STATS: Android 4.X now powering 58% of devices

Google has updated Android developers with the latest Platform Versions data, giving app makers an idea of how the various iterations of Android are represented out there in the pockets and manbags of the world. The stats, for the fortnight ending June 3rd, are generated by tracking connections to Google’s Play service.

There have been some great big strides made by “Jelly Bean” and the earlier versions of Google’s 4.X build of the mobile OS, with some 25.6% of Android users now running Android 4.0 and a further 33% using either 4.1 or 4.2 on their phones and tablets.

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But Android 2.3 continues its stubborn resistance, still powering the Android hardware of 36.5% of all users. A lot of people are still using Android 2.3 on cheap 7″ tablets :(

Xperia Z offered on Vodafone data contracts, from £28 a month for 1GB

Vodafone and Sony are having another go at selling someone a tablet computer that isn’t a bloody iPad, with the hot, new, thin and rather sexy Xperia Z now available on a subsidised data bundle through the network.

The cheapest Vodafone Xperia Z bundle comes with a £199 upfront fee for the (usually £499) Android tablet, followed by a £28 a month charge for a 1GB mobile data allowance. Or you can pay more/less for 2GB of data on a 24-month contract as illustrated below:

vodafone tablet z

Vodafone’s also making sure everyone knows the Xperia Z can connect to 4G signals, so it’ll be ready for a speed boost when the network gets round to launching its LTE product later this summer. Check out the deals here if you’re interested.

Vine video sharing app now on Android

The Vine app, which has EXPLODED in a very large way on iOS over the last few months, is now on Android. It’s a simple concept. You sign in with a Vine account that has the option of also linking a Twitter user name, then a mostly blank interface lets you record to video when you touch the screen. If you like it, you share it, and hope it may gain enough views to make it to the app’s front page feed.

So you can record six seconds of your dinner should you have assembled a particularly impressive sausage sandwich, or spend hours building up epic stop-motion scenes. It’s quite enjoyable. And now on Android.

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Shame the iOS users have already done all the low-hanging fruit video ideas. Vine for Android is on the Play store here. It requires Android 4.0 or higher to run.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 — 8″ and 10.1″ dual-core tablets also coming

Samsung UK has just officially confirmed the existence of two new models that’ll come as part of the Galaxy Tab 3 range, which will feature both an 8″ and a 10.1″ model. Both machines are powered by a dual-core chipset with the 8″ unit clocked at 1.5GHz and the 10.1″ managing 1.6GHz, both feature a 1280 x 800 resolution display and Android 4.2 as the launch OS.

The 10.1″ Tab 3 has 1GB of RAM, the 8″ model 1.5GB. The 8″ model also features a higher resolution camera (5MP) compared with the 10.1″ units 3MP maximum, so it looks like the eight-incher is the one to go for here.

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There will also be a 4G LTE model, alongside the usual 3G and Wi-Fi units. The only launch date indication Samsung UK’s given is to say it will be “available in the UK later this year”. Here’s the officialdom, complete with full tech specs beneath:

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES NEW GALAXY TAB 3 SERIES

Next-generation Galaxy tablets include intuitive features and portable designs

London, UK – June 3, 2013 – Samsung Electronics today announced the introduction of the Galaxy Tab 3 8-inch and 10.1-inch. Offering an expanded range of options along with the previously announced 7-inch version, the Galaxy Tab 3 Series provides customers with various ways to view, listen, and share content. Whether surfing the web at home or reading during the commute, the Galaxy Tab is packed with enhanced content and an intuitive design, perfect for viewing or sharing content with friends and family.

Read the full article »

Sony Xperia SP now on Three — from £26 a month

Another of Sony’s letter combination phones has hit the UK networks today, with the Xperia SP available on the usual contracts through 3G-friendly network Three. Prices start at £26 a months for a “free” Xperia SP, along with a SIM that gives you unlimited mobile data, 500 calling minutes and 5,000 SMS messages.

As for the Xperia SP itself, it’s a 4.6″ model with an 8megapixel camera, powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and presented in the chunkier older design used in Sony’s older Xperia T model. This is not a smaller Xperia Z…

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…but it’s still a nice enough thing. Check out your buying options over at Three. If you want.

EA launches free official Scrabble game for Android

Scrabble. The actual Scrabble. It may have been ruined a bit by EA’s relentless drive to push in-app payments and adverts on everyone, but still. Scrabble! For free. The game lets users have up to 50 games on the go simultaneously, with an integrated chat window and Facebook and EA Origin support for cross-platform play.

EA says a wireless connection is “needed” to make it work, presumably for ad-serving purposes. It also asks if you’d like to install a Scrabble-themed live wallpaper, supports four-player “Play’N'Pass” for same room parties, and is rather slick indeed.

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And in terms of ads, it’s not that bad. There are adverts and links to try other EA games, but we’ve not been asked to pay for any additional content yet. Seems like a good one. Android Scrabble is on Google Play here.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini – Android 4.2 on a 4.3″ display

After an amazing flood of leaks and speculation, Samsung has today officially announced the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. It’s a 4.3″ Super AMOLED device running at qHD resolution, powered by a 1,7GHz dual-core processor. Android 4.2.2 is the launch OS, with 1.5GB of RAM to work with and 8GB of onboard storage space and SD card expansion.

The Galaxy S4 Mini also contains dual cameras (8MP and 1.9MP), plus there’s a 1,900mAh battery inside. It’s not really that mini at all. Here it is:

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Samsung says there are black and white models, plus a 4G and dual-SIM version, but it’s not yet decided which will launch in the UK. And here’s the thing from Samsung, with full tech specs beneath:

SAMSUNG INTRODUCES THE GALAXY S4 MINI

A powerful, compact smartphone designed to fit busy lifestyles

London, UK – May 30, 2013 – Samsung Electronics today announced the Galaxy S4 Mini, a powerful, compact version of its bestselling smartphone, the Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 Mini delivers the superior performance, intuitive ease-of-use and sleek design of the Galaxy S4 in a portable chic and compact design.

Simon Stanford, Vice President of IT & Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland said: “Demand for the Galaxy S4 has been phenomenal since it launched in April and we hope to build on this success with the Galaxy S4 Mini. This new handset is the ideal smartphone companion for anyone who wants a compact device packed with innovation.”

Read the full article »

Android Twitter app updated with “rich” notifications and easier image uploads

The official Twitter Android app has been updated today, with the time-eating social site rethinking the way it lets people share their mobile images. The updated app now includes an altered composition window, which now comes with a pull-down menu that shows your recently taken photos beneath the text window, which is very useful indeed.

Twitter says those using Android 4.0 or higher ought to see rich notifications now too, which include avatars and more. Here’s us fiddling with it just now:

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Of the offchance you don’t have it already, or are a rebel that uses a third-party app, Twitter for Android can be found here. Send us a tweet if you’ve got it so we can see how the notifications work.

Cyclist magazine launches standalone Android reader app

One of the many bike-focused mags available within the UK now has an official app, with Dennis Publishing launching Cyclist on Google Play. The decision to whack up a separate app instead of releasing it through Google’s own magazine racks means there’s one big bonus for readers — the ability to sign in and access your subscription account on your phone or tablet.

Also, to ENTICE YOU into giving it a go, there’s one free issue on offer to people who try it for the first time this month. It’ll make your current bike look a little inadequate, though.

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Android 4.0 or higher is required to run the Cyclist app. You can get the app here.

LG announces Nexus 4 white – EU launch within “weeks”

After several weeks of random internet photos and leaks, LG has today officially announced its all-white Nexus 4. There’s nothing different about this new Nexus other than the external colour (of the back and sides), with LG sticking in the same 4.7″ display and Snapdragon S4 chipset as found in the existing black model. Only it’s now even shinier.

LG says the white Nexus 4 will launch first in Hong Kong on May 29th, with Asia, the US, Europe and the Middle East also getting the thing within weeks.

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What LG doesn’t mention is if this will be sold through Google Play or if it’ll be saved for LG and the networks to offer exclusively, so we’ll have to wait and see where it pops up. Here’s a brief thing from LG:

LG INTRODUCES NEW NEXUS 4 WHITE

Same Popular Smartphone, Different Color

SEOUL, May 28, 2013 ? LG Electronics (LG) today announced the launch of Nexus 4 White, the newest edition of the popular smartphone developed in collaboration with Google. Nexus 4 White features the same stellar Android™ experience as the original Nexus 4, combining LG’s sophisticated hardware design and popular Google Services such as Google Now and Photosphere for an outstanding overall user experience.

Read the full article »

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