N2A Cards allows your Nook Tablet to dual-boot Jelly Bean

Looking for an easy way to dual boot Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on your Nook Tablet? N2A Cards has a new SD card solution that will allow you to do just that.
To get started you need to buy a pre-loaded special microSD card or you download the file for $20 and put it on an existing Class 4 microSD card. For those that want to go down the pre-packaged route, there will be several card sizes to choose from ranging from 8GB up to 64GB. The pricing will start at $30 for the 16GB microSD and will go up to $90 for the 64GB card. The pre-loaded Jelly Bean cards will start shipping on November 1st, or you can download the file immediately.
This is probably one of the easiest ways to boot Jelly Bean for those that haven’t done hacks or mods like this before, but only if you are willing to pay for something like this. For those that are wondering, the N2A Cards are based on Cyanogenmod, which typically is free and widely supported by an active online community. If you have a bit more technical know-how you could always head over to the XDA developers forum and learn how to prepare a dual boot for your tablet without paying for something that you can get at no additional cost with a bit of little work. The choice is yours.

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LG Nexus 4 will support HSPA+ 42, Google and T-Mobile both confirm

Yesterday Google posted the official specs for the LG Nexus 4 on its Google Play Store and in doing so created more than a little confusion. The problem was that Google’s specs claimed the Nexus 4 would only work with HPSA+ 21. This was in stark contrast to T-Mobile’s press release, which suggested the Nexus 4 did in fact have HSPA+ 42 support. Essentially this meant that either LG had more than one version of the Nexus device or someone had made a mistake. The good news is that Google was at error here, not T-Mobile.
Google has since confirmed that the they had posted incorrect specs and that the LG Nexus 4 did in fact offer 42Mbps support through HSPA+. This is great news for T-Mobile users planning on purchasing the LG Nexus 4. The only news that could be better is if Google and LG announced that the Nexus 4′s lack of LTE was just a typo, too. We can dream at least.
Are you excited for the upcoming LG Nexus 4? If so, are you buying it off-contract from Google or will you get it at a subsidized price?

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Galaxy Note 2 stars in LeBron promo, or is it vice versa?

The Galaxy Note 2 is slowly making its way to North American buyers, so what better way to promote the gigantic phone than by associating it with the gigantic basketball player that’s LeBron James?
That’s apparently exactly what Samsung Mobile USA thought too, and the company has prepared a Galaxy Note 2 clip starring LeBron to be released on YouTube just in time for today basketball event – in case you don’t know, the NBA season starts today, with LeBron to receive his first ever championship ring.
The Galaxy Note 2 commercial, entitled “LeBron’s Day with the Samsung Galaxy Note II” is almost two minutes long and shows LeBron in a variety of instances in which the Galaxy Note 2 can be used. And according to the script it happens apparently all today.
While we won’t spoil it for you, we will tell you that those special edition Nike sneakers he’s wearing today to celebrate that first ring are also part of the story.

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Android 4.2 download available to all, but only contains new Gesture Typing keyboard

We still have no idea when Android 4.2 Jelly Bean will be rolled out to existing Nexus devices, but at least we can tell you that an early version of the new keyboard app found inside Google’s latest Android update is now available to download for devices running Ice Cream Sandwich or higher.
As you may already know, the new keyboard app comes with a new interesting feature called Gesture Typing, which is what Google calls its own Swype-like keyboard. In case you want to experience without having to wait for the actual Android 4.2 roll out to come out, you can do so right away.
The only caveat is that you’ll need a device that doesn’t run stock Android ICS or higher to enable it. Otherwise you’ll have to root your handset before enjoying Gesture Typing.
As always, remember that we’re not encouraging you to install any unofficial software on your devices and you’re the only person responsible for whatever happens with your device during such procedures. But we’ll also remind you to back up sensitive data before doing anything that you’re not entirely comfortable doing.
Have you tried the Android 4.2 keyboard app yet?

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Google previews new Gmail compose interface, focusing on productivity

Even with doomsdayers saying email is dead, the fact is that email is still an essential means of communication. Even with the popularity of IM, SMS and social networking, users still turn to email when signing up for online services.
But email has its inherent disadvantages, and services like Gmail have tried to innovate. For one, Gmail’s threaded view came with a learning curve when it was first introduced by Google. But conversation views made it easier to put emails into context. Google is gradually introducing changes to Gmail aimed at making it easier to communicate.

The latest change involves a new “compose” interface. Gmail developers are turning the compose interface into a popup window, very much similar to chat.

This makes it easy to reference any other emails without ever having to close your draft. You can even do a search or keep an eye on new mail as it comes in. And because the compose window works the same way as chats, you can write multiple messages at once and minimize a message to finish it later.

The new update is still in the works, though, and Gmail developers will be releasing these once ready. But the devs have already given us a sneak peek. Gmail seems to have taken a page out of the IM playbook. Here are a few highlights:

• Popup window. Gmail compose will now be a popup window, which makes it easy to switch back and forth through other email conversations. The window automatically resizes depending on the length and size of the message.
• Recipient avatars. You now see recipient avatars when adding contacts to the To, CC and BCC fields. The names also work similar to how you add names when sharing items on Google Plus.
• Movable recipients. Recipients can now be moved across the To, CC and BCC fields.
• Replying. The reply interface is also being revamped, which will automagically adjust to fit your content.

This update is rolling out in the next few months, as Google finishes up with polishing the new interface. This is for the web interface, though, but Google is probably working on improving its smartphone and tablet interfaces, too.

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Google’s updated search app for iOS poses serious challenge to Siri

When the iPhone 4S was launched last year, one of the most well-marketed features was Siri. The speech-powered interface brought about a change in how users interacted with devices. Sure, voice-control was not entirely new. But Apple wanted to marry interface with content and control. Siri accepted natural speech instead of memorized commands, and users could directly command their iPhones to do their biding.
Android users may actually have a better speech-powered interface than Siri, although with Google being the central platform, the focus here is on search rather than spoken commands. Google Now on Android Jelly Bean uses the company’s Knowledge Graph to put better context to a user’s information, connections and actions through the various Google online services.
With Google’s latest update to its iOS Search application, it might pose a more serious challenge to Siri on its iOS home turf. An iOS Search app review by The Verge reveals that Google’s latest Search app may not be Google Now, but is “still a big step forward.”
Some highlights:

• Fast and accurate voice recognition. The review resulted in a fast and fairly accurate recognition of spoken commands both through a WiFi and cellular network. Search doesn’t try to answer questions in natural speech like Siri, but it offers relevant search results within context faster than Siri.
• Google Now style functionality.  Search does not offer phone-level control, which means you cannot ask it to set appointments for you or accept SMS dictations. But it offers search results in an interface similar to Google Now, particularly the card-style items. The app can read back certain items, such as weather updates, sports scores, flight info, stock prices, and translations.
• Google app integration. The new Search app is well-integrated with Google apps and services like YouTube and Maps. Asking for directions will open Google Maps — within mobile Safari — complete with the route you asked for. You can directly speak to Search when looking for YouTube videos.
• Support for iPad and iPhone 5. The search app supports different displays and formats, particularly the latest iPhone and on the iPad.

What makes Google’s latest Search app attractive is its great combination of interface and content. It’s a polished app that combines speed, good voice recognition, and Google’s vast stores of information, the review says.

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ADzero bamboo smartphone inching closer to release, will pack quad-core CPU and stock ICS

We’ve seen a lot of unusual concepts and prototypes over the years, but nothing looked as crazy as the ADzero smartphone shown off back in February. Crazy original we mean, because there was nothing to put us off at an organic, ultra-light and super-elegant phone made entirely out of bamboo.
Still, we couldn’t help but feel that this might have been a bit ahead of times, so we weren’t exactly shocked when time passed by and we heard nothing about any project developments. Believe it or not though, AD Creative not only went ahead with the idea, but equipped the device with one heck of a spec sheet, being now ready to kick off production.
The current product looks a tad different from the initial concept, but the main design lines have been kept, so the ADzero is still a very handsome little guy. The 4.5-incher measures 11.8 mm in thickness, but for some reason the manufacturers are reluctant to announce the final weight, so we don’t know if they’ll be able to keep their promise of making this half as heavy as an iPhone.

As for performance and speed, the handheld will definitely exceed expectations, sporting a 1280 x 720 pix res TFT LCD display and being powered by a 1.4 GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos processor coupled with 1 GB of RAM.
There’s no Jelly Bean on the ADzero for now, but the phone looks like a winner in the software department too, coming with stock Android 4.0 ICS and an optional ADAOS (Open Bootloader) OS. Other known features include an 8 MP rear-facing shooter, an 0.3 MP front-facing cam, a 2,050 mAh battery, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and UMTS/HSPA+ connectivity.
Such a winning combination of innovative design and speed couldn’t have come very cheap, but at $700 outright we can’t say the ADzero will be very expensive either. Not to mention that the project is due to hit Kickstarter soon, and early supporters will be given the chance to get the organic phone with a cool 200 bucks off.
Who’s ready to pledge some dough to help make this reality?

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Netflix app now available for UK-based Kindle Fire users

Netflix has been available for those in the UK for some time now. In fact, an Android app launched way back in January of this year. But while a regular Netflix for Android app has been available by way of Google Play, that hasn’t yet been of benefit for those sporting a Kindle Fire. Of course, we cannot fault Netflix all that bad considering the Kindle Fire has only been available for a few days now.
That being said, the Netflix app for the Kindle Fire can be downloaded from the Amazon Appstore. The app is free to download, however you will need a subscription to actually be able to use it. Well, technically speaking, you can get a free trial before you begin to pay.
Simply put, those in the UK with a Kindle Fire can now begin enjoying streaming while on the go. And that means you will be able to watch everything that is available with Netflix UK. With that, those in the UK with a Kindle Fire in-hand, launch the Appstore on your device, search for and download Netflix and you will be streaming in just a minute or two.

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Asustek sees 43 percent year-over-year net profit growth, thanks Android

We suspect many, if not all of the readers are well aware of the popularity of the Nexus 7. Not to mention the Transformer tablet lineup from Asus. But what many come as a bit of a surprise — Asustek has seen a rather significant increase in year-over-year net profit growth. A growth that the company is saying is in part due to strong tablet sales.
In fact, Asus noted that tablet shipments have almost tripled, going from 800,000 up to nearly 2.3 million. As a result, the company has recorded a 43 percent increase in net profits. Or in terms of dollars, $230 million as compared to $160 million from this time last year. The increase is based on the results from Q3 2011 and this quarter, Q3 2012. This is the largest quarterly profit increase from the company in more than four years.
Of course, while Android fans would probably like to think that the increase was based solely on Android tablet sales, the company also had an increase in notebook PC shipments to thank. Those notebook PC shipments — during the third quarter they were up 14 percent from the second quarter, up to five million units
Getting into some of the other numbers, Asus also recorded NT$1.18 billion in one-time foreign-exchange translation gains in the third quarter. That is compared with NT$75 million in losses from this time last year. Finally, revenue was up 9 percent, going from NT$102.04 billion up to NT$111.44 billion.

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NFC sharing is possible between Android and Windows Phone 8

Did you know that you can use NFC to send things like contacts and web page URLs between an Android device and a Windows Phone 8 device? Well you can! In tests between a HTC Windows Phone 8X and a Samsung Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean it has been shown that URLs and contacts can be sent between the devices, in both directions. However, using NFC on Android is a little simpler and requires less taps than on Windows Phone 8.
Near field communication (NFC), which needs a distance of at least 4cm to initiate a connection, has been supported in Android for a while, but it is a new feature on Windows Phone 8. The new mobile OS from Microsoft has a feature called “Tap + Send” which is generally available under the “More …” -> Share menu.
There is a limit however on what can be sent between platforms. Using two devices with the same OS it is possible to share photos and videos between phones. But across the Windows – Android divide you get an error saying that large file transfers aren’t supported.
Although this is all very good news for consumers and opens up some interesting possibilities for NFC use across all smartphone devices (when Apple finally decides to support it), it is sad that the standards aren’t sufficiently well defined that the transfer of photos or other types of files isn’t supported.
Check out the video below and then please leave a comment letting me know what you think!

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Android remains top dog in US and Europe, market share down however in the States

If there’s one thing we love more than yanking Apple’s chain with humorous videos and snarky comments, that’s definitely hearing reports about how far ahead of iOS is Android globally.
One of our regular “suppliers” of such material is Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, a UK-based analytics company that has just come out with the Q3 2012 report for the mobile markets in the US, Great Britain and Europe as a whole.
Unsurprisingly, Android still clearly dominates all three markets, which is definitely reason for celebration, but the report is not all good and we have a couple of things to worry about, too.
First, the good news. Our favorite mobile OS has more than half of the total market share in the US, UK and the entire Europe, while iOS is the very distant second in all three rankings. The biggest gap is on The Old Continent, where Android crushes Apple’s mobile platform 67.1 to 16.5%.
That’s also where Android grew the most over 2012’s third fiscal quarter, from a market share of “just” 50.9% in Q3 2011. There’s good news on the UK front too, where Android had a smaller, but still very healthy boost of 4.8%, from 53.4 to 58.2.

Brits boosted iOS from 18.1% to 28%, which is still way behind Android’s market share, but a (small) reason of concern nevertheless. As for the States, the good news/bad news scenario repeats itself, though there is clearly a lot more of worrying to do here.
Android leads with 57.5% stateside, which is pretty good compared with iOS’s 35.7% share, but if we look at the year-on-year trend, things are not very promising. Apple’s platform enjoyed a very cool 14.2% increase year-on-year, while Google’s OS is down from 66.4%.
The causes of this rather unexpected fall? Well, believe it or not, Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar, thinks that the iPhone 5 is to blame. Although the company’s report included just one week of iPhone 5 sales, this is thought to have been enough to put iOS on that very encouraging upwards trend and Android on a downwards spiral.
“We can see that in markets with a large number of existing Apple customers, sales have already seen a significant boost. We expect this momentum to be fully realized in the next set of results. “ says Sunnebo, anticipating a far bleaker final quarter of 2012 for Android. Exactly how bleak we don’t yet know, but one thing is certain – Android will remain the leader no matter what, even if by a much smaller margin than before.

As for iOS and Android competitors, these have scored microscopic results all-around. RIM is number three in Europe and UK, with 5.9 and 8.8% shares, and number four in the US, with just 2.1%, while Windows is fourth in the former two ranks – 4.9 and 4.2% – and third in the latter, with 2.9%.
While the Blackberry makers are still on the fall everywhere, Windows is facing a progress, albeit a small one, increasing its share with 1.8, 4.2 and 0.2% in Europe, UK and the States. Not bad, but they’re still not serious competition.
Getting back to the Android vs Apple duel, we would love to hear your opinions on these fresh new numbers. Is Kantar’s report a reason of concern or celebration? How close could iOS get in Q4 2012 with the help of the iPhone 5?

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LG Spectrum 2 officially announced for Verizon Wireless, available online from October 30

Verizon Wireless has officially announced their latest Android smartphone. Sadly it is another that happens to be running Ice Cream Sandwich, however that bit aside, the specs and pricing seem fair otherwise. Anyway, without any further adieu, the handset is the LG Spectrum 2 and it is available as of today.
Well, technically speaking, the handset is available online today. The in-store retail availability will follow sometime “in the coming weeks.” Verizon has the Spectrum 2 priced at $99.99, which comes after a $50 mail-in rebate and along with a two-year agreement.
With the pricing and release date out of the way, lets get into the specs. The LG Spectrum 2 features include a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720) True HD Advanced AH IPS display, Corning Gorilla Glass, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait processor and 16GB of internal storage. Other goodies include the following;

• 4G LTE connectivity
• microSD card slot
• 1GB of RAM
• 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera
• 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 2150 mAh battery
• Wireless charging courtesy of the included battery cover

Finally, the Spectrum 2 also has NFC and will ship with a few reprogrammable LG Tag+ stickers so you can adjust your settings with a single tap between the device and the sticker.

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Nexus 4 to have bumper accessories available, not for the same reasons as the iPhone 4

The Nexus 4 and iPhone 4 seem to share some similarities. Both were lost in bars in California by testers working for Google and Apple, respectively, and both share the same interest in glass. Yes, the front and back of the LG Nexus 4 are made of glass also, and it looks like the device will get bumper accessories when it launches, but not for the same reasons.
The iPhone 4 was plagued at launch by an unexpected problem, the Death Grip, also known as Antennagate, which prompted Apple to offer free bumpers to users that observed cellular signal attenuation when holding the handset “the wrong way.”
The bumpers were supposed to serve as protection for the device, without hiding the front and back glass panels, but they ended up protecting the antenna of the iPhone 4 from human touch as well.
The LG Nexus 4 doesn’t come with an Antennagate problem out-of-the-box but buyers will apparently have access to a similar accessory to protect the glass design.
Moreover, the handset has an edge-to-edge screen, so a bumper may be indeed needed to protect it. Google’s Dan Morrill revealed on Google+ that such accessories will be indeed in stock:

We’ve actually got some bumpers (ring-like cases that wrap the side but not the back) coming as accessories for Nexus 4, if that’s how you roll.
On the back, there is indeed a small raised ridge, which should prevent scratches if not breaks.

He answered thus to comments to a recent posting in which he explained that his favorite Nexus 4 feature is that edge-to-edge glass finish, applauding LG’s design in the process.
So, will you buy Nexus 4 bumpers to go with the device?

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Android 4.2 multi-user feature will not support phones, an existing Nokia patent might be why

While there are several new features coming to the recently announced Android 4.2, the most exciting addition is the support of multi-user accounts. Unfortunately, Google has made it clear that the new account option will only be supported by tablets. Wondering why? While Google hasn’t officially given us a reason, it could have to do with an existing Nokia patent for “multi-user mobile telephones”.
The Nokia patent was granted in 2005 and highlights a system where users are able to utilize different settings and account information on one shared mobile phone. Here is the exacting wording from the older Nokia patent:

A mobile telephone is designed to be used by several different end-users at different times. A first end-user can alter the mobile telephone so that it operates in a manner specific to that first end-user and a subsequent end-user can alter the mobile telephone so that it operates in a manner specific to that subsequent end-user; wherein each end-user has only to respond to prompts displayed on a screen in order to alter the mobile telephone so that it operates in a manner specific to that end-user.

The word “mobile telephone” is mentioned four times in the Nokia patent, but obviously it says nothing about tablets. The wording of the Nokia patent could very well be why Google left the feature off of smartphones. If Android-based phones would have supported multiple users it could have opened up the door to a lawsuit, or even required Google and its partners to pay licensing fees to Nokia. Keep in mind this is just speculation at this point.
Is the lack of multi-user support on smartphones really a big deal? For most consumers, probably not. Most of us think of our phones as something very private. Still, it could have a potential purpose in situations such as enterprise use and other areas where this level of account-based control might be useful. What do you think, should Google have included the feature on smartphones running Android 4.2 or not?

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Matias Duarte explains Tablet UI in Jelly Bean and why Nexus devices have no SD card

At some point, we all wonder how Google makes the decisions they do. Especially regarding Android. While most of their efforts are widely liked by nearly everyone, there are some things we wish they’d explain in greater detail. Things like how they came up with the Tablet UI. Okay, what we really want to know is why no SD card love in the Nexus devices. Matias Duarte sat down to help explain things.
His explanation about Tablet UI is truly fascinating. Duarte explains that the Tablet UI in Jelly Bean was the result of market research done to see how people use devices. It was concluded that pretty much everyone uses their phone in portrait mode most of the time.
With tablets, though, it was found that people hold tablets in all sorts of ways. Upside down, right side up, and any other orientation. So the tablet UI design in Jelly Bean was done to help accommodate people who hold their tablets any which way.
Duarte goes on to explain that with the tablet UI, the three navigation buttons we’ve all come to know are always where you need them. It doesn’t matter which way you hold it. That helps bring uniformity to the platform and users don’t need to learn how to use their tablet a new way just because they’re holding it differently.

Cool stuff, so why no MicroSD cards in Nexus devices?

Not a lot of people are going to be happy with that answer. As Duarte explains, “We take a different approach. Your Nexus has a fixed amount of space and your apps just seamlessly use it for you without you ever having to worry about files or volumes or any of that techy nonsense left over from the paleolithic era of computing.”
Thus, Nexus devices don’t have MicroSD card slots. They are simply too old of a technology and apparently they confuse people. Many people probably wouldn’t mind this if there were better storage options.
While the Galaxy Nexus had 32GB of storage, the LG Nexus 4 has been reported as only having 8GB and 16GB offerings. It’s disappointing that Google believes everyone would be happy with only 8GB or 16GB of space with no room for expansion. Many people use much more than 16GB of space.
If you’d like to read a transcript of the answers Matias Duarte gave, you can find them over at Droid-Life. Is anyone satisfied with Matias Duarte’s answers? Or are they rather disappointing? Let us know your thoughts.

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Samsung’s brand new Galaxy Note 2 phablet is still somewhat hard to procure in its subsidized flavor in the US and Canada, but if you want to break free from carrier restrictions, here’s a deal that will make you burst with excitement.
The factory unlocked GNote 2 goes for just $579.99 from DailySteals, down from a “list price” of $999.99 and a real price of around $670-700 on other retailers. The catch? Well, there doesn’t seem to be one, as far as we can tell, unless you count the limited time you have to take advantage of the deal.
As its name clearly points out, DailySteals is a website that offers special offers valid for 24 hours only, and this particular promotion is no exception, being ready to run out in around 12 hours… and counting. Both the white and gray versions of the Galaxy Note 2 model number GT-N7100 are being sold for 580 bucks, and no matter which version you’ll choose you will get a one year international warranty.

While this international Note 2 should work fine on any and every network around the world, including on US carriers, do keep in mind that the phablet comes with EDGE/GPRS support on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz frequencies and HSPA+ speeds, but not 4G LTE.
Other than that, you shouldn’t sacrifice much, because all the other expected treats are there, including Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a super-snappy 1.6 GHz quad-core CPU, a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 720 pix res, 2 gigs of RAM, 16 GB of on-board storage, microSD support, a 3,100 mAh battery, NFC and so on and so forth.
There’s also S Pen support for those of you more creative than the average, and we’ve all seen what that can mean in a skilled hand. Any takers?

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Google Search, Maps, and Now will be providing preparedness info about Hurricane Sandy for the duration

Hurricane Sandy made landfall last night in the Northeastern United States and the damage has been dreadful. Currently, there are millions without power, millions upon millions of dollars in damages, and the worst part, the death toll is at 33 in the United States alone. Unfortunately, the storm is far from over.
Google is trying to help those still in the path of the storm. Yesterday, they released a brand new feature called the Crisis Response Map. It shows Hurricane Sandy and the path it’s cutting into the United States. It helps give people a visual representation of the storm and where it’s going much like a weather map.
That isn’t all that Google is currently doing. They have added public alerts on many of their services to help warn more people. As of now, Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Now are all sending out alerts for Hurricane Sandy. In addition, you can use the alerts posted to see things like power outage maps. They have also added blips on Maps to show evacuation centers.

Isn’t Hurricane Sandy over?

Not by a long shot. While the coastal cities will be seeing some relief from Hurricane Sandy, it still rages on inland. Winds on the coast are still hurricane force in some areas. In addition, there is a huge blizzard in the Appalachian Mountains region. According to weather authorities, the storm will affect people as far West as Chicago and as far South as Georgia over the course of the next few days.
So if you’re in the path of Hurricane Sandy, check out virtually any Google service. It’ll show you where the storm is right now, what parts will be affected, and can even show you the locations of emergency shelters. It could be an invaluable resource for those that need it. To everyone dealing with the storm, stay safe, warm, and dry.

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AUO showcases world’s thinnest bezel display, who will use it first?

With the already high stakes in the patent wars increasing by the day, the debates over what is true innovation are getting more confusing than ever, especially for regular users. Still, it’s not as difficult as one would think to invent, reinvent and push technology limits, which is easily noticeable by looking at the activity of a handful of companies much less visible in the media than Apple or Samsung.
AU Optronics (AUO) is such an “underground” name that keeps to itself while inventing, innovating and strengthening its position in a very competitive and challenging market. The TFT LCD manufacturer has partnerships with big names like Samsung, Apple, LG, Dell, Acer or NEC, but the demand for its products should certainly increase after the latest Taiwan unveilings.
The most impressive new product showcased by AUO is by far a 4.46-inch mobile phone touch panel display that the Taiwanese-based company claims to have the world’s thinnest bezel. I know it’s hard to believe, but the panel’s borders (both vertical and horizontal) are only 1 mm (0.04 inches) wide.
We don’t know exactly what reliability challenges will this new screen pose for phone manufacturers, but we do know that on paper the LTPS (low-temperature poly-silicon) 720p display looks stunning. The images appear much larger than what you would expect from a panel significantly smaller than the one on the Galaxy S3, for example, so just imagine how cool would an S4 look using this technology.
AUO has been reluctant to talk about any actual upcoming “full-screen” phones, but you can bet the race is on for who can strike a partnership with the display manufacturer and start production first. Sammy, LG, Acer, Apple, your move!
The 4.46-inch display is not the only new innovative AUO product to be unveiled, and we should be pretty excited about the 4.97-inch AHVA (Advanced Hyper-Viewing Angle) panel with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, too. There’s also a 4.65-inch AMOLED panel with a 317 ppi pixel density that frankly doesn’t sound as special, and an IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) 10-incher with 2560 x 1600 pix res and “increased power efficiency”.
That last panel sounds perfect for the soon to be unveiled Samsung-Google Nexus 10, though we’re probably asking for too much too early.

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32GB Nexus 7 now available with Walmart

And just like that, Walmart has become the latest retailer to list the 32GB Nexus 7 tablet. The nice part with the Walmart listing — you can actually move forward and make the purchase. The tablet is priced (as we had been expecting), at $249. That being said, while the listing is active with Walmart — there is one small catch. That catch is with the shipping date, which is showing as being in early-November.
Looking over the listing does not offer much else in terms of surprise. The 32GB model joins the 16GB model, which is priced at $199. Of course, Walmart seems to have taken advantage of the shift in size and pricing and is now highlighting the 16GB model as a “rollback” that was previously priced at $249.
The one other point worth mentioning, the 32GB Nexus 7 does not appear to be available in many retail locations just yet. According to the product listing, you currently have the option to have it shipped to your home or to a local store for pickup. Upon moving through the checkout process, the free in store pickup notes the earliest in store delivery as being November 7 and the earliest home delivery as being November 6.
Given this Walmart listing, we are now wondering if Google is planning to quietly roll-out at least some of the products that were set for an announcement today.

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Android 4.0 updates are now available for Korean LG Optimus 3D and 3D Cube

There’s a lot of buzz around the freshly unveiled Optimus G and the soon to be released Nexus 4, but I’m sure that most of you wouldn’t touch an LG phone with a ten-foot pole, regardless of specs and features.
And who could blame you? Although everybody had a rough time in offering solid and continuous software support recently, LG “shined” with delaying, canceling and all around messing up ICS updates.
We don’t know how much of a consolation today’s news will bring you, but we are (reluctantly) glad to inform you that Android 4.0 is now available for the Optimus 3D and 3D Cube. Here’s the thing – the ICS upgrade is up for grabs only in Korea, and we have no idea when and if the rest of the world will get it.
LG Singapore confirmed that ICS will be coming “soon” to the Optimus 3D back in August, but that was quite a while ago and the announcement also seemed local rather than global.
Anyhoo, if there’s any Optimus 3D or 3D Cube user from Korea reading us, you should go over to LG Mobile’s official website and grab the software updates from here and here. I’m not very fluent in Korean, but I think you’ll need to hook up your phones to a PC via LG’s PC Suite and follow the instructions.
There doesn’t seem to be any mention about the upgrade happening over-the-air, but it shouldn’t hurt to check in your phones’ settings menus before using LG PC Suite. Also, if anyone can find an official changelog posted anywhere, we would be very curious to find out exactly what LG has prepared for its (very few) still faithful customers.

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Meet Arndale the new Exynos 5-based community board from Samsung

There are two types of ARM based development boards in the world today, the cheap ones like the Raspberry Pi and the expensive ones like the new Arndale board which has just been announced by Samsung. The Raspberry Pi starts at $35 for the basic board while the Arndale starts at $250. Quite a difference. But, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. The Arndale comes packed with power!
The Arndale uses Samsung’s Exynos 5 dual core Cortex-A15 processor running at 1.7 GHz and includes 2GB of RAM. There is also 4GB of internal storage and a whole load of connectivity options. The board supports the use of a touch screen display as well as HDMI, plus there are connections for NFC, USB 3.0, Ethernet, GPS, Wi-Fi, SATA and a camera.
The Exynos 5 processor is a monster of a chip and is the same one that is used in the Google Nexus 10. It has the world’s first dual core Cortex-A15 CPU plus it incorporates the world’s first quad-core ARM Mali™-T604 GPU based on 32nm High-K Metal Gate technology. The result is a 12.8 GB/s memory bandwidth, 1080p 60 FPS video performance and VP8 codec decoder and USB 3.0 support.
The release of the board is part of Samsung’s promise to open up its Exynos chipset. The lack of information has held back some developers from working to optimize their apps for Exynos-based devices since Samsung was not sharing the full documentation nor the source code for the chipset.
Samsung’s spin on this board is that not only does the Arndale give developers access to a complete dual-core Cortex-A15 processor and Mali-T604 GPU platform, but it has features not usually found on other community board such as NFC, GPS and a camera sensor.
But with great power comes great expenses. The bare board costs $250, while the seven inch touch screen costs another $250. If you want to add Sound + WiFi + Bluetooth + GPS + FM, that costs another $120. In total if you buy everything including the camera module and the accessories package then the total development kit comes to $740!
Samsung have set up a dedicated site for the board: arndaleboard.org which has loads of documentation and instructions on how to build Android (from a Ubuntu host) and flash it onto the device. The only unpublished bit so far is the actual Android source code for the device which Samsung says will be available in December.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 video shows 50 minutes of connecting devices

If you happen to have a Galaxy Note 2, or are planning to purchase a Galaxy Note 2 and have any questions about which USB devices will work when plugged in — this video will probably give you the answer. The video, which we can only describe as being epic, is 50 minutes long and shows everything from game controllers, to keyboards and mice, to USB hard drives, to memory card readers and much more being connected.
Anyway, while the video is on the longer side, there are lots of time codes and shortcuts listed, so for some, you can probably avoid having to watch the whole video. For example, those curious about a USB keyboard with a trackpad can skip to the 5:34 mark and see how the keyboard works and the trackpad even has support for multitouch gestures.
Otherwise, while the vast majority of the items do not require root in order to work, there were a few that did. Those items were clearly noted in the video. And for some, the usefulness may vary. For example, a 2TB external hard drive was recognized, however it needed to be plugged into external power and took some time before the files were viewable.
Bottom line here, while a wide variety of devices are able to be connected, the usefulness and amount of before-hand preparation seem to vary.

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Google Play Movies purchase goes live in Australia and Canada

Australian folks have been enjoying renting blockbuster titles from Google Play Movies for quite some time, but what’s lacking is the option to pay more (good thing for Google, right?) to purchase them. According to Android Australia, the barrier may have been removed and those in the country can now make movie purchases from the digital store.
The option to buy movies is currently available for select titles. Moreover, there is some inconsistency between the mobile and desktop version of Google Play, where some movies that appear available for purchase on the former are listed as rental-only titles on the latter. The thinking is the updated feature may have been rolled out early. Perhaps this was one of the announcements that Google was going to make on its cancelled Android event today.

In case you’re wondering, some movies that are already up for grabs include The Avengers, Men in Black 3, Paranormal Activity, and loads more – with the SD version being offered for AUS$25, while the HD version is selling for AUS$30.
The movie fun doesn’t end in Australia, as Mobile Syrup has reported that the same feature that allows customers to purchase films is now available on Google Play Canada as well. The movie titles are priced at 20 Canadian dollars a pop.
Excited about the news? Any particular movies you’d like to purchase from Google Play? Let us know in the comments below.

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G Cloud Backup: Easy cloud-based backup and restore

Cloud storage and cloud syncing seem to have crossed the border between fad and necessity.  With many people losing their mobile devices daily (1 every 3.5 seconds, according to sources), backing up files to cloud servers is one step towards preserving your precious phone data in the case of catastrophes.
If some misfortune befalls your Android phone — for example, if you lose your phone or someone steals it, if someone you know accidentally reformats your phone, and other similar unfortunate events — you will not need to worry much if you’ve synced your files with G Cloud Backup.

Created by Genie9 Corporation, the G Cloud Backup app syncs all your contacts, messages, photos, phone settings, and a lot more to the cloud. The app will also automatically upload your files so you can go about your day without worrying about losing your files.
In case you lose your phone or accidentally delete a file, just load the G Cloud Backup app and you can restore the lost file straight from your cloud-based backup. You can even use this app to instantly restore files and data from an old device to another brand-new device.

To be able to use the app, you will need to create a G Cloud account.  After getting an account, you will select which type of data you want to sync to G Cloud. You can sync your contacts, call logs, messages, browser data, videos, photos, music, document files, and system settings. Unfortunately, you cannot sync your apps and the app data to the cloud. These could have been a good addition to an app so you can automatically restore your apps on another device.

Once you have determined what data you want to sync to G Cloud, the app will automatically upload your files to your cloud account. By default, the app will upload your files daily basis and only if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network.
You can also view the number of pending files to be synced and the size of cloud storage left in your account. G Cloud provides free 1 GB storage. Once synced, all your files are safely stored in G Cloud. You can see a list of all your synced data by going to the Restore tab.

Take note that you can only use the app on one device. If the app detects another account when you activate G Cloud on another device, it will deactivate the previous account and activate the G Cloud on the new device.
The app will also prompt you to restore your backup up files or continue backing up the files on the new device.
I tried using the app on the Galaxy Nexus. Afterwards, I loaded the app on the Galaxy S3. All my backup files from the Galaxy Nexus were successfully restored on the Galaxy S3.  I didn’t even have to undergo a complicated process just to restore my files.  It was all a sign-in and tap Restore button affair.
This convenience can be easily appreciated in cases when you lose your device or you want to transfer your files to another device.

You can also customize the app’s settings such as the backup time, notifications on the status bar, deleting backup files, changing the types of data to be synced, and many more.
While 1 GB of free cloud storage is offered by G Cloud Backup, this may not suffice for some.  If you need more cloud space, get additional 10 GB of storage for about a dollor monthly, or go unlimited with only 4 dollars monthly.  It’s up to you to pay either monthly or annually.
The G Cloud Backup app itself is free for download from the Google Play Store.  Check it out today and let us know what you think of the app.

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Motorola Solstice XT901 is FCC certified, on its way to US Cellular with LTE and ICS

Motorola’s had a couple of pretty restless months lately, but after Razr HD and Maxx HD’s releases there hasn’t been much left to report about Google’s subsidiary. Most Jelly Bean upgrades still don’t have clear ETAs, the rumor about a Moto Nexus device was probably fabricated, while other high-end gadgets are not expected to be coming anytime soon.
That doesn’t mean we get to forget all about Motorola however, because there’s a new budget-friendly mid-ranger from the company heading to US Cellular. Codenamed “Solstice”, the handheld has just cleared the FCC with model number XT901, being most likely scheduled for a December launch (this year’s winter solstice occurs on December 21).
This is the first time we’re hearing about the phone, so, as you can imagine, the details, specs and features are a bit blurry. Still, we know that the mid-ranger will sport a qHD display with 960 x 540 pixels resolution and will pack a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait CPU.

There’s also Android 4.0.4 ICS on board of the device, which is another hint at an imminent release, while connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth and 4G LTE.
We have no way to know if the phone will come exclusively to American regional carrier USC or if it’ll be available on other networks too, but we’d probably put our money on the former. As for pricing, the Solstice should probably be a tad pricier than the existent ICS-running, 1.2 GHz CPU powered Electrify 2. That means you should be ready to pay around $100-$150 on contract and $350-400 with prepaid plans.
Anyone looking for a decently priced and decently (cough mediocre cough) spec’d ICS-based phone? Could the Solstice fit the bill?

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Braven 625s vs Jawbone Jambox: Bluetooth speakers face-off

Bluetooth-enabled wireless speakers are increasingly popular, as more and more people come to appreciate the convenience and quality of these portable audio systems. At the top of the scale, manufacturers such as Braven, Jawbone, and most recently Beats (with their Dr Dre approved Pill speakers) are competing for the attention of potential buyers.
We’ve recently reviewed the Braven 625s portable speakers, and we were impressed by their sound quality, great build, and features. Now, we will bring you a video comparison between the Braven 625s and one of its direct competitors, the Jawbone Jambox.
Launched in 2011, the Jawbone Jambox has been garnering good reviews, but how will it do against the more outdoors-oriented Braven 625s? We have a great video review from our man Clayton, but before that, let’s go through the main features of the Braven 625s and the Jawbone Jambox.

Build quality and design

The two speakers share a boxy design, but the similarities end there. The Jambox is designed for indoor use and features a modern, funky design that evokes a battery. The top and the bottom of the speakers are made of a hard rubber, and the mesh grill wraps around the unit seamlessly.
The Braven on the other hand feels much more sturdier, thanks to the rubber casing and the recessed stainless steel grill. The 625s is clearly labeled as outdoors ready, but the understated design ensures that it won’t look awkward on a desk or a coffee table.
The Braven 625s is slightly taller than the Jambox, but the Jawbone speaker is actually a bit heavier.

Sound quality

As you can see in the video review, both the Braven 625s and the Jawbone Jambox deliver great sound quality, especially for a portable audio system. The bass is powerful enough on both gizmos, and the mids and trebles are equally satisfying.
We experienced no distortions, even when pushing the two speakers to their limits. Both the Jambox and the 625s can fill out an average-sized room, but don’t expect them to replace your stereo system.
With that being said, we found that the Braven 625s pumps out the better sound. When listening to the two speakers alternatively, you will likely notice that the sound is less-filtered and overall nicer on the Braven.

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In Google’s version of the future, cars with no drivers will deliver goods the same day they’re ordered

Having goods shipped to your door is something that’s been making people’s lives easier for a very, very long time. As transportation and shipping services have evolved, so has the speed on delivery. As of now, we can usually get something delivered in 24 hours. Google, among others, is looking to change that.
Other companies, such as Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and others have been developing the idea of same day shipping. In essence, you order an item and it’s delivered to your door step in just a few hours. This would be fantastic for the online shopping community. Google has been making plans to do this as well.
The service has been live in San Francisco for a little while now. However, it is currently only for Google employees, their families, and their friends. Instead of getting into commerce and keeping warehouses, Google’s plan is to partner up with companies that have these things and simply deliver the items. According to the New York Times, a well known apparel company is already involved in this concept with Google.

Get to the part about Google using self-driving cars already.

Okay, so Google’s plan for same day deliveries is awesome. What’s even more awesome is that they plan on using their self-driving cars to do it. Just imagine, a legion of cars without drivers delivering your new gadget or clothing items directly to your curb. Then you can retrieve it and the car goes off to its next delivery.
This is an amazing concept. With no drivers to pay and, thus, no scheduling conflicts, Google’s self-driving cars can deliver things day and night. So when that wine you’re drinking makes you impulse buy that Star Wars themed Android charger in the middle of the night, Google’s self-driving cars will have it there before morning.
Online shopping is already pretty popular. People buy things online all the time. So would the addition of same day shipping be the next big thing and make it even more popular? More importantly, would you use a service like this? Let us know.

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iGrill from iOS remotely monitors food temperatures; now available for Android

For most people, cooking food is something you have to do. Making dinner for your family, preparing breakfast before work, all these things are pretty mandatory. However, there are people out there who love to cook. From summer time grilling gurus to BBQ fanatics and even pastry chefs, food can be fun for a lot of people. There is a product originally for iOS called iGrill that wants to be your friend in the kitchen. Now it’s available for Android.
The iGrill is a very unique item if you enjoy cooking. The premise of the product is that you can remotely monitor the temperature of whatever you’re cooking. So be it a steak on the grill or a cake in the oven, you’ll know the exact temperature of your food. So you’re never in danger of over cooking your food.
How it works is the package comes with an application, a monitor, and a couple of thermometers. The thermometers and monitor are Bluetooth enabled. So you put the thermometer in the food, it reports to the monitor, which then reports directly to your phone.
It comes with two, so you can monitor the temperature in different parts of the item you’re cooking. Or, you can use the second one to measure the ambient temperature so you know how hot your cooking environment is.

So is the iGrill only for cooking aficionados?

In a way, yes. The typical person cooking food probably doesn’t have much use for a cooking thermometer. For people who like cooking, this could be a very handy tool. According to the iGrill’s official website, you can monitor practically anything you can cook.
The Android application was just launched today, so you can download that immediately if you will. Unfortunately, you have to buy the rest of the package. It retails for $79.99 and comes with two thermometers and the monitor.
You can also get an ambient temperature probe for an additional $19.99. The monitor comes in both black and white, so you kind of have color options. For the launch, iGrill is offering free shipping when you use the promo code “ITSHERE”.
Chefs and cooks out there, is this a product you could see yourself using? Let us know what you think about it in the comments.

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Android least valuable platform for advertisers – Opera

Opera, the popular browser for mobile devices, has released its State of Mobile Advertising report, in which Android as a platform is deemed lagging behind in revenues from advertising compared with arch-rival Apple. What’s even more interesting is that Android has even fallen behind BlackBerry in terms of revenue potential per user.
According to the report, iOS leads in terms of traffic and advertising revenue, at 46.37% and 58.40% share, respectively. Android follows with 25.66% in traffic and 16.79% share in revenue. But what’s interesting here is that when it comes to cost per viewer, Android lags behind Blackberry.
Apple gets a $1.64 effective CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions). Meanwhile, BlackBerry follows closely with $1.06. Android gets a measly $0.88, which is less than the BlackBerry platform.
This means that for advertisers, BlackBerry is more valuable than Android, because they earn more per eyeball. Perhaps this has something to do with the BlackBerry’s primary market, which  is supposedly enterprise. But with the emerging market starting to be the focus of RIM’s marketing campaign of late, maybe that’s about to change soon.

Here are a few other observations:

• Mobile apps are a big earner of advertising dollars. We know that mobile users are increasingly shifting toward apps rather than mobile web. It only makes sense that advertisers should target app users, too.
• Mobile apps have generated 73% of the ad network’s revenues. About 80% of traffic came from mobile apps.
• Opera is set to generate $400 million in ad revenue for mobile publishers, which is a 40% growth from 2011 ad revenues.
• Opera is quite a popular platform in emerging markets, because of its ability to reduce data charges through compression.
• Opera says users from the UK are four times more likely to use BlackBerry devices than the rest of the world.
• The iPhone is the single biggest source of ad traffic and ad revenue for Opera’s platform. However, the iPad gives the most value for advertisers, at $4.42 e-CPM.

You can check out the full report at the source link. One concern here: as an end-user, does it matter to you whether you’re more valuable than users from another platform, from an advertising perspective?

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9 spooktacular Android apps for Halloween 2012

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Halloween is that one day in the whole year when people get to dress up in the skins of creepy crawlies and monsters that hide in dark places to haunt parties and peoples’ doorsteps for sweets. Halloween isn’t just about the costume, of course. It’s also about that distinct feeling that horror is in the air. With technology present in almost every aspect of our lives, is there still room for that feeling of being “not alone in a room”?
Mobile devices can still factor into Halloween, of course. There are apps on the Google Play Store that can help you creep up the mood, letting you share ghost stories with friends, and even do a bit of ghost hunting. You can even indulge in some creepy soundbites to accent your parties and presentations, or just to play a prank on a friend. But, if you’re a parent and you have a party to plan, there are apps for you, too.
Make Halloween an enjoyable and stress-free experience with these 9 spookstatic and spooktacular apps for your Android device.

GhostCam Spirit Photography Pro

This Halloween, you or your kids will be attending parties or knocking on your neighbors’ doors, asking for some treats. You will also be bringing your camera so you can capture every moment. Aside from using the usual apps on your phone, why not use Insa Softtech’s GhostCam Spirit Photography Pro to scare your friends? This app will place ghostly figures in your pictures. You can also choose which ghost figure to apply or you can use the Automatic option to instantly create your ghostly images. But, don’t worry, these ghosts are not real. Download the GhostCam SpiritPhotography Pro app for about US$2.00 from the Google Play Store.

GhostCam: Spirit Photography

by Thepparit Insa

>250,000 downloads, 6502 ratings (4.2 avg)

Free

Install

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Halloween Sound Board

On the flipside, there will be kids knocking on your door too, asking for some Halloween treats. Would you simply hand over the candies or would you want to scare them with frightening sounds before giving their treats? With the latter, MobileFramework’s Halloween Sound Board can help. This app contains a selection of scary sounds. You can play the moaning sounds of ghost or you could play a vampire theme as kids approach your doorstep. To enhance the sound, just connect your Android device to an amplifier to increase the sound volume. You could also decorate your house and add some cool light effects to test which kids are the bravest to enter your haunted abode. Give a spook this halloween with the Halloween Sound Board app, available for free from the Google Play Store.

Halloween Sound Board

by MobileFramework

50,000 downloads, 273 ratings (4 avg)

Free

Install

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Creepy House – Horror Stories

I love sitting by the fire and reading stories about fantasy and adventure. But, this Halloween, let’s scare ourselves or our friends by reading scary stories. The Creepy House – Horror Stories by Appotastic will let you read tons of scary stories. You can read famous urban legends or scary short stories. You can even read the scary personal experiences of contributors. Aside from reading scary stories, the app also has a Mirror menu that gives you a clue to the Safe Box’s passcode. Be sure to visit the Mirror from time to time to get a new clue. Once you get the passcode, enter it to open the Safe Box and get a scary surprise. Get the ads-supported Creepy House -Horror Stories app for free from the Google Play Store.

Creepy House - Horror Stories

by Appotastic

10,000 downloads, 125 ratings (4.2 avg)

Free

Install

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Scare Prank

Though ghosts and monsters may not be real, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a little scare thrill. Download Scare Prank by Freedom Recycle to get a scream out of your friends. Disguised as a speed test, you can lull your friends into a false sense of security by letting them complete these harmless tests. Tap the HIT button when the two boats collide, for example, and watch as your friends jump when a scary image and a blood curdling scream dominate the screen. Just make sure that your friends don’t drop your phone. Don’t use this on your friends who have weak hearts. The app is ad-supported but ads only appear at the bottom part of the screen.

Scare Prank

by Freedom Recyle

>250,000 downloads, 2042 ratings (3.8 avg)

Free

Install

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Ghost Radar: CLASSIC

What’s Halloween without a little ghost hunting? Ghost Radar: CLASSIC, developed by Spud Pickles, will help you get in touch with the other side. The app has a ghost radar to scan your surroundings for ghosts and other supernatural creatures. Once you’ve made contact, use your phone to communicate with the spirits. The spirits will talk to you through your device with word fragments. It’s up to you to determine the meaning of the words. Ghost Detector is ad supported. You can purchase the ad-free version from within the app.

Ghost Radar®: CLASSIC

UPDATED

by Spud Pickles

>250,000 downloads, 17935 ratings (4 avg)

Free

Install

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Scary Ringtones

You can go with your scaring motives more subtly by switching your typical ringtone to a creepy one. Developed by Aura Ringtones, Scary Ringtones is packed with soundclips that’ll startle anyone in the room with you. You can choose from a variety of soundclips, some from famous movies such as Psycho, Batman: The Dark Knight, and Silent Hill, while others are pretty generic. Even if Halloween comes and goes, you’ll at least have a unique head-turning ringtone. To use a ringtone, you’ll need to hold down on your desired soundclip so you can set it as your default ringtone, assign it to a contact, set it as your default notification or set it as your default alarm.

Scary Ringtones

by Aura Ringtones

>250,000 downloads, 16073 ratings (4.4 avg)

Free

Install

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Flashlight – MEGA Flashlight

Don’t go walking around the neighborhood on Halloween without Flashlight – MEGA Flashlight. Having ample lighting will keep you safe from no, not ghosts, but from blockades or obstacles that you might trip on while you put up Halloween decors outside your house. Developed by Ruddy Rooster, Flashlight – MEGA Flashlight features not only the ordinary flashlight but tons more, like Screen Light, Police Lights, and Strobe Lights. On top of all the goodies, you will be very pleased to know that Flashlight – MEGA Flashlight can be downloaded in exchange for not even a single penny. Although it is ad-supported, the ads are neatly tucked away at the bottom of the screen so they don’t really get in the way.

Flashlight - MEGA Flashlight

by Ruddy Rooster

5,000 downloads, 12 ratings (4.7 avg)

Free

Install

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Life360 Family Locator

Halloween happens once a year and kids (and kids-at-heart) enjoy this occasion the most. If you, on the other hand, have a party to host and you’d want to ensure the safety of your tots, Life360 Family Locator by Life360 is the solution. You won’t need to worry as to where your kids are, as long as they have this app installed on their Android devices. Nearby police stations also appear on the map, together with your kids’ current location. This will surely keep you worry-free and, in turn, assure your kids’ safety while they enjoy the occasion. Download Life360 Family Locator for free from the Google Play Store today and keep your kids safe on Halloween.

Life360 Family Locator

by Life360

>250,000 downloads, 41569 ratings (4.4 avg)

Free

Install

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Halloween Party Planner

Have a grand Halloween party in mind? If you are up for all the fun but not the tedious preparations, Halloween Party Planner by Thrive 365 Apps Ltd. can surely aid you. Halloween parties are not really intended to be very elaborate, but if you want your party to be something your guests will remember, preparing sumptuous dishes and awesome drinks will definitely do the trick. The app houses recipes for dishes and drinks you can serve in your party, and of course, Halloween costume ideas for both kids and adults. You won’t need to scramble from place to place just to get everything done; Halloween Party Planner is all you need. Install it on your Android device for free.

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