| Android 4.0.4 rolls out to HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus and GSM Nexus S Mar 28th 2012, 22:23 Let's just say you have an HSPA+ Samsung Galaxy Nexus (I9250) or a UMTS / GSM Nexus S (I9020). It may behoove you, then, to begin frantically checking your phone to see if any updates are available, because Google has taken to its favorite social network to announce that Android 4.0.4 is rolling out to these devices as well as the Motorola Xoom WiFi, as we reported earlier. This news comes nearly two weeks after we learned from our sources that the Nexus S update was nigh at hand, and only hours after the AOSP became available. This is incredibly exciting for anyone who wasn't able to download ICS on their Nexus S before the update was pulled, and equally thrilling for owners that have been using the version Google disowned since this past December. Heck, it's jubilant enough to make any fan of firmware updates shout with glee. Ready for the asterisk? It's not rolling out to the CDMA counterparts... at least, not yet. It's hard to say what that really means. Are the Verizon Galaxy Nexus and Sprint Nexus S 4G being considered second-class citizens, demoted to as lengthy a wait as the droves of other Gingerbread devices? We're reaching out for word on when (or if) we can expect the refresh to hit these handsets, but Mountain View's lips are shut in the meantime. (image courtesy Mirzet Kadic) Android 4.0.4 rolls out to HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus and GSM Nexus S originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink |  Google Plus | Email this | Comments | | Kindle Fire update brings sharing, 'print replica' textbooks, more to tablet Mar 28th 2012, 22:10 Amazon has started pushing out an over-the-air update that'll bring a slew of new features to its budget Kindle Fire tablet. Topping the list of upgrades is new sharing functionality that makes it possible for readers to send passages and notes from within the comfort of a book via social networks like Facebook and Twitter by highlighting and clicking "Share." Also on the slate is supplemental material powered by Shelfari, letting users find character descriptions, glossaries of of common terms, locations and author information from inside a text. Version 6.3 also brings "print replicas" of textbooks, which include linked tables of contents and Whipsersyncing of notes and highlights. For a full rundown of the new features, check out the source link below. Kindle Fire update brings sharing, 'print replica' textbooks, more to tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Amazon | Email this | Comments | | Telenav opens up Scout for Apps, the HTML5 GPS navigation service, to all interested devs Mar 28th 2012, 21:43 At the end of last year, Telenav revealed its browser-based HTML5 turn-by-turn navigation system and made it available to a select few devs to put it to good use. For an encore, it unveiled its personalized GPS service, Scout, at CES. Now, the company has created Scout for Apps and made the service available to all developers who want it, assuming they're coding iOS or HTML5 applications (Android support is in the works, and is slated to arrive later this year). That means that apps and websites can now incorporate turn-by-turn navigation directly, as opposed to launching a separate application to get you where you want to go. Keep in mind that Telenav isn't pitching this as a full GPS replacement -- more a value added proposition to developers -- and after spending some time using Scout, we can see why. We tested the browser-based Scout service on our Android handset to run a few errands, and we found it a useful tool, but it certainly pales in comparison to its application counterparts. There's noticeable lag when attempting to swipe around maps, no pinch to zoom (onscreen buttons are the only option), and it lacks features like traffic reports or a way to remember favorite locations. That said, it does do a good job of getting you where you want to go, and the rudimentary nav functionality is certainly more appealing than the static maps found in apps currently. Plus, it's quite nice to not have to launch a separate application to get directions. If you want to test Scout for Apps on your mobile, hit the source link below, but check out the PR and video after the break to learn a little more before you do. Continue reading Telenav opens up Scout for Apps, the HTML5 GPS navigation service, to all interested devs Telenav opens up Scout for Apps, the HTML5 GPS navigation service, to all interested devs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Scout for Apps, Telenav Developers | Email this | Comments | | Nokia's Lumia 800 firmware update juices handsets, banishes battery issues Mar 28th 2012, 21:16 Still holding out on Nokia to squash any lingering battery bugs lurking inside your Lumia 800's beautiful shell? For some of you, today's your lucky day, as Espoo's just released a fresh batch of bits, which bring "significant improvements in battery performance and power management." We've seen version 1600.2487.8107 make the rounds once before, but previously when it was a Vodafone-branded variant -- which you may recall WPCentral discovered was responsible for an impressive 3x improvement (!) in battery life. Enhancements to audio are present in the build as well, with the company tweaking bass for "better voice quality" and your music enjoyment. Those ready to update should peep the Zune desktop software, although Nokia cautions not everyone will will get updated today, as coordinating across multiple carriers in different markets is like "herding sheep," resulting in a multi-stage rollout in the coming four weeks. More details, including a video on how to update, await at the source. Nokia's Lumia 800 firmware update juices handsets, banishes battery issues originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 17:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Conversations by Nokia | Email this | Comments | | Mexico's CFC deems Telcel 'too dominant' in mobile call termination, more regulations coming Mar 28th 2012, 20:52 Things could be getting a tad bit messy for the world's richest man, Carlos Slim, as Mexico's CFC (or Federal Competition Commission) has ruled one of his companies holds too much power in a key wireless sector. The CFC's beef with Telcel isn't exactly novel; earlier this year the antitrust agency served the phone outfit with an 11,000,000 pesos fine (around $864,000) for "monopoly practices." Telcel's latest troubles date back to 2011, when the CFC deemed the company "too dominant" in the mobile call termination game, and now it's taken a unanimous vote that'll allow it to implement "asymmetric" regulations on Telcel's service quality, charges and information. Not all is lost for Slim's carrier, however, since it could still appeal the CFC's decision. Mexico's CFC deems Telcel 'too dominant' in mobile call termination, more regulations coming originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink  The Wall Street Journal | CNN (Spanish) | Email this | Comments | |
