Although it doesn't appear to have been a particularly widespread issue, some Galaxy S III users have seen their handsets suddenly cease to work for no apparent reason in the past month or so. Some left it charging overnight, while others simply turned the screen off, only to later discover that the device had become bricked. Samsung has been helping Galaxy S III owners resuscitate their devices by free repairs and in most cases, replacements, but reports now suggest the Korean company is planning a firmware update to remedy the issue causing the initial problem.
Hewlett-Packard disappointed many with its impromptu decision to ditch webOS, but as many others who got the opportunity to use it will vouch, it's a very useful operating system. It's clean, functions nicely, and as such, it should come as no surprise that some folks are trying to resuscitate it with the Open webOS project. Having already made its way to the Google-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the webOS team has now managed to port it to the Nexus 7 tablet, and although it's not as smooth as one may have hoped, there are a lot of positives - notably the full functionality of the Wi-Fi and browser.
If you use your Android smartphone or tablet for even half the purposes that an average geek would put it to, chances are strong that you have pretty sensitive data stored in there that you’d definitely not want to get in the wrong hands. Truth be told, today’s smartphones are no long mere communication devices; they’re photo albums with all the pictures of our loved ones, they’re our personal information managers, holding all our contact lists, appointments, schedules etc., then these devices are also our internet hubs, storing all content ready for access by anyone who can get into your device. And these examples constitute only the tip of the iceberg; the rabbit hole goes far deeper.
If you have ever used a smartphone, a tablet, or a branded PC, you must be familiar with the term “bloatware”. Essentially, the term is used to denote those software and applications that the manufacturer of your hardware has deemed necessary to include with the native operating system, often packaged as free versions of various apps. Some people really find this helpful, as they get out-of-box solutions for a lot of scenarios, but most of the advanced users would advise you against that, because truth be told, these “free” apps are usually promotion-ware that the manufacturer has only included to market the work of its partners, thereby making money off of them. Why bloatware is specifically bad is that it slows your computer or phone down considerably, and in other instances, may take up valuable storage space (which is a real concern for most smartphones).
Mobile devices ensure that catching up with the latest news and feeds is a doddle. Whether you're looking for a magazine, or just want an update from your favorite sources, there are more apps available than most people would care to count. Press, a Google Reader app for Android, is a prime example of such an app done properly, and not only it organizes your content in an easy-to-find interface, but is arguably the best looking application in its field.
Despite having been around for considerably less time than the App Store, Google Play has grown to house almost as many apps as its Cupertino rival. With 2012's conclusion nigh, the Big G has released a list pertaining its favorite apps and games released this year in two separate lists. "Games We Love" focuses on those addictive, exciting, and thought-provoking releases this year, while "App Focus" gives an insight into the rich, diverse quantity of apps available.
In the Android ecosystem, the first ever tablets (other than the first experimental builds like original Galaxy Tab and HTC Flyer) ran on Honeycomb, Android 3.0, which was tailor-made to suit the tablet devices’ larger screens. Unfortunately (or not), Android 3.0 didn’t really see much glory for two reasons. One, it was rather buggy in itself, and two, when Ice Cream Sandwich was released, it unified both tablet and smartphone versions of the Android ecosystem, making it redundant to have a separate OS in the first place. For the same reasons, the said Android version didn’t see much developer love, either.
Android is constantly a target for those looking to spread malware, and the latest - discovered by Russian security outfit Doctor Web - is probably one of the more significant to date. Arriving in the form of a trojan, it can aid the loathed Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, while also housing the ability to send spam SMS messages and receive commands from the criminals behind them.
Samsung’s Galaxy Camera is a truly remarkable device. To begin with, it’s the first of its kind, offering a truly powerful and capable camera running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The connectivity options on board are truly a tech-enthusiast’s dream come true. Then, you can do a lot more on the device than you’d be able to on any traditional point and shoot camera. Despite being priced rather steep, there’s a lot of love that the unorthodox Android device has received. You have root access on the Galaxy Camera whilst running Android Jelly Bean, and then there’s an unlocked boot loader, too. Is there more to wish for? Yes, you certainly can, because XDA member Adam Outler has discovered some neat Samsung internal codes that can be executed even on the Galaxy Camera to gain access to hidden menus and secret areas.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note II were two devices that redefined how the world viewed smartphones. The Dell Streak had been perhaps one of the original phablets (phone + tablet), but the Note lineup’s revolutionary design, hardware specifications, and the exclusive S Pen stylus made it something much more than any of its predecessors. Add to the fact that the device was produced by the famous Korean manufacturer that had already made for itself a towering reputation with droids, didn’t hurt the device’s success in any way. If you think about it, the Galaxy Note is a complete winner in almost all aspects, except for the large size (which is completely a matter of preference and opinion, by the way).
