Samsung’s ChatOn instant messaging service hits 100 million registered users

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Sure, the potential of BBM on Android was a pretty big deal, but BBM certainly isn’t the only popular instant messaging service available. Samsung has just announced that their in-house instant messaging solution, ChatOn, has just hit 100 million registered users, adding 50 million of those in the last four months. Comparatively speaking, BBM has 75 million users. Samsung does measure total registered users as opposed to BBM’s daily active users, but since users aren’t forced to use ChatOn on any of Samsung’s product, it’s still impressive that 100 million people at least gave the app a test drive.


Of course, it’s not a clean comparison, as ChatOn is available on many feature phones as well as Android and iOS, while BBM is stuck in the dark ages on BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry’s numbers may grow once the availability of its app grows, but I’m not sure they’re still popular enough to be able to match 50 million new users in four months. Even if they do have an influx of new users, Samsung’s solution is gaining steam and doesn’t appear to be letting up. It probably won’t even surpass WhatsApp’s 300 million users, but it’s a good place to be regardless.


source: CNET





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X-Physics – play a geeky puzzle game building complex mechanical apparatuses




X-Physics is a geeky physics game that sees you creating detailed constructions in order to guide a ball to a target. Each level sets you a gravitation-reliant challenge and you have to use the various apparatus at your disposal. If you’ve enjoyed games like Apparatus, Cogs or even Amazing Alex, X-Physics will be right up... View Article

X-Physics – play a geeky puzzle game building complex mechanical apparatuses is a post from the World's Largest Global Brand for Android App Reviews: AndroidTapp.com


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Google Makes An Android Game Vending Machine For Japan, For Some Reason

google japan Japan loves vending machines. You know those machines with iPods and Bose headphones at the airport? Japan had them first, among, many, many others, including machines for liquor, live bait, produce, Pokemon, and various other slightly insane things. Now it looks like Google is joining the fray with a promotional machine that dispenses Android games right to your phone. What?


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Engadget was on-hand at a Google event where the company showed off one of three vending machines that will soon go into service.





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Google Makes An Android Game Vending Machine For Japan, For Some Reason was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


PushBullet Updated To Version 11.1, Gets Redesigned UI, New Home And Lock Screen Widgets, And More

PushBullet-Thumb There are many ways to move files between your computers and your Android devices, but most of them feel like a hassle. PushBullet makes things far more simple. This combination web browser plugin/mobile app can send files and links from your computer directly to your notification tray, where you can access them without having to dig around, and its Android app just received a substantial update to version 11.1 that makes it both more attractive and accessible than before.





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PushBullet Updated To Version 11.1, Gets Redesigned UI, New Home And Lock Screen Widgets, And More was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


Monday App And Game Sales: Reading Trainer, FlipPix Art (Free), Perfectly Clear, And More

thumbnail Monday mornings can be a drag, but saving cash is always a nice pick-me-up. We care deeply about your happiness, so we keep careful watch over the Android app ecosystem to let you know when the deals pop up. So let's get to it.


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Apps


Reading Trainer – $1.99 from $3.99


Perfectly Clear – $1.99 from $2.99


Games


Cyber Knights RPG Elite – $0.99 from $2.99


Glory of Generals HD – $1.29 from $2.99


Giana Sisters – $1.00 from $1.95


FlipPix Art – Free from $1.99 (Amazon app of the day)





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Monday App And Game Sales: Reading Trainer, FlipPix Art (Free), Perfectly Clear, And More was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


Images of low cost Motorola DVX surface thanks to FCC documents

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The lower cost version of the Moto X, dubbed the Motorola DVX, could be available next month. We already know that it will have replaceable back panels, which means owners will be able to easily change the color of their DVX. Now we have more images of the device thanks to a revision of the FCC filing.


As you can see, the DVX is going to look a lot like the Moto X, but it will most likely be a little smaller. The Moto X has a 4.7-inch display, and I suspect this device has a 4.3-inch display matching the DROID Mini. The only cosmetic differences is the rear speaker is on the left side of the DVX, as opposed to the right side on the Moto X. There is also a Motorola logo at the top left front. As far as internals, we really don’t know anything other than it appears the DVX is a 3G-only device with compatibilities for GSM 850/1900 bands.



So far we know that it will be available at Republic Wireless in the U.S., but I wouldn’t expect to see it on any of the major carriers. Since the Moto X isn’t going to be available outside the U.S., expect a big push internationally, especially in developing markets.


source: FCC

via: Reddit




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Samsung's ChatON Instant Messenger Has Doubled Its User Base In Only 4 Months, Now Has 100 Million Subscribers

ChatON-Thumb Samsung's ChatON comes pre-installed on a good number of the world's Android devices, and while many of you would take that as reason alone to overlook the app, a good number of other people take the time to check it out. 100 million, apparently. Samsung's happy to announce that its instant messaging platform has doubled the number of users it had back in May. Their excitement is understandable, considering the app first launched in October of 2011.





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Samsung's ChatON Instant Messenger Has Doubled Its User Base In Only 4 Months, Now Has 100 Million Subscribers was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


Xperia Z1 f (aka Honami Mini) specs and pictures leak

Xperia-Z1-f-next-to-Xperia-Z1-NTT-DoCoMo-Brochure


A mini version of the Xperia Z1 is on the way folks, and it looks like it will be called the Xperia Z1 f (SO-02F). It’s also codenamed the Honami Mini. A brochure from NTT DoCoMo shows the full specs along with images of the device alongside the Xperia Z1.


Past practice with Android manufacturers has been to put lower specs in the “mini” versions of the flagships, but Sony is going a completely different route by offering flagship specs in the Xperia Z1 f. It’s going to have a 4.3-inch (1280 x 720) display, a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, 20.7MP rear camera, 2.2MP front camera, and it will be IP55/IP58 dust and water resistant.



Finally fans of smaller phones can enjoy high-end specs which is very refreshing. No word on when the Xperia Z1 f will be released, but I suspect it will be unveiled at CES in January.


Xperia-mini1-NTT-DoCoMo-brochure source: Xperia Blog




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HTC Butterfly 2 front panels leak

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We were thinking that we would never see another HTC Butterfly, but late last week, word got out that HTC will unveil the Butterfly 2 this January. Now the front panel has leaked, which shows that HTC it changing the button style to match the One line. The original Butterfly, which debuted late last year, had a three button configuration (back, home, task) and interestingly enough the Butterfly S had the same exact button arrangement even though it was released several months after the One. The front panels show that the Butterfly 2 will go with the same theme as all the One variants, which is a capacitive back button to the left and the home button to the right, along with the HTC logo at the center.


The Butterfly 2 looks to be a complete beast with a 5.2-inch 1080p display and a Snapdragon 800. That’s the good news. the bad news is that it’s unlikely that it will ever be sold outside of Taiwan. I can wish though. Hit the break for one more image.



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source: Rbmen




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Google Play vending machines arrive in Japan

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So you’re walking down the street and thinking to yourself that you would really like to find a new Android game to play later tonight. Well if you happen to be in Japan, you just might be lucky enough to walk past a brand new Google Play vending machine that offers 18 different games for your downloading pleasure. Of course, you can take a much easier route and tap on the Play Store icon on your phone. However, the vending machine seems just as easy since all you need to do is select a game, place your NFC-enabled Android phone on the tray, and your game will download in no time. The titles range from free-to-play to paid titles.


If you don’t have an Android phone, the vending machines offer a Nexus 4 for you to try out. Apparently Google employees will man the machines just in case you think it’s free and decide to walk away with it. The Google Play vending machines will be in front of the Parco department store in Shibuya. Unfortunately, there are no plans to bring these machines to other countries, but I think you guys can handle it the old fashioned way. Hit the break for more images.



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source: Engadget




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Verizon web site letting users keep unlimited data plans even when upgrading [Update - Verizon pulls the plug]

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If you are a Verizon customer hoping to upgrade your phone, but hesitant about losing your unlimited data plan, you may want to give some serious consideration to going ahead and pulling the trigger. Like right after you finish reading this article. Inexplicably, the Verizon web site is currently letting customers place orders for upgraded devices, even pre-ordering devices, without requiring users with unlimited data plans to switch over to one of the tiered plans. Several Verizon customers have reported success in placing an order or pre-order for a new device without any apparent impact on their unlimited data plan.



It is not clear why this may be happening. It could be some problem with the Verizon website that their team has not yet been able to correct, assuming they are aware of the issue. It is also not clear what Verizon may do when they discover all the orders for devices with grandfathered unlimited data plans. Hopefully they will honor what the buyers signed up for.


In the meantime, the word is starting to spread around the Internet, so it is only a matter of time before Verizon fixes things. So make haste if this is the right deal for you.


Update – It looks like Verizon has pulled the plug on this deal. Again, we have no idea if Big Red will honor any purchases that happened before they caught the mistake. Hopefully they will do the right thing.


source: Android Central




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A.I Watch hopes to be a standalone smartphone on your wrist

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With all of the smartwatches hitting the market this year, it is not surprising that yet another company hopes to get in on the action. Swissco Ltd has created an Indigogo project to fund mass production of the A.I. Watch, a device that not only serves as a typical small-screen device worn on the wrist in the manner of a wristwatch, with the capability of holding a SIM card and the necessary antennas it can function as a standalone smartphone.


The A.I Watch will run Android 4.0.4, comes equipped with 4GB of storage, 512MB of RAM and a 1.54-inch 240×240 resolution screen. The watch should be powerful enough to access the Google Play store so users can install any app they can find that will work on the small screen.


True to the smartwatch movement, Swissco Ltd is focusing on the style aspect of the device as much as the technology with plans for several styles that will entice buyers to make a fashion statement.


Check out the video below showing the A.I Watch in action and hit the source link if you want to get in on the Indiegogo funding opportunity as the company tries to raise $100,000.



Click here to view the embedded video.


source: Indiegogo

via: Engadget




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Possible Screenshot and Bug Report from Upcoming Nexus Leaked – 1080p Resolution, White Status Bar Icons and More

KitKatLeakTop


As we edge closer to an announcement of the next iteration of Android, aka KitKat, and the next generation of Google’s Nexus program it can be expected that the trickle of leaks will turn into a flood. Today’s leak comes in the form of a screenshot and bug report. That screenshot shows us more of what we’ve already seen while also debunking last week’s colorful leak.


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As we can see from the picture above, the white status bar icons are back and identical to the now-removed Korean Keyboard IME screenshot from last week. The antennae toting piece of pie is still there. We also see what appears to be Google Authenticator icons. All of this, debunking the previous screenshot with the transparent icons. If not to debunk it further, the gents over Android Police were able to confirm the accuracy and legitimacy of the leaked bug report.



As for the bug report itself, there are only bits and pieces of the 10MB report from 9/15. Considering that it contains personal information, chances are that there won’t be access to the report in its entirety. Although from the screenshots (in the gallery below), the Nexus 5 name is shown a few times, along with the Hammerhead ID and hints at wireless charge detection. There’s also information that shows a 1920×1080 resolution with a PPI of 443, suggesting that the screen will be right around five inches.


As we move closer to an announcement we’re going to see more and more leaks. While that’s all well in good, we’re just hoping that Google gets to announcing the new Nexus running KitKat sooner rather than later.


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source: Myce

via: Android Police




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