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AT&T Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro Jelly Bean update now available

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds, Software,

Samsung Galaxy Rubgy Pro

All you Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro users on AT&T, listen up! We just got word from your carrier that the long-awaited update that'll allow you to upgrade your device to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is now available. That means that your push-to-talk capable device will now let you use feature like Google Now, Quick Settings, and even DriveMode, which aims to prevent texting while driving. When you're ready to upgrade, just hit the link below.

Read More | Galaxy Rugby Pro Android 4.1 upgrade

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Sprint readies FM Radio and Entertain Me packages for Android and Windows Phones

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Music,

Sprint Entertain Me RadioSprint is bringing FM radio to select Android and Windows Phone devices this year with the NextRadio tuner app. This move makes Sprint the first US carrier to herald FM radio in such fashion, and shows the amount of faith the carrier puts in a format some might say is already dead.

Sprint also revealed an application bundle for the Sprint Zone on Android dubbed "Entertain Me." The bundle will feature Sprint TV and Movies, Sprint Music Plus, Spotify, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Shazam, and Rumpus.


Microsoft to migrate Messenger users to Skype on March 15

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Corporate News, Microsoft, Software,

Skype Microsoft Messenger

Microsoft is officially retiring its Messenger service and will redirect users, and their contacts, to Skype.

According to The Next Web, users will retain access to Microsoft Messenger until March 15th, at which point they will then be prompted to join Skype. The migration will be made with your contacts in tow, so that alleviates some of the stress involved in the changing of hands. Mobile users of Skype will be glad to know that Microsoft account support is already mixed in with the iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 8 to make the transfer as swift as possible.

How do you feel about the death of Messenger? Let us know in the comments.

Read More | The Next Web

Ubuntu coming to smartphones in 2014

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Software,

Ubuntu smartphone OS

Canonical, makers of the open source Linux Ubuntu desktop OS, is in the process of turning Ubuntu into a mobile operating system and has sets its sights on a 2014 launch. The OS boasts an intuitive take on the lock screen, and uses gestures for navigating through the device. However, will this be enough to take on the juggernauts that iOS and Android have become? As of now, even with the power of Microsoft behind it, Windows Phone is still catering to a niche market, and RIM is still staggering to regain its footing as it revamps the BlackBerry operating system (formally QNX, now dubbed BlackBerry 10.) Will the Open Community come through and help propel Ubuntu's mobile OS?

Click to continue reading Ubuntu coming to smartphones in 2014

Read More | Ubuntu

Top 10 Gear Live stories of 2012

iPhone 5 vs iPhone 4S vs iPhone original

We've come to the end of another year, and as we wave goodbye to 2011, we figured it was only fitting that we share the most popular stories published on Gear Live this year, as determined by our readers (we've also got the top ten most read stories regardless of publish date, as well as the ten most popular Gear Live videos of 2012!) These are the ten stories that were read the most, and when you consider that fact, it's pretty surprising to see what made the list. Let's kick it off with our most read story of the year:

iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. iPhone original:
iPhone 5 certainly got a lot of attention this year, and our image gallery comparing it to previous iPhone designs served as our most popular post in all of 2012.

Click to continue reading Top 10 Gear Live stories of 2012


Bitcasa Brings infinite cloud storage to Android, Windows 8, and Windows Phone

Bitcasa brings its unlimited cloud storage from the desktop to the mobile-verse today, with Android and Windows Phone 8 users getting first dibs. An iOS and Mac version are promised in early January, however, so you won't feel left out in the cold for too long.

The apps for Android and Windows 8 stream media through its native player with two-way file access so you can access your files from your Surface. Android users can also link their camera app to Bitcasa, so each photo they take is automatically saved to the cloud.

Click to continue reading Bitcasa Brings infinite cloud storage to Android, Windows 8, and Windows Phone

Read More | Google Play Store

Google Play Books for Androids Adds New ‘Read Aloud’ Feature

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Google, Software,

Google Play Books read aloud

The new version of Google Play Books for Android has a new feature that reads books to users on its own. The feature is titled, obviously, "read aloud," and works with most books without the need for the book to come with a "read aloud" enabled feature.

You'll also find a new pinch-to-zoom feature, as well as double-tap-to-zoom. Further, the app now makes recommendations on other books you might find enjoyable after you finish reading one book. Though, if you're like me, you prefer to soak in the totality of a one book world before even thinking about diving into another.

Read More | Google Play

Facebook encouraging employees to switch to Android

Facebook Android phones

Facebook wants more of its employees carrying Android devices, employing vaguely propagandistic posters around its Menlo Park campus. The posters outline the growing lead Android has over iOS, projecting that lead to double by 2016. The goal is to get Facebook employees using devices that the majority of their app users use, or "Droidfooding," as the campaign is casually known.

“In the early days we gave employees iPhones primarily”, a Facebook spokesperson said to TechCrunch. This recent shift to a more Android OS orientated workplace is part of an effort to make it as simple as possible to test future Facebook For Android and Facebook Messenger apps.

“We’ve created more awareness that Android devices are available” Facebook says. "There's plenty of people here carrying around both devices, and not just engineers and not just mobile people.”

Read More | TechCrunch

US Cellular readies Jelly Bean update for Samsung Galaxy S III

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Smartphones, Google, Software,

Galaxy S III Jelly Bean US Cellular

US Cellular is about to begin distributing Android 4.1 to it's variation of Samsung Galaxy S III devices starting this Friday, December 21.

Android 4.1, or Jelly Bean, contains the features Galaxy S III owners on other carriers are used to by now, such as Project Butter, Google Now, camera improvements, notifications, widgets and an improved interface.

US Cellular hasn't released an exact time of day that users can expect the update, as they have to be pretty anxious by now, but what we do know is that the update can be done over the air, or over USB.

Read More | US Cellular

Samsung Galaxy S III, other Android devices susceptible to malware through Google Play

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Smartphones, Google, Software,

galaxy s iii malware

A "severe vulnerability" has been identified within the Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note II, and possibly other Android devices.

The vulnerability leaves these devices open to malware downloaded in remote apps, which can then read user data and even brick your phone completely. "The good news is we can easily obtain root on these devices and the bad is there is no control over it," said xda-developers user Alephzain. Usually, vulnerabilities like this require physical access to the phone, while this vulnerability allows it to be attacked from apps downloaded from the Google Play Store.

Samsung is apparently aware of the problem, but has not publicly acknowledged the problem. Millions of devices are reportedly at risk right now as public knowledge of the issue spreads.

Read More | The Verge

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