Android 4.4.2 KitKat Test Firmware leaked for Galaxy Note 10.1 GT-N8000

The Android 4.4.2 KitKat test firmware for the 3G + Wi-Fi version of Samsung's original Galaxy Note 10.1 with model number GT-N8000 has been leaked online, indicating that the official update is nearing.

The Galaxy Note 10.1 was launched in 2012 with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich software and later upgraded to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Following the release of Android 4.1.2, Google rolled out two major Android updates- Android 4.2.2 and Android 4.3. However, the Galaxy Note 10.1 never received those Jelly Bean upgrades.

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Lenovo Yoga 10 HD+ Android tablet promises 18 hours of battery life

Lenovo's Yoga series of mobile devices pushes the envelope ever-so-slightly (see here and here, for instance) in a world of cookie-cutter units, with its latest tablet serving as a great example of the approach.

The Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ could just be another Android slate, especially if you look at many of its specs: Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor, 32GB of built-in storage, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (with update to KitKat "soon"), etc. But it does offer a couple of differences that make it stand out from the pack.

One is its display. As its name suggests, the new Yoga has a full HD 10.1-inch screen, with resolution of 1,920x1,080. But in a world where the Google Nexus 10 sports a 2,560x1,600 display of the same size for only slightly more money, that's not exceptional in itself, even if it's superior to the run-of-the-mill 1,280x800 screens (like the one the non-HD version of the Yoga 10 possesses).

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Verizon now rolling KitKat out to the Galaxy S 4

Verizon is slow with updates; this isn’t news to anyone. And so it should come as no surprise that while every Samsung Galaxy S 4 owner has been enjoying Android 4.4.2 for months, Verizon customers haven’t been so lucky. That’s changing today, though, because Verizon has finally decided to roll KitKat out to Galaxy S4 owners.

This Android 4.4.2 update is similar to the ones that hit all the other US Galaxy S 4 devices, bringing notable changes like a white status bar, minor aesthetic changes and an extra serving of smoothness (as long as Verizon didn’t mess with it too much). This update won’t magically transform your Galaxy S 4 into a Galaxy S5, but it does make the user interface look cleaner and more modern with a new KitKat look and feel.

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Android 4.4.3 update for Nexus 5 leaked in screenshots showing new dialer app design

The Android 4.4.3 update for the Nexus 5 was released on Sprint briefly being quickly pulled, leaving users frustrated.

However, new screenshots show that the update is indeed on its way.

Brand new leaked screenshots of the upcoming Android 4.4.3 update were revealed by a Googler on the XDA Developers forum, which shows a redesigned dialer app.

Android Police reports that the leaked screenshots were taken from a Nexus 5 running on the latest Android 4.4.3 firmware.

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Android 4.4 KitKat Update: Verizon Galaxy S4 Receives New OS

Verizon Galaxy S4 owners don’t have to wait until May 2 to get Android 4.4 KitKat as the operating system is now rolling out onto handsets.

Owners have shared screenshots of their "about device" settings, showing that the Verizon Galaxy S4 SCH-I545 model has updated to Android 4.4. Since Verizon has not yet announced an update itself nor provided official support documents, it is not yet known if the I545VRUFNC5 build software is available over the air, but users should be able to prompt the Android 4.4 update manually by accessing Settings > General > About device > Software update on their Verizon Galaxy S4 handset.

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Microsoft completes the Nokia acquisition–and now is selling Android phones

Microsoft has been a hardware company for a long time. With the release of the first Microsoft Mouse in 1983, the company that began with a version of BASIC written for what’s considered the first personal computer has had a successful side business selling hardware.

But now, Microsoft is no longer a dabbler. Early this morning, the company closed on its approximately $7.5 billion acquisition of Nokia’s hardware operations. Although Nokia is not the monster it once was – particularly in the smartphone arena – it remains the No. 2 seller of mobile phones in the world, behind Samsung. But the vast majority of those are not smartphones.

As Tom Warren at The Vergepoints out, Nokia sold 251 million mobile phones last year, only a small portion of which were running Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system.

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Microsoft gets Motorola Solutions to pay for lawsuit protection for Android use

Microsoft has extended its controversial yet successful crusade to extract licensing fees from vendors that use Google’s Android and Chrome operating systems, adding Motorola Solutions to the list of vendors agreeing to patent deals.

The license gives Motorola Solutions “worldwide coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio” for its devices running Android and Chrome OS.

At issue is Microsoft’s claim that the Google operating systems contain Microsoft patented technology. Vendors that don’t strike a licensing deal with Microsoft risk being sued.

“Microsoft prefers licensing to litigation, since licensing is a more effective way to share technology and accelerate the pace of innovation,” said Nick Psyhogeos, general manager, associate general counsel, IP licensing of the Innovation and Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft, in a statement.

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For The First Time, Android Passes Apple's iOS Mobile Ad Traffic - Report

For years, the rise of Android seemed to put almost no dent in the massive proportion of mobile traffic generated by Apple's AAPL +0.11% iPhones. Various theories held that despite their rapid sales, early Android phones weren’t as easy to use as iPhones, didn’t have the latest and greatest apps, or simply were bought and used by people who cared more about making phone calls and texting than using a lot of apps or roaming the mobile Web. As a result, advertisers preferred to direct ads to iPhone users.

Now, for the first time, Google's GOOG +1.17% Android has passed Apple’s iOS in mobile ad traffic, according to a quarterly mobile advertising report released today by mobile ad network Opera Mediaworks. The switch in the first quarter suggests that Android smartphones and tablets such as Samsung’s and HTC'snewer models are getting capable enough to challenge Apple’s iPhones and iPads. “With the Samsung [Galaxy] S4 and other newer Android phones, you’re seeing more parity in users,” says Opera Mediaworks CEO Mahi de Silva. As a result, he says, “the quality of the ads served on Android devices is also more at parity with iOS.”

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Nexus 5, Nexus 7 Android 4.4.3 update coming soon as Google updates apps for support

Google is expected to release the latest Android KitKat 4.4.3 update to Nexus users gradually over the coming months.

The update will first be rolled out to Google's Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and 10 owners, including the HTC One Google Play Edition and Moto X.

Although Google hasn't officially announced the latest update, the company is already updating apps to make them compatible with Android 4.4.3.

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Google Hangouts for Android update merges IMs and SMS, adds widget

Google Hangouts for Android is receiving a nice new update this week, addressing one of the most vociferous user complaints since SMS functionality was added last year: that the two content branches were separate.

The update merges Hangouts and SMS messages, but unlike iMessages on iPhone, does not do so automatically. Instead, it asks you to choose one or the other before sending the message. This offloads the responsibility to the user, rather than relying on Google’s servers to determine which devices have Hangouts installed. While the convenience factor is lower, this is likely as close to an iMessage-like experience as Google can produce at the moment.

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Android 4.4.3 Running on Nexus 5 Leaked [Screenshot]

A screenshot of Android 4.4.3 KitKat running on Nexus 5 with details has been leaked online.

Earlier this week, Sprint updated its software page with a new stock firmware having build number KTU84F for the Nexus 5. The KTU84F has been rumoured to be based on Android 4.4.3 KitKat. But it then appeared that Sprint had removed the mention of Android 4.4.3 from its update list, which was scheduled from 14 April reports, Android Police.

There is no information available as to whether Sprint made the original update announcement by mistake or, was forced to stop the process due to some technical issue. However, this hints at the arrival of an Android 4.4.3 update.

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Google ramps up Android security, now scans all apps

Google is ramping up security for users of devices running its Android operating system, by now scanning all apps on the device instead of just those installed via third-party app stores.

In a blog post, Android security engineer Rich Cannings likened the move – which fortifies Android's "Verify apps" service layer – to fortifying a home's security system.

"(W)e’re rolling out a new enhancement which will now continually check devices to make sure that all apps are behaving in a safe manner, even after installation," Cannings said.

He noted the "Verify apps" features already protects people when they are installing apps outside of Google Play at the time of installation.

Cannings said that in 2013, "Verify apps" had been used more than four billion times to check apps at the time of install.

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Google Knocks on Living Room Door, Quietly, for Android TV

Google has tried to penetrate the living room for several years, with limited results. Its latest approach suggests a desire to learn from past mistakes.

The company, with little fanfare, has been courting TV makers with software dubbed Android TV, a TV-oriented version of Google’s popular mobile operating system. Some details about the company’s plans were reported over the weekend by The Verge, including screen shots showing apps for delivering content to TVs over the Internet.

But key elements of Google’s strategy were also discussed by partners at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, though they attracted little attention. The Chinese appliance maker Hisense Co., for example, used the event to show off TVs that run on Android TV, one of which, the H6, went on sale in December.

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Dropbox' Mailbox app goes Android, lands in Google Play store

Mailbox, the email productivity app that garnered fans in a flash, is finally available for Android andMac, the identically named, Dropbox-owned company announced Wednesday.

The arrival of the new Android Mailbox app, which works for Gmail and iCloud accounts, also brings a feature called auto-swipe, which "uses Dropbox to sync preferences and auto-swipe patterns across" all your devices and accounts, Mailbox's blog post reads. Essentially, this means the app will automatically snooze or filter messages based on your previous actions.

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LG Android Wear smartwatch to go on sale in July

LG's first Android-powered smartwatch will go on sale in July, priced at £180.

The announcement, made at the company’s UK showcase in Weybridge, is the first price to be revealed for a wearable device running Google’s new cut-down version of Android that targets wearable computers.

It indicates that Google will target a much lower price point for its wearable devices that companies such as Samsung have previously aimed at with their Gear smartwatches.

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5 fantastic free Android apps that do amazing things the iPhone can’t

When it comes to smartphone platforms, there’s plenty to enjoy on iOS and Androidalike. The “iPhone vs. Android” debate is obviously a heated one among enthusiasts, but most people will acknowledge that both platforms have advantages and disadvantages compared to the other. Many pros and cons leave room for debate, of course, but one thing is certain when it comes to third-party development: Google’s Android platform gives app makers far more freedom to explore new functionality than Apple’s iOS software.

We have written about great Android apps that do amazing things the iPhone cannot twice now in the past.

In the first edition of this series, we wrote about Cover, Swype, Profile Scheduler, Android Stocks Tape Widget and Smart Launcher. Then, in the second edition we covered five more outstanding apps: Event Flow Calendar Widget, DashClock Widget, Aviate, Tasker and AirDroid.

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Google to Launch Android TV, Report Says

Just a few days after Amazon unveiled the Fire TV, Google will reportedly launch its own set-top box.

The Mountain View, Calif. company is close to debuting Android TV, an Android-powered platform that will compete directly with the Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. Google will still sell its Chromecast device, a $35 dongle that plugs into any HDTV to let you watch online videos from your tablet, smartphone or computer, according to The Verge.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Fire TV Is a Great Living-Room Companion

Video app providers are currently working hard to build for Android TV. The device will also be compatible with gaming, and come with an optional gaming controller, much like the Fire TV.

Documents obtained by The Verge outline a simpler approach than Google TV, which launched in 2010, and aimed to turn TV sets into larger versions of smartphones.

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Ahead of Android 4.5 Release Date, Android 4.4.3 Update Allegedly Rolling Out to Nexus 5, Nexus 7, HTC One

The potentially Lollipop-shaped Android 4.5 is yet to get an official confirmation, let alone a release date. While Google prepares Android users for the next big update, the search giant is allegedly rolling out Android 4.4.3 KitKat update imminently.

Several recent leaks have revealed that Android 4.4.3 update is closer to its public release, coming at least to Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and HTC One Google Play Edition. This is speculated as the last fix before the much-anticipated Android 4.5 release date.

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Microsoft targets Android, makes Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 free on all sub-9-inch devices

Microsoft has been spinning its wheels for years as it tries to get traction in the smartphone and tablet market. At the annual Build conference, the software giant announced a strategy it believes will finally get its mobile ambitions out of this rut — it’s making the software free. Not free to you personally (though that might come later), but free of any OEM licensing fees on devices with screens smaller than 9 inches — i.e. every smartphone, and smaller-screen tablets. That means Windows Phone 8.1 and regular Windows 8.1 won’t cost OEMs a dime on those devices going forward.

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FireChat’s anonymous, off-grid messaging app arrives on Android

FireChat is debuting today in Google Play, after a successful launch on iOS. Android users can now engage in FireChat’s hyperlocal messaging sessions, but they won’t be able to chat with iOS devices.

FireChat has been on a rollercoaster ride since developer Open Garden released it for iOS last month, peaking at well over 100,000 iTunes downloads a day last Tuesday. Open Garden is now hoping for a repeat performance, this time on Android.

On Thursday, Open Garden released FireChat on Google Play. FireChat has set itself apart from other messaging apps in several ways. Not only is it anonymous and ephemeral — conversation streams disappear as soon as the app is closed — it’s designed to create proximity-based hyperlocal networks. It uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth links to connect to nearby devices without using the internet as an intermediary.

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Google's alleged Silver program would showcase the best of Android at carrier stores

Google could have big plans in store for the way that it and other smartphone makers sell and advertise their best Android phones. According to a series of slides allegedly shown inside of Google and leaked to Android Police, Google is developing a program called Android Silver, which would find carriers dedicating a section of their store to some of the top Android phones, each of which would come with some significant advantages over phones that weren't offered as part of the Silver program.

Phones in the alleged Silver program would run the latest version of Android and feature limited software customization, if any. They would also include a support program similar to Amazon's Mayday service, allowing people to begin a video chat with a support representative who could help them solve problems and learn about their phone or tablet at any time of the day. Staff at carrier stores would also help customers set up their new devices and transfer data over from their old ones, much like Apple Stores current do.

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Samsung: Apple's case 'is an attack on Android'

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Samsung on Tuesday said Apple's patent infringement suit "is an attack on Android."

John Quinn, a Samsung attorney, said during opening arguments that the software features Apple has accused it of infringing were developed by Google for its mobile operating system. He held a Nexus device and said that "not a single software feature in this Nexus phone...was conceived by Samsung, was developed by Samsung, or was coded by Samsung."

"Not one of the accused features on this phone, which brings us all here today, was designed, much less copied by anyone at Samsung," Quinn said. "The accused features on this phone were developed independently by some of the most sophisticated and creative minds in the industry, the software engineers at Google."

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Android 4.5 (Lollipop): Release Date, Features, Nexus 6 - Everything You Need to Know

Google's annual developer conference is set to take place on 25 and 26 June and along with updates on Google Glass, much more about smartwatches and Android Wear, along with a possible Nexus 8 tablet, we expect to see the latest version of the company's Android software unveiled.

The current version of Google's operating system is Android 4.4, known as KitKat thanks to acommercial tie-up with Nestle, which was launched in September of last year.

Until now, Google has been relatively happy with manufacturers like Samsung, Sony and HTC to do what they liked with Android, skinning it with their own proprietary software - but things have changed in the last six months.

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