Featured Video Reviews
- Face Off Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Motorola Droid RAZR
http://www.smartphoneenvy.com/featured/face-off-verizon-samsung-galaxy-nexus-vs-motorola-droid-razr/ - Face Off Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs Samsung Galaxy S II
http://www.smartphoneenvy.com/featured/face-off-verizon-samsung-galaxy-nexus-vs-samsung-galaxy-s-ii/ - Face Off Motorola Droid RAZR vs Samsung Galaxy S II
http://www.smartphoneenvy.com/featured/face-off-motorola-droid-razr-vs-samsung-galaxy-s-ii/ - Face Off Apple iPhone 4S vs Motorola Droid RAZR
http://www.smartphoneenvy.com/featured/face-off-apple-iphone-4s-vs-motorola-droid-razr/ - AT&T Face Off Samsung Skyrocket vs Samsung Galaxy S II
http://www.smartphoneenvy.com/featured/att-face-off-samsung-skyrocket-vs-samsung-galaxy-s-ii/
Latest News
Verizon Galaxy Nexus 4.0.4 update now available for download
Galaxy Nexus users for Verizon have been stuck on Android version 4.0.2 for what seems like an eternity. It appears the G-Nex users on Big red are finally able to get their hands on Android’s latest flavor–4.0.4. OTA updates should start hitting your phones soon, although with rolling updates, some may take longer than others. This newest update has an official build number of IMM76K and is for stock Verizon Galaxy Nexus users. Google has also posted the update file on their servers, which you can find through our sourcelink after the jump. It’s been a long time coming Verizon G-Nex users. Let’s hope this one goes through nice and smooth. If you happen to get the OTA update notification, be sure to let us know how it’s working for you. Also, don’t forget, you can always do a manual check for the update by going through system settings. You know, for those impatient types.
Fruit Ninja turns two, celebrates by offering a major update
If you own a smartphone then there’s a good chance you’ve given Fruit Ninja a try. One of the most popular mobile games in history has just turned two, and to celebrate, HalfbrickStudios released a major update to the game. Fruit Ninja has now added a currency system in the form of starfruit, for which you get a thousand of just for downloading the update, with the ability to earn more as you play the game. You’ll be able to use your hard earned starfruit in a new section called Gatsu’s cart, there you’ll find items for purchase that give you special abilities. What’s for sale in Gatsu’s cart? Well, you can now purchase Bomb Deflects, which when you swipe a bomb, instead of dying, the bomb will be deflected off the screen, Berry Blasts that blow up and destroy everything on the screen, and Peachy Time which gives you extra time in Arcade and Zen modes. You can also use the starfruit to purchase various backgrounds and swords. This update is only available for iOS at the moment, but we’re hoping other platforms will get it quickly. Click here to download Fruit Ninja for iPhone and be sure to hit the jump for a cool little video.
John Malkovich is the latest to star in Apple’s iPhone 4S commercials (Video)
Apple has launched two more commercials featuring the iPhone 4S and Siri dubbed, “Joke” and “Life”. In these latest commercial spots its actor John Malkovich trying his hand with Siri, the iPhone’s voice controlled assistant. In the first video, Malkovich asks his iPhone for a joke, in which Siri cleverly replies, “Two iPhones walk into a bar, I forget the rest”. In the second video—also available after the jump for your viewing pleasure—he asks for the meaning of life, this time Siri comes back with, “try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.” Apple seems to be taking a slightly different approach with their latest Siri ads, focusing more on Siri’s eerily realistic human feel or personality, instead of strictly focusing on the voice assistants ability to perform certain tasks. Malkovich is the third such celebrity to star in these new ads, following the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Zooey Deschanel. Do you like Apple’s new approach toward promoting Siri? Be sure to hit the jump and check out the new commercials
Motorola shows off three new all touchscreen Android 4.0 devices for China
It appears Motorola is wasting no time in their production of all touchscreen Android 4.0 equipped devices. At a Chinese event last week, Motorola did just that, when they took the wraps off of three new devices set to land in China. While all three strongly resemble the RAZR style, only adding Android 4.0 and removing any capacitive buttons, bringing a full Nexus style feel to the device. As far as the devices pictured, you’re looking at the XT885 for China Unicom on left–XT889 for China Telecom in center–MT887 for China Mobile on right. Other than ICS and an all touchscreen front, these devices share the same innards as the Verizon branded RAZR, with their 1.2GHz dual-core processors, 8MP camera’s, and even the same 4.3-inch 960×540 qHD displays. All three devices are set to arrive in China on June 2nd, with Engadget pointing out that the MT887 may very well hit Verizon as the rumored DROID Fighter. If it does, we hope to see a much beefier spec list once it reaches U.S. shores.
U.S. Cellular now offers a customized Amazon Appstore menu to its customers
U.S. Cellular has become the first carrier to offer its customers a customized application menu in the Amazon Appstore for Android. Customers on the network using Android devices will now be treated to a new U.S. Cellular tab, which offers up pre-selected and approved apps by the carrier. The Amazon Appstore comes pre-loaded on many of U.S. Cellular’s Android devices, and starting now, those customers will have access to the customized app menu. So, U.S. Cell customers. How does it feel to be the only ones with a customized menu in the Amazon Appstore? We have the full press release after the jump.
HTC releases a detailed timeline of when phones will see Android 4.0
Do you have an HTC device and your just dying to know when you’ll get a taste of Google’s latest flavor? Well, you’ll be happy to know that HTC has provided a timeline giving an approximate window as to when your device, if upgradeable, will see Android 4.0. HTC expects to have most of their devices upgraded between June and July, with the remainder to be upgraded in August. Also noted, is that Sense version 3.6 is included with the Ice Cream Sandwich update. Another key piece of information that HTC mentions is “devices with 512MB ROM or less will not be upgraded to Android 4.0. These devices include the HTC ChaCha, HTC Salsa, HTC Wildfire S, HTC Explorer, and others.” The company also mentions that their tablets, such as the HTC Flyer, HTC Jetstream and HTC EVO View 4G will not be part of the ICS update and will remain on Android version Honeycomb. One more important piece of information shared by HTC is that “rollouts can take up to 45 days from the initial update to reach everyone”, mentioning things like partner approvals, testing and localization as reasons why all devices can’t be upgraded at the same time. Be sure to hit the sourcelink after the jump to see when your device gets the upgrade.
Apple’s next iPhone to come with a 3.95-inch display at 1136×640 pixel resolution?
Apple’s next gen iPhone rumor-mill is already heating up, once again with the size of the next iPhone’s screen at the front and center. According to a report from 9to5 Mac, Apple is currently testing two different models of next generation iPhones, labeled iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2, which are said to be in the pre-engineering verification test stage of development, both featuring 3.95-inch displays with a pixel resolution of 1136×640. It’s also noted that the screen is the same width as the current iPhone, only being slightly taller than the current screen and would now feature a 16:9 aspect ratio. Apple is also said to be testing a special version of iOS 6 for the new taller screens, which would give an extra, or 5th row of apps, as well as extended app UI’s that show more information. New smaller dock connectors are also said to be on-board the new iPhone’s in testing, featuring a narrower version of the current 30-pin connector, sized somewhere between a mini-USB and micro-USB connector. As with any iPhone rumors, a serving of salt is recommended, although iPhone screen size rumors have been hot and heavy as of late. But, until Tim Cook is showing off a new iPhone with a larger display it’s likely no one will know for sure what Apple has up their sleeve. Does the new screen size interest you?
Samsung Galaxy S III available for purchase right now in Dubai, for roughly $667 it can be yours
Samsung’s Galaxy S III isn’t supposed to be out just yet, but that hasn’t stopped a Dubai store in Fono, mall of the emirates, from putting them on sale a little early. Advertisements for the hot new GS3 were spotted in the mall by a Reddit user, who thought this may just be a pre-order deal. After a brief conversation with a store employee, the Reddit user discovered that in fact the white version of the Galaxy S III was for sale, with plenty in stock, and for roughly $667, much cheaper than what Amazon is currently asking. The Galaxy S III is set to officially launch on May 29th, which is just a week away. However, if you happen to be traveling to, or live in Dubai, you’ll be happy to know that you no longer have to wait to get your hands on Samsung’s newest super-phone. Anyone headed to Dubai?
