Android 4.2 official keyboard with swiping gestures, 4.2 clock now available for 4.0 ICS and 4.1 Jelly Bean

Google has learned much from the developer community, and is actually incorporating popular tweaks and functionalities whenever it releases major updates. For instance, Android smartphone and tablet users benefit from alternative keyboards like Swype, which enables gesture-based typing. With Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, this is supported by the operating system out-of-the-box.
But if your phone is not yet running the latest iteration of Android, you can already install the official Android 4.2 keyboard and clock, thanks to a system dump from a Nexus 4. Google has previously asked technology sites to take down links to the unfinished version of the keyboard app. However, since the latest hack involves the official version, Google doesn’t seem to mind.

XDA-Developer member “Gnufabio” has taken the liberty of porting the keyboard and clock apps from 4.2 to earlier versions of Android, so that users who do not have access to a 4.2 device yet can still use the new features.
You can check out the source links for download and installation instructions. As with most hacks and tweaks, your mileage may vary, depending on what device you are using. A few highlights

• Installing the 4.2 keyboard might cause force closes on either the new keyboard or the stock Android keyboard. You can freeze the stock keyboard with TitaniumBackup if you keep getting crashes.
• Keyboard works for Android 4.0 ICS and up.
• The new clock app might have random crashes while in the backgroudn. Some issues persist, including incorrect display of the stopwatch notification.
• Clock works for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

I suppose everyone is excited to get 4.2 on their Android devices. But knowing how carriers and manufacturers tend to delay these major updates, you can at least have a taste of 4.2 Jelly Bean on your current Android release through these tweaks.

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Google Wallet Card coming soon for in-store purchases and withdrawals

Online and mobile payment services like Google Wallet and Apple Passbook are innovating the payments space with features like tap-to-pay and loyalty programs. Google is adding another dimension to its mobile payment system, which might at first look like a step back, but is actually an innovative way to manage your mobile wallet.
Google is aware that not all establishments accept tap-to-pay, and that NFC is not always necessarily the most convenient means to pay. As such, Google is introducing a physical card for accessing your Google Wallet account. A Google Wallet user tipped Android Police that he was able to sign up for a Google Wallet Card. Here are some interesting points:

• You can swipe the Google Wallet card with any store that accepts major credit cards.
• No need to bring all your credit cards when you shop. You can switch funding sources through the Google Wallet app, so that the system will charge the card you specify.
• Get instant notifications of payments. This is useful for security purposes.
• If you lose your wallet or card, then you will only need to cancel a single card, not multiple ones.

Google Wallet users can order the card through the Wallet app and have it delivered straight to one’s home address, as the tipster has shared.
But what’s even more interesting is that the Google Wallet Card will also give users the ability to deposit funds into one’s account or withdraw using an ATM machine. The service will also offer person-to-person money transfers, which could pose a serious challenge to online payment systems like PayPal.
Another thing, because Google Wallet Card will not necessarily require NFC, this means users will no longer require carrier approval before their handsets can support NFC payments. As such, Google Wallet Card may also work with multiple platforms and not just Android. This might likewise pose a serious challenge to the ISIS payment system that carriers are developing among themselves.
With a physical card, Google is set to dominate in both online and offline payments. Let’s see what competitors will come up with to challenge this latest development.

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Microsoft to launch their own phone and copy Android’s notification tray in 2013

It’s safe to say that Windows Phone hasn’t taken off. Nokia recently reported that they sold just 2.9 million Lumia devices in Q3 2012. To put that number into some perspective, today Samsung announced that they sold 3 million Galaxy Note 2 units in 37 days. Translation: One phone in Samsung’s portfolio managed to outsell Nokia’s entire Windows Phone lineup.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft is aiming to turn things around in 2013. Their sources in Asia tell them that Microsoft is working on their own smartphone, but they can’t confirm whether or not the company plans to mass produce said device. Microsoft could very well just be doing some research, poking around to see what their hardware engineers can come up with, but our gut tells us that there’s something more to this story. Expect to hear more rumors about a “Surface Phone” over the coming months.
In other news, Microsoft’s Thomas Fennel told developers attending the BUILD Conference that the company “rant out of time” with regards to the lack of a notification center in Windows Phone. His exact quote:

“It’s very very important to me… we get tons of feedback from developers that they want something like that as well. I promise we’re thinking very very hard on that one.”

We all know Apple blatantly copied the Android notification tray when they launched iOS 5 back in October 2011. Now it looks like Microsoft is also going to do the same thing, though we don’t know when they’re going to bring it to Windows Phone. Microsoft typically updates their mobile OS in a tick-tock fashion. After a major update (Windows Phone 7) there’s a minor update (Windows Phone 7.5) and then there’s another major update (Windows Phone 8), so you get the idea.
Will Microsoft’s phone, assuming it exists, be awesome? Looking at the Surface, it’s obvious that the company has incredibly talented designers. But will Windows Phone ever become more attractive than Android?
That’s going to be a tough mountain to climb.

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Google’s Nexus 4 system dump is out and about – apps, wallpapers, ringtones and more up of grabs

The inevitable has happened. With a few days left before its official launch, and with review units being sent out to some lucky hands, a Nexus 4 system dump has been uploaded online, giving everyone access to the phone’s many Android 4.2 goodies.
Those with the right set of skills can extract apps found on the system dump of Google’s flagship phone and install them on their device, though some tinkering is obviously required. Seeing that the apps may not be fully compatible with older versions of Android, we suggest you take some extra precaution before getting your hands dirty.

Things are less complicated if all you after is the phone’s wallpapers, ringtones, sounds and videos. We’ve posted the wallpapers from the LG Nexus 4 above. If you want the complete system dump, you can hit the source below.
Prior to the leaked files, we’ve gotten a taste of the latest Jelly Bean’s keyboard app, which comes with a Gesture Typing feature. The system dump almost completes the Android 4.2 experience.
Are you planning to be a proud owner of the Nexus 4?

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Samsung Stratosphere 2 pic leaked, Verizon release is imminent

It’s pretty obvious that slide-out QWERTY smartphones are not everybody’s favorites, due to their “robust” bodies and mid-range specs. Still, students, elders and even businessmen tend to favor them, what with their added functionality and all.
One of the most interesting QWERTY devices of 2011 has been Verizon’s Samsung Stratosphere, which is getting ready for a refresh. Rumors about the second Stratosphere have been floating around ever since August, but now it’s time to finally have a look at the new phone’s design.
The first Stratosphere 2 pic is not official, but does come from a very trustworthy source, notorious Twitter account @evleaks, so we’ll take this one for granted. As expected, there aren’t going to be many visual differences between the second Stratosphere and its predecessor, although the new phone’s edges are much more rounded than before.

I know that’s not a tweak to be crazy about, however there seems to be something better about the Stratosphere 2’s overall look too. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but the “noble black” of the first handheld might have been replaced with a darker and more distinguished shade of black, while the back side also seems a tad more elegant and smoother.
The physical keyboard looks identical to the first, which is not a bad thing, while the four on-screen buttons have been kept, but are now differently placed.
Evleaks mentions nothing about the device’s features, but, based on previous rumors, we have an almost complete spec sheet lined – 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, dual-core 1.5 GHz S4 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 8 MP rear-facing camera, 4G LTE, Android 4.0 ICS.
We also suspect the phone to come branded as a Galaxy device this time, while the Verizon release should happen by November 21. As for pricing, that’s still a very delicate subject. Anyone excited about the Stratosphere 2 now that we know how it will look? How much do you think Big Red will ask for this?

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T-Mobile LG Optimus L9: an affordable ICS smartphone with a decent spec sheet

T-Mobile has a convincing and affordable mid-level Android phone to offer this holiday season, the LG Optimus L9.
The device was officially launched yesterday but, it initially didn’t become available on T-Mobile’s website due to some technical issues. The issues seem to be fixed by now, so you are free to order it if the Optimus L9 tickles your fancy.
The mid-range device comes with a price tag of $79.99 with a 2-year contract, and after a mail-in rebate of $50. The L9 is available both through T-Mobile.com and brick-and-more stores.
For 80 bucks, we dare to say that the Optimus L9 is a pretty good deal, thanks to the host of unique features it supports. The L9 comes with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich and features a dual-core 1GHz processor. It also boasts a decent 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, 1GB RAM, and a 5 MP main camera along with a front facing VGA camera. It also carries 4GB of internal memory extendable up to 32GB through a microSD card slot, a 2,150mAh battery, and T-Mobile’s unique Wi-Fi calling feature.
Overall, the features of the L9 are quite similar to those offered by the Galaxy Nexus. If the stars align, LG’s latest mid-ranger could be a hot seller from T-Mobile this holiday season. Will you buy one for yourself or your loved ones?

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IDC: Android holds 75% worldwide smartphone market share in Q3, Apple’s iOS holds 14.9%

It’s just another day at the office for Android handsets, kicking everybody else’s behinds. According to research firm International Data Corporation (IDC), Android-powered handsets maintain their commanding lead over Apple’s iOS devices and others in the global smartphone market for Q3 2012.
Out of the 181.1 million smartphones that were shipped in Q3, Android handsets accounted for 75% of the total shipments with 136 million units shipped. It’s a significant improvement over the last report, which puts its market share at 68%.
IDC research manager Ramon Llamas said that Android continues to become to “growth engines of the smartphone market” and has “effectively outpaced the market” since its arrival in 2008.  No prize for guessing who the biggest manufacturer is that has been dominating the landscape in the past year.

Apple sits in second place with 14.9% of the market share, down from 17%. The iPhone maker managed to ship 26.9 million smartphones in Q3. The recent release of the iPhone 5 should provide a nice boost to its numbers in the last quarter of the year.
RIM’s Blackberry and Nokia’s Symbian are next on the list with 4.3% and 2.3%, respectively. Only 7.7 million Blackberry handsets were shipped in the quarter, but this was better than Symbian’s 4.1 million units. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7’s market share grew to 2% with 3.6 million units.
What do you think of the numbers? Will we see even better results for Android handsets in Q4?

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Samsung Nexus 10 magazines side-by-side with actual print versions, how does the tablet compare?

With the recently announced Samsung Nexus 10 we get a powerful Android 10-inch tablet that even manages to beat out Apple’s retina display. The only question left is whether or not the tablet’s excellent resolution is good enough to compete with in-print magazine pages.
Google+ user “Romain Guy” has now posted some pictures to his plus page that shows off a couple shots of the Nexus 10 running a few pages of a virtual magazine. The self-shot images are very high in quality and compare the tablet side-by-side with actual print versions of the same publications. While a few readers with extremely keen eyes might still prefer the print version, the display on the Nexus 10 is nothing short of amazing.

With its 2560 x 1600 display and impressive Exynos 5250 CPU, the Nexus 10 is clearly raising the bar when it comes to 10-inch tablets. For those who need the reminder, other specs include a Mali T604 GPU, stereo speakers, 2GB of RAM, NFC, 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a 5MP back cam, a 1.9MP front cam and Android 4.2.
The Nexus 10 will be available starting November 13th via Google Play in the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Canada and Japan. Pricing starts at $399 for the 16GB version. What do you think of the new Nexus tablet, are you planning on picking up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus 10?

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Tests conducted on a dozen USB chargers show that neither iPhone or Android phones have the best

USB chargers are everywhere. They’re online, at your job, in your home, and in any electronics store. Typically, we don’t pay much attention to them. As long as they charge the phone without mucking things up, most of us are pretty happy. However, how well these chargers work is something that can be measured.
Ken Sheriff’s Blog recently conducted a study to see which chargers were the best. For some, it was necessary. Some chargers work fine the way they are. Some may not deliver adequate power, mess with things like touch screen use, and even self destruct.
The criteria for the rankings are pretty in depth. Tests were conducted in efficiency, delivery of advertised power, power quality, power curve, and there was a general analysis of the hardware. During the tests, several OEMs are represented. They include Samsung, Apple, Monoprice, HP, Belkin, KMS, and Motorola. Included also are a few counterfeit chargers to see if they can compare to the OEMs they’re ripping off.

Which of the chargers was the best?

According to the results, HP, via the HP Touchpad, scored the highest in all fields. Who’d have thought HP did something right with the Touchpad? Apple, Motorola, and Samsung all scored very high. In fact, in most results they were nearly identical to one another. In the mid-range, Monoprice, Belkin, and KMS were average or better. To the surprise of no one, the counterfeit chargers were garbage.
The non-counterfeit chargers did pretty well in all the tests. None of them were deemed unsafe, even if some were more efficient than others. The counterfeit chargers, though, showed that they are a real danger to pretty much anyone who uses them. While all the aforementioned chargers scored three out of five or higher, none of the counterfeit chargers made it passed two out of five.
So the lesson is, spend a few extra bucks and buy the real thing. The fake ones could cause some real damage to your property. Has anyone been fooled by the fakes before? Let us know.

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Dead Zebra releases special edition Android Werewolf collectible

Dead Zebra, who has brought us plenty of Android collectibles in the past, has released a new Android Werewolf figurine for Halloween.
With the Android Mini Series 03 going on sale back in September, many designers would have taken a break, but not Dyzplastics’ Andrew Bell. We reported on the new Halloween-themed Android Werewolf collectible a few days ago, and now you can order one of your very own. For those who have yet to their hands on one, however, there is a catch.
Unless you find them in stores, you won’t be able to get your hands on one of these figurines until well after Halloween. In an effort to make sure that victims of Hurricane Sandy who are currently experiencing power outages will be able to order figurines of their own, Dead Zebra saved the second half of its batch of figurines to release on November 5.
While they won’t ship until November 5, you can pre-order the figurines right now via Dead Zebra’s website. If you need more convincing, check out the gallery below.

How bad do you want one of these little guys? Are you planning to order one, or have you already ordered one? What other Halloween-themed Android collectibles would you like to see?

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U.S. Cellular announces major 4G LTE expansion plans

Earlier today U.S. Cellular announced they will dramatically expand their 4G LTE network to 30 new markets beginning on November 5th. U.S. Cellular also mentioned they plan to have about 58 percent of their customers covered by LTE service by the end of 2012.
Some of the states that will begin to see this expanded 4G LTE coverage include Iowa, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Oklahoma. Additionally, several new 4G LTE markets will be established in cities such as Rockford (Illinois), Medford (Oregon) and Knoxville (Tennessee). This is great news for U.S. Cellular customers. While they might be a smaller carrier, that clearly doesn’t mean U.S. Cellular can’t offer competitive services and plans.
Unfortunately there isn’t a master list of all the cities and markets that will be seeing 4G LTE coverage this year, but the carrier does promise to update its 4G coverage map on November 5th to give its customers a better idea if they are going to get high-speed access in their area or not. Any U.S. Cellular subscribers excited about this news?

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Google Play Store carrier billing for Verizon is live

If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who has been waiting for Google Play Store carrier billing, the wait is over, as the feature is now live.
While other carriers have had this feature available for some time, Verizon was slower to catch up. We mentioned earlier this month that carrier billing for Play Store purchases was on the way for Verizon customers and, as of today, they can now use this payment method.
You don’t need to do anything special to start using this new payment option. Simply select the “Bill my Verizon Wireless account” option as your payment method for Play Store purchases.
Whether or not Verizon customers will actually want to use this feature depends on their own preferences. Some users prefer to pay for their Play Store purchases immediately, while others would rather receive one monthly bill that encompasses all their wireless-related expenses.
Those on family plans may want to set up a PIN on some phones. This can restrict purchases to keep family members from running up to large a bill. Those who would rather turn off the carrier billing feature can do so through their Verizon account.
This may not be necessary, as we’re hearing that there is a $25 limit on purchases within each billing cycle, but whether this is true and how it would apply to those on family plans remains to be seen. Apparently some Verizon customers aren’t seeing the new payment option in the Google Play Store, so don’t worry if you’re not seeing it yet; be assured that it is on the way.
Are you a Verizon customer who has been waiting for Google Play Store carrier billing? Are you a fan of carrier billing in general, or do you prefer another method for Play Store purchases?

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On why the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the king of the phablet market

Despite the fact that the original Samsung Galaxy Note was not the first Android device to carry a large display (the Dell Streak carried 5 inch display of its own and was released back in July 2010, but only to limited success), back when Samsung introduced the OG Note back in June 2011, the Android phablet market was basically non-existent.
Taking into consideration the low previous sales figures in the segment, combined with the degree of skepticism with which many have greeted the idea of a phablet (smartphone with a very large display) at the time, the commercial success of the original Note has surprised many, from bloggers and end consumers to market analysts and even other Android manufacturers.
Fast forward a little more than a year and Samsung’s risk has turned into welcomed profit for the top smartphone manufacturer in the world, and not only that, but it has also created a place for phablets in the Android ecosystem. Samsung has proven that phablets can sell well if properly marketed and designed, and as a result, other Android manufacturers are more than willing to take a try at reaching out to this new market (personally, I see it more like a sub-market of smartphone, but hopefully you’ll get the point).
Out of the top Android manufacturers, only LG and HTC currently aim to take a bit out of Samsung’s complete dominance in the phablet market. I’m sure others are about to follow (Sony is rumored to be working on both a 5 inch and a 6 inch phablet, Huawei are also rumored to be working on a phablet), but if nothing out of the ordinary happens, it looks like all phablet manufacturers completely miss out on what defines a phablet.

The LG Optimus Vu series. Or why 4:3 doesn’t work on phablets

LG are really doing their best to copy what Samsung is doing with Android. I get it that the rivalry is as intense as they come between manufacturers from the same country, but LG is currently following Samsung’s footsteps a bit to the extreme.
As far LG’s efforts to copy the Galaxy Note go, it has released a couple of phablets as part of their LG Optimus Vu series (the second one made it to the US as the Verizon LG Intuition). Both of them turned into failures thanks to the insane aspect ratio used by their displays: 4:3.
Although this aspect ratio seems to work on devices that you have to use with both hands (uhm… tablets), LG’s Optimus Vu line is a perfect example on why 4:3 is not a good aspect ratio for phablets, as it makes the device feel too much like a tablet. While the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is 5 mm less wide than the Optimus Vu 2, it uses a display that measures 5.5 across the diagonal, whereas both members of the Vu line use 5 inch displays.
If you’re going to be unable to comfortably use your phablet with just one hand, it should at least have that largest possible display, right?

HTC’s Butterfly has the specs, but lacks the software

Although the HTC Butterfly is in plenty ways a better device than the Galaxy Note 2, i find it difficult to believe that it is a better phablet.
The HTC Butterfly gets it right with the display resolution, PPI, aspect ratio and internal hardware. In addition, HTC is also a company that regularly receives positive feedback from its fan base (not to mention that, in contrast with LG, HTC actually has such a thing), so there is that as well. So why isn’t the HTC Butterfly the best phablet around despite being an awesome Android device?
First of all there’s the fact that the Butterfly is currently standing at just 0.3 inches more across the diagonal when compared to the new HTC smartphone flagship, the HTC One X+ (also bear in mind that most other Android flagships of the fall 2012 season use displays that measure at least 4.7 inches across the diagonal). By comparison, the Galaxy Note 2 uses display larger than the Butterfly by 0.5 inches, thus offering 1.4 times the screen real estate. Another thing that we should take into the consideration is the fact that reading ebooks on a 5.5 inch display is to a certain degree easier than reading ebooks on a 5 inch display.
Then there’s the fact that Samsung’s version of Android comes with a unique set of Smart Functions. Smart Stay is awesomely useful for reading ebooks, while S Beam will allow you to transfer files almost instantly between a pair of Galaxy Note 2 phablets or between a Note 2 and a Galaxy S3 (and God knows there’s an awful lot of those around, right?). In addition, the Note 2 comes with the first Android version of true multitasking, also a feat that no other manufacturer has accomplished.
Samsung has managed to come up with features that are actually useful and has layered those on top of Android. Sure, the Samsung Touchwiz UI is not as pleasing as that of stock Android (or maybe even as the HTC Sense UI), but on the Note 2 there’s a ton lot more things you can do. Maybe they are not all that innovative, but regarded as a bulk, it looks like Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 is running some sort of premium version of Android.

S-Pen: use it or leave it

Despite all the above, what really makes the Samsung Galaxy Note series unique in every sense of the way is its unique accessory – the S Pen.
The S Pen is more than just your basic stylus. Besides being able to recognize hundreds of different pressure levels, it also has a few buttons that can access specific custom functions. But the best part about it is the way that the S Pen works with the software.
And it’s not just Samsung’s software as the South Korean manufacturer (the better one) has played its cards right and has released the S-Pen SDK so that all app developers can start writing code that uses the unique properties of the “overrated stylus”. And, since Samsung sells a whole lot of S-Pen enabled devices (OG Note, Note 2, Note 10.1), these developers can actually write apps that draw in users.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 still rullz

I’m not partial to Samsung, or any other manufacturer, but as far as phablets go, the Galaxy Note 2 is a complete device, not just a spec powerhouse. And until other manufacturers realize that they need to add genuinely useful features and accessories to their devices, the note 2 will still be the best phablet you can buy.
On the other hand, if you’re on the lookout for an Android smartphone make sure you check out my selection of flagship Android smartphones for the fall 2012 season.
Interested in a compact smartphone? You options are quite limited at the moment, but some gems still exist in that market as well.
What do you guys think: is the Note 2 untouchable as a phablet? Let us know what you think in the comment section below, will you?

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Sony Xperia U upgrade to ICS finally available in Canada

The wait for Android ICS has probably been more than a little painful for Canadian owners of the Sony Xperia U. The good news is that Sony has now announced that you can ditch Gingerbread and jump into the Ice Cream Sandwich goodness. The update is available now via Sony’s PC Companion software.
With Android 4.2 recently unveiled this update might seem more than a little anticlimactic for Xperia U owners. While Sony creates high-quality smartphones, they tend to be more than a little behind the times when it comes to bringing out the latest versions of Android. That being said, getting ICS is still worlds better than being stuck with Gingerbread.
Holding out for news about Jelly Bean? Unfortunately, Sony recently listed several devices that the company confirms are definitely getting updated to Jelly Bean and the Xperia U isn’t one of them. The good news is that Sony has already mentioned it is still evaluating potential upgrade possibilities for the Xperia U, so we can at least cross our fingers for the time being.
Have you updated your Sony Xperia U yet, how did it go? Loving the switch to ICS?

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ZTE expects to sell 50 million smartphones in 2013

While ZTE’s smartphone sales for this year are expected to top off at around 25 million, 10 million less than predicted, it seems to take more than that to take the wind out of the company’s sails. ZTE has announced that it expects to sell 50 million smartphones in 2013.
Executive Director for ZTE, He Shiyou, told Reuters that “We think next year will be very good (for smartphones).” That seems to be the case looking at the company’s sale projections for 2013, especially after failing to reach their goal for 2012.
While it may seem like a bold statement, it’s important to keep in mind that ZTE is the world’s fourth largest smartphone manufacturer, with around 7.5 percent market share. Even though they fell short of their goal for 2012, ZTE’s sales have grown dramatically each year.
In 2011, the company sold around 15 million phones, and in 2012 they sold 25 million phones. While the company would still need a big boost in sales to reach their goal of 50 million, it is not completely out of the realm of possibility.
ZTE seems to be putting a lot of faith in its Nubia line of high-end devices. There isn’t currently much known about this line, with the only announced device, the ZTE Z5, still being a bit of a mystery spec-wise. What we do know is that the phone will have a quad-core processor, 5-inch screen and a 13-megapixel camera.
With so little being known about its upcoming devices, whether ZTE will see a boost in sales as a result of the release of the Z5 remains to be seen. ZTE does continue to capture market share, however, so as ambitious as they may seem, the company’s expectations to sell 50 million phones in 2013 may turn out to be well founded.
Do you think that ZTE will reach its goal of selling 50 million phones in 2013? Or do you think that, like last year, they will fall short of their goal? Do you think the Z5 will bolster sales as much as ZTE hopes?

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T-Mobile, AT&T open networks for Hurricane Sandy victims

In a press release today, T-Mobile and AT&T announced that they will be entering a temporary agreement to allow roaming for customers of either network in the areas hit by Hurricane Sandy.
While the worst of the storm has passed, Hurricane Sandy left a lot of damage in its wake, and at one point millions were without power. While a lot of people are working to help get things back in order as quickly as possible, some of the hardest hit areas are still looking at a difficult time ahead. There is no doubt that T-Mobile and AT&T had this in mind when they began their temporary agreement.
Customers of either network don’t have to do anything special to take advantage of the additional coverage. Just place a call as you normally would, and whichever network is working best in your area will automatically carry the call. Both voice and data are covered by this agreement, so there is no need for customers to worry about being hit with hefty fees if their phone connects to the wrong network by accident.
While the press release states that this agreement applies to New York and New Jersey, it may be worth checking to make sure your area is covered before connecting to avoid any unwanted fees.
Are you located in an area that was hit by Hurricane Sandy? Will this roaming agreement make it easier for you to stay in touch with friends and relatives in areas hit by the storm?

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Samsung files for tri-fold flexible display patent for smartphones – what could this mean?

Thought that flexible displays were a long way off before they could start showing up on smartphones? Think again. Samsung is leading the way towards producing the very first such displays that could be part of its next  smartphones generations. This has been a big year for Samsung and its work on flexible displays is another step in the right direction.
The company has already submitted a number of patent applications that detail the intriguing folding display designs for its smartphones. All along, since back at CES 2009, Samsung had presented a prototype of the unit and promised to deliver on it. The new flexible displays are expected to replace the traditional LCD displays by 2015-2016, at least according to a recent Samsung announcement. But in the mean time, it looks like Samsung has filed a new flexible display patent, this time describing a tri-fold panel.
The patent includes a number of representations that clearly show how a tri-fold display unit would work in a smartphone:

If delivered successfully, the tri-fold display could be revolutionary and would likely be the display of choice that allows a smartphone to be expanded into a mini tablet that would let users enjoy surfing the web, watching movies or playing games. It could also allow Samsung to produce the gadget of choice for cool Internet devices and unseat competing Apple products in the products. This would also help clean up Samsung’s image, which has already been marred by the copycat designer accusations and reveal it to be the true innovator in the mobile device space.
Currently, Samsung’s handsets shipments give it a 2-to-1 ratio lead over Apple’s iPhone shipments in Q4. Clearly, the mobile device war is only going to accelerate, especially if the Samsung tri-fold flexible display kicks off.

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Verizon support page reveals HTC Droid DNA before its announcement

Verizon’s upcoming 5-inch 1080p device named HTC Droid DNA has been published as a registered device on its support page before the official announcement.
The screenshot above reveals that the ADR6435 will be known as HTC Droid DNA, a name that was revealed in a MAP listing a week ago. The same leak suggested the device will be sold starting at $199 in the near future. However, such MAP lists are known to change constantly and won’t always offer reliable information. And while Verizon’s support page does list the device, the Droid DNA is still not officially announced.
The device is rumoured to be announced mid-November and feature a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor, 16GB of internal storage, 2GB RAM, an 8MP camera, and run Jelly Bean.
As expected, the HTC Droid DNA is most likely going to be Verizon’s HTC J Butterfly version, which happens to be HTC’s most recently launched device. Waiting for the 5-inch HTC handset to hit Verizon, we have already compared the HTC J Butterfly with the Galaxy Note 2. Which one would you rather buy?

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Get a Windows Phone, says Steve

Here’s to the crazy ones, indeed! Reminiscent of how an iconic ex-CEO once attempted to voice-over an advertisement for his company’s product, Microsoft’s latest Windows Phone 8 ad screams of self-promotion. But this is a different Steve, altogether — someone who does not exactly generate a Reality Distortion Field like the late Steve Jobs. Microsoft’s own Steve Ballmer has narrated Redmond’s latest Windows Phone 8 ad, with highlight on the personal touch.
Steve talks about taking advice from all sorts of folks, from his wife, to his Microsoft colleagues, and even Bill Gates himself. But Ballmer’s own advice: get a Windows Phone.
The ad puts a highlight on communication as a central part of Windows Phone 8 (hey, it’s a phone, after all!). This includes the live tiles on the home screen showing messages and the number of Skype calls and emails.
The ad is pretty straightforward, and does not have any allusions to how groundbreaking their platform is (like Apple’s Think Different ads). Apple eventually went for another voice-over in their “crazy ones” ads, a spot that eventually went to Richard Dreyfuss. Will Microsoft eventually hire other voiceover actors, too?

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T-Mobile will not support WiFi calling on the LG Nexus 4

Google’s recently announced Nexus 4 will go on sale later this month for $299 unlocked and unsubsidized. There is one American operator who will be offering it on a contract however, T-Mobile. They’ll gladly sell you a Nexus 4 with a 2 year contract for $199, which sounds appealing, but the folks at TmoNews have recently learned that WiFi calling will not be supported on the device. Some background: T-Mobile has a service whereby you can make phone calls over your wireless network at home instead of having to go through the cellular network. It’s useful if you live somewhere that has spotty coverage, if you’re traveling abroad, and the best part is you don’t get billed for the minutes you make when on WiFi.
Now that we know the Nexus 4 isn’t going to support one of T-Mobile’s best features, this poses an important question: Should you buy this phone on contract? Buying phones unsubsidized is commonplace in many parts of the world, but for Americas it’s still considered a taboo for reasons we don’t quite understand. The amount of money you can save by going with a prepaid operator and then buying a phone unlocked is startling.
Take Straight Talk for instance, which lets you pick whether you want to use AT&T’s or T-Mobile’s network. They’ll give you unlimited everything for $45 per month. That’s half what the big boys charge. We can’t stress this enough, when using Straight Talk you’re on the same network that your friends and family are paying double to use! How is it so cheap? Straight Talk doesn’t have retail stores, they don’t subsidize phones, their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, and they go out of your way to be a dumb pipe.
When was the last time you called the company that provides you with electricity or water? Exactly. That’s what prepaid operators are like.

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