomplishes one task successfully, it’s proving once again a 7-inch slate is an undeniably ideal size for the majority of everyday, on-the-go tasks, and with Honeycomb 3.2 and beefed up insides, Samsung’s new 7-inch experience could be your next tablet.

Right out the gate it’s clear this is the best Android tablet I’ve used– While pretty much the same experience on the slightly scaled up Galaxy Tab 10.1 feels inferior to the iPad, the 7.0 Plus seems to stand on its own. It’s also never been more clear how much Apple needs a product in the 7-inch category, and that’s saying a lot for the short amount of time I’ve spent with the device.

Design:

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Ever wonder what patents Microsoft has been using to sign up Android vendors such as Samsung, HTC, Huawei, Acer, and over 10 others in cross-licensing agreements? Just last week Barnes & Noble asked US regulators to probe Microsoft’s anti-Android strategy, which sees the company collecting millions in profits from royalties paid by just about anyone shipping Android on their devices.

In their initial letter to the Department of Justice, Barnes & Noble claims Microsoft’s patents “cover only arbitrary, outmoded and non-essential design features,” and today we get a look into exactly what they’re talking about thanks to a detailed report from Groklaw of the exhibits attached to B&N’s letter.

Below B&N walks us through some of the patents Microsoft claims the Nook infringes on and also describes their stance for each. These could very well be some of the same patents the company is using to collect royalties from other Android vendors, patents B&N describe as only covering “trivial and non-essential design elements in Android”.

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This morning we told you about HTC’s plans to bring a quad-core tablet to market thanks to Nvidia’s new Tegra 3 chip. That was after we introduced you to the new Transformer Prime from Asus, which will most likely be the first Tegra 3-powered tab you can get your hands on starting in December. Now, not to be left out of the Tegra 3 tablet party, Lenovo is gearing up to launch their own quad-core tab.

According to Engadget, the company is prepping a new 10.1-inch, Android 4.0 tablet powered by Nvidia’s new chip for December. As for specs, you can expect 2GB of DDR3 RAM, USB host socket, main backside camera, and a “Special Fusion-Skin Body”. The report also mentions a fingerprint scanner on the backside of the device that can also be used as a joystick for gaming. We’ll obviously have to wait for more info before we know if this will be a true competitor to the many quad-core tabs we’re bound to see in 2012. Until then, check out a few more images below.

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Google sent out invites on Friday for their upcoming “These Go To Eleven” music related event slated for November 16th. Ahead of the announcement, which we obviously assume will be Google Music related, the guys over at TechnoDroidVe (via Android Police) have posted images of what appears to be an early build of the Google Music store running within the Android Market.

According to the report, they were able to play previews of songs, although music isn’t available to purchase as of yet. It appears the app is still being updated, as yesterday a “Free Song of the Day” feature was added, and today some final finishing touches to the UI. We’ll be keeping you posted from the live event on Wednesday. More screenshots after the break.

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Google is sending out invites for an upcoming music related event on November 16th. While the company hasn’t officially confirmed a Google Music related announcement, it’s pretty obvious given the event’s “These Go to Eleven” name (a phrase from mockumentary This is Spinal Tap) and the sender listed as the fictional band’s guitarist Nigel Tufnel. Most expect the Google Music beta to include 99-cent songs with one-time full song previews and some type of Google+ integration following rumors in October.

As with most Google events, you’ll be able to catch a livestream at YouTube.com/Android. Check back at 2pm PST on November 16th to find out what’s unveiled.

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It’s Droid Razr launch day today and in addition to a price tag of $111.11 ($11?) for today only on Amazon, Motorola also gave us a look into the engineering behind the device’s 0.28 inch “impossibly thin” design, and now Verizon is hitting the streets to hand out free Droid Razrs to probably the last remaining original Razr owners. You can check out our full review of the Motorla Droid Razr here.

Yesterday Verizon launched their ‘Payload’ commercial for the Razr where they continued with their typically masculine ad style in an ad appearing more like a Hollywood action movie trailer than the usual iPhone commercial clone.

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To commemorate Veterans Day ,Google today launched Google for Veterans and Families, an online resource center that allows vets to take advantage of Google services customized for their needs.

The site is made up of four main tools- VetConnect allows vets to connect with others on Google+, Google Veterans Channel is a YouTube channel for videos and discussions related to military service, Resume Builder powered by Google Docs provides auto-formatted resumes, and Tour Builder powered by Google Earth (coming soon) to display “3D maps of veterans’ service histories, complete with photos and videos”.

Google also this week opened up the Veterans Job Bank, a customized job search powered by Google Custom Search to find job openings for veterans from JobPosting markup through Schema.org.

Google has never been shy about supporting veterans. We recently reported the company went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to hand out 600 Chromebooks and teach vets how to use Google tools. They also recently helped vets with resume writing workshops at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center at West Point.

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When Samsung VP Nick DiCarlo showed off the facial recognition technology baked into Ice Cream Sandwich on Fox the other day, he presented face unlock as if it is a flagship feature of the Galaxy Nexus. He said “it’s just cool to use your face to unlock things”, but is it secure?

The guys over at Phandroid posted the video above showing a Galaxy Nexus being unlocked using an image of a person’s face on another device, proving the tech might be cool, but definitely not a passcode replacement and far from a security feature.

It’s not much of a surprise that facial recognition technology in ICS isn’t secure, but either is “slide to unlock”, and face unlock is still probably the most efficient way to unlock your device when not using a passcode. That is, if it works. As you might expect, early hands-on reviews prove the facial recognition is buggy, to say the least. It will probably prove too frustrating to use on a daily basis as your main unlock method.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkCl9TxwIuA&feature=player_embedded]

Nick DiCarlo, Samsung’s VP of Product Planning, was promoting the recently unveiled Galaxy Nexus on Fox yesterday and, on top of  showing off a few features of ICS, confirmed we’ll have to wait for Verizon to reveal the specifics. While we already knew it would be landing on Verizon sometime soon, Nick confirms it will be coming “just a little bit later this year”, but says we’ll have to wait for Verizon’s official announcement for pricing ($299?) and a solid release date. You can learn everything you need to know about the Galaxy Nexus here.

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Google’s Think Insight research portal for marketers, which provides trends, infograhpics, videos, and quick stats based on hundreds of Google studies, is officially out of beta and ready for public consumption.

The site includes an extensive research library, facts & stats, and a selection of planning tools- Real-Time Insights Finder (pictured below) allows you to find what people are searching for, clicking, and watching online in real-time, there’s insights into mobile usage with Our Mobile Planet Tool, as well as tools for search and benchmark tools for getting insights on ad campaigns and industry trends.

What type of info will you find on Think Insights? Google shares a few examples:

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Yesterday Amazon detailed a selection of apps to be available at launch and mentioned “several thousand more apps” will hit the Amazon App Store in preparation of next week’s Kindle Fire launch. Today they are putting in the groundwork by pushing out an update to the Amazon Appstore for Android app brining it up to version 2.0 and adding a few new features and an overhauled UI.

You’ll notice several UI improvements that bring it in line with the version of the store we’ve got a peek at on the Kindle Fire. Expect shades of grey to replace any hint of white from the previous version, and larger fonts throughout.

New features include in-app purchases and subscriptions, parental controls, and the ability to view any given app’s permissions before installing. Amazon is also promising faster installs and and load times, as well as the usual bug fixes. If you haven’t already, click here to install the Amazon App Store.

DigiTimes is reporting (via All Things D) that Amazon has once again just increased Kindle Fire orders, this time by a million units, to an expected five million units by the end of 2011. This follows the company upping initial orders of 3.5 million to four million units during Q3, as they prep for anticipated demand during the upcoming holidays.

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When we told you about the 1-inch x 1-inch Android-powered WIMM Module back in October, the company had plans on launching the device to developers within weeks. Now officially known as the WIMM One Module, WIMM Labs informed developers today the Developer Preview Kit is now available for $299. While it’s mostly pictured in wristwatch form, the company urges developers to come up with micro apps for unique implementations of the device.

“Throughout the day, Micro Apps help keep people focused on the task at hand. From a pedometer that encourages a healthier lifestyle to cross-training sports companions that push athletes past their performance goals. From coffee payments on the wrist to call alerts that keep eyes on the road. We’re also working with Micro Apps for presentation control, home security settings, instant messaging and pill reminders. Our vision extends far beyond a single purpose device.”

The Developer Preview Kit will include one WIMM One Module, a black wrist strap, and a charging kit (paddle charger, USB cable and power adapter). The device itself will offer a number of preloaded micro apps including weather, calendar, clock, alarm, and stopwatch. In addition to the preview kit, WIMM Labs’ commitment to devs includes access to an SDK, emulators, as well as new forums allowing registered developers to upload and share their ideas and apps. Head over to WIMM’s developer portal to learn more. Below is a video of an early Facebook micro app from a third-party developer running on the WIMM One.

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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata declared Apple and iOS as the “enemy of the future” back in 2010. Not only was he right, according to new estimates for the U.S. portable game software by revenue from Flurry Analytics, 2011 seen Nintendo’s grip on the market slide even further as iOS and Android games triple their marketshare from 20% in 2009 to 60% during 2011.

The graphic above shows U.S. revenue for Flurry’s portable gaming category- a category that now includes Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, iOS, and Android. As you can see, iOS and Android have together taken the lead from Nintendo with 58% of revenues in comparison to last year’s 34%. In comparison, Nintendo DS held 57% during 2010, while dropping to just 36% in 2011. Total US revenue jumped from $2.7 billion in 2009 to $3.3 billion in 2011.

When comparing combined game revenues of the two veterans– Sony and Nintendo– with the combined revenues of the two new guys– Apple and Google– 2011 will be the first year where the emerging platforms dominate with iOS and Android estimated to take in $1.9 billion in comparison to the DS and PSP’s $1.4 billion. That accounts for a $200 million drop for Sony and Nintendo and $1.1 billion increase for iOS and Android from 2010. Perhaps investors were right to urge Nintendo to begin developing iOS titles.

As for Nintendo, the company who captured approximately two-thirds of the market in 2009 has seen their “enemy of the future” demote them to just a third of the market. Sony clearly has some catching up to do, but is hard at work on highly anticipated new handheld devices for 2012.

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