Android Tablet Update

Are you fed up with your wireless carrier? Wish you could lower the cost of your monthly bill? Tired of waiting on slow Android updates? Upset that Verizon won’t be carrying the current HTC One series? Want to purchase an unlocked Galaxy S III and start using it in the US months before the nerfed carrier versions arrive?

Pre-paid wireless service has existed in North America for several years, but it wasn’t a real viable option for smartphone owners until recently. There are now tons of affordable unlocked devices to choose from and plenty of options for pre-paid data at 4G HSPA+ speeds. Read on to see why you might want to shred your current wireless contract and think about joining the pre-paid club.

1. Freedom to choose your own device

Wouldn’t it suck if your internet service provider dictated what kind of computer you had to buy? What if your cable provider only allowed you to watch programming on selected TVs? That’s exactly the situation we have with some wireless carriers and the phones they allow on their networks.

If you switch to pre-paid, you can buy any unlocked GSM phone of your choice and then choose your wireless service with no contract and no commitments.

Google recently started selling their Galaxy Nexus for $399 and reports say that up to five OEMs will be selling unlocked devices through the Google Play Store by Thanksgiving. Amazon also has hundreds of unlocked phones that will work on any GSM network.

The market for used devices is also rapidly growing. You can buy and sell used Android phones on Glyde, Gazelle, Swappa, and many more online retailers.

If there is a smartphone you really desire, chances are you can buy it unlocked and prices continue to drop. An unlocked phone will cost you more in the beginning, but the long term savings will pay off big time…

2. Save money by cutting your monthly bill in half

Why put up with a $100 bill each month when you could be getting the same services for $30-45? Most post-paid monthly bills are high because the wireless companies subsidize the cost of your handset and spread it out over your 2-yr contract, but there are all other kinds of hidden fees and taxes tossed in.

Many pre-paid carriers offer flat rate pricing, so you pay exactly the monthly rate that is advertised. It’s not like a post-paid carrier that advertises a monthly plan for $59, but then your final bill comes in close to $80 after all the fees, surcharges, and taxes.

Best of all, pre-paid carriers have no contracts or commitments so there are no early termination fees if you want to switch networks. Gone are the days of paying Verizon $300 if you are unhappy with their service and want to leave 6 months into your 24 month contract.

If you do the math, going pre-paid can easily save you over $1,000+ for the span of a typical 2-yr contract. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but pre-paid smartphone service is always cheaper than post-paid.

3. Android updates from carriers are broken

The process in which North American carriers update the software on Android phones is completely broken. First a handset maker must build and test an update, then Google needs to approve it, and finally the carrier has to put their stamp of approval on it.

If one little bug is discovered, then the whole process must start over. And often times, it’s some stupid crap like carrier bloatware that is incompatible with the latest update. I’ve heard stories of certain updates being pushed back months just because they didn’t work with the carrier installed navigation app (that no one uses).

Just look at Google’s flagship Galaxy Nexus on Verizon. That device launched on December 15th with a handful of known bugs, and five months have passed without a single update.

The HTC One X is another good example. I have the AT&T version and the international version. The AT&T model has received no updates since I have had it, while the international model has been updated 5 times already by HTC. These updates has helped to improve performance, extend battery life, and squash annoying bugs. It’s a breath of fresh air to see regular updates instead of going nearly half a year with no new software from your carrier.

When carriers get out of the way, software updates flow much more frequently. A Google employee confirmed this when the Galaxy Nexus went on sale in the Play Store. He said they were “very glad that Google is back in the business of selling phones directly without any middlemen to interfere.”

4. LTE is overkill for the average user

One of the major downfalls to going pre-paid is going to be the lack of LTE service, but I have found that it’s mostly overkill for the average user. Having your smartphone connected to a 4G LTE network is really good for two things – eating up your data allowance 5x faster and draining your battery life.

Unless you are downloading large files on a daily basis or tethering your device to share the internet connection, I have not seen many other use cases that take advantage of LTE speeds yet. Both AT&T and T-Mobile offer 4G HSPA+ networks that offer a similar experience for the majority of tasks performed with a smartphone.

A certain number of mobile workers require LTE speeds so they will be stuck with their carrier, but I have found that I can live without LTE since I’m surrounded by WiFi at home and work.

5. Straight Talk SIM

There are many options for pre-paid, SIM only service, but I decided to go with Straight Talk after doing my homework. Straight Talk is a brand of Tracfone and they offer unlimited GSM service on AT&T or T-Mobile’s network.

For only $45.95 per month (taxes included and no hidden fees), you can get unlimited talk, text, and HSPA+ data. Straight Talk lets you choose between AT&T or T-Mobile compatible SIM cards and they also offer micro SIMs for newer smartphones.

Of course the data is not truly unlimited like Sprint and the terms of service prevent tethering, but you can still get access to a HSPA+ network and get download speeds of 5-10 Mbps depending on your device and location.

For most people this is “good enough”, and it’s the same exact service they are paying double for with AT&T or T-Mobile.

I encourage you to visit Straight Talk SIM for the full details.

6. Simple Mobile

Simple Mobile is another pre-paid SIM only service that operates on T-Mobile’s network. They were recently acquired by Tracfone, but we expect them to keep the brand going.

Like Straight Talk, Simple mobile will sell you a regular SIM card or a micro SIM. Phones that were designed to operate on AT&T will still work with Simple Mobile, but they will only have access to 2G Edge data speeds.

They offer a cheaper plan for $40 per month that includes unlimited talk, text, and web, but data speeds are limited to 3G HSPA. If you want the full 4G HSPA+ speeds, then you will have to pay $60 per month.

Once again, tethering is not supported and your data speeds may be throttled if you abuse the service.

I think Straight Talk SIM is a better deal all around, but check out the Simple Mobile site for more details.

7. T-Mobile Monthly 4G and SIM-only Value Plan

If you don’t need a lot of talk time and really want to save some money, you can also go with T-Mobile’s Monthly 4G pre-paid plans. T-Mobile sells the SIM card activation kit for only $1.99 online.

As you can see above, for $30 per month customers get 100 minutes, unlimited text, and 5 GB 4G HSPA+ data (after that it’s throttled). There is a $60 per month plan that offers unlimited minutes, but it only includes 2 GB of 4G HSPA+ data. And for $70 per month you can get unlimited talk, text, and 5 GB of 4G HSPA+ data.

Just like Simple Mobile, phones that were designed to operate on AT&T will still work with Monthly 4G plans, but they will only have access to 2G Edge data speeds. I believe all the SIM cards are full size, but you can pick up a SIM card cutter for under $5 if you have a newer device.

Head over to the Monthly 4G Prepaid Plans page for the full details.

T-Mobile is one of the only nationwide carriers to sell a SIM-only service. It’s more expensive than the options listed above, but we still wanted to share it.

For $59.99 per month customers get unlimited talk, text, and data (up to 2 GB of high speed). A two-line family plan is also offered at $49.99 per line, per month.

In order to get a SIM-only Value Plan, customer will have to pay a $35 activation fee and agree to a two-year service agreement. This kind of defeats the purpose of pre-paid, and there are much better options out there.

Visit T-Mobile’s SIM-only service page for the full details.

Conclusions

• Pre-paid plans offer access to AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ networks
• Pre-paid has no contracts and no commitments. Switch service providers whenever you like
• Carriers slow down Android software updates. Popular unlocked devices get more frequent updates
• Google’s Galaxy Nexus at $399 is a great deal, and more devices are coming to the Google Play Store
• Pre-paid is not for everyone, but if it fits your needs then it can save you a lot of money

If you have already made the jump to pre-paid, let us know how your experience has been. Would you recommend it to your friends and family? And if you are thinking about leaving your carrier, please share your concerns below.

Set aside the differences in sharing things like photos and videos. Set aside the differences in how the app store and media purchases work. Hell, you can even set aside the differences in cost, hardware design and software design in general. And you’d still be left with the biggest problem Android faces over platforms like iOS today: manufacturers are still releasing too many damn phones. It’s what affects a company’s ability to provide timely updates, what keeps accessory manufacturers from supporting more devices and what makes Android look like the the dumb-phone OS of the future.

Japan’s NTT Docomo has announced their latest lineup of devices in the “Next” and “With” series to be sold this summer; both feature a handful of Android devices. Actually, handful isn’t quite right. Maybe truck load. Or landfill. In total, NTT Docomo detailed 17 different Android devices. 16 phones and one tablet. There’s devices from Fujitsu, Panasonic, LG, Sharp, Toshiba, Sony and Samsung.

Now before I go any further, I want to make it known that I believe a certain level of choice is a good thing. But there can be too much of a good thing. Verizon has been guilty of it in the past. The biggest manufacturers in the world, like Motorola, HTC and Samsung, are all guilty of it. But what Docomo has done with their summer lineup of devices just blows my mind.

Are case makers stumbling around, trying to get several different designs made up for each of the 16 phones announced? Has Docomo sat down with all the manufacturers who are providing handsets to discuss how and when the next updates will be delivered to those handsets? Do popular Japanese app developers plan to run out and buy 16 new phones this summer to ensure app compatibility?

It seems to me that NTT Docomo is treating Android like the dumb-phone OS of the future. In the past, carriers like Docomo and Verizon here in the US would release dump loads of dumb-phones, all with the same OS, but slightly different variations. Some with bigger screens, some with physical keyboards, some with good cameras, etc. Those handsets were never updated to get rid of any bugs that made it through the pre-release process, cases were hard to come by, there was no such thing as accessories like stereo docks (even for the special music phones of the day). With the way phones were released, quality was an issue. There was never enough time spent on each device throughout the development process.

RIM was the first company to change the cycle by releasing a couple different models of BlackBerrys a year, all of them the same all around the world. Sidekick was also a part of the trend, and so was Motorola (at least for awhile) with the release of the RAZR. Apple has carried the torch and taken it even further by releasing only one device a year. Someone like Docomo is not only going against a trend that actually makes sense for consumers, they’re actually destroying progress.

Bottom line: Releasing too many phones hurts app compatibility. It hurts the update process. Handset quality suffers, and in turn, so do consumers.

Carriers and manufacturers, feel free to provide a rich portfolio of Android smartphones. Don’t feel bad trying different things. But for the love of all that is good with the little green guy, don’t do what Docomo has done. Just stop it.

My name is Taylor Wimberly and I’m an unhappy Verizon customer. Five months ago I walked into a Verizon store, purchased two Galaxy Nexus phones, and ported my numbers over from T-Mobile. I knew there was a strong chance I might regret that decision, but I wanted to try out Google’s flagship smartphone on America’s largest wireless carrier.

Google bent over backwards to get their flagship device on Verizon’s network so we thought they would provide a stellar experience. However, I found the entire experiment to be a big failure and I wish I could go back in time to purchase the unlocked GSM Galaxy Nexus and stick with T-Mobile.

Verizon and Google originally planned to launch the Galaxy Nexus back in October, but numerous bugs were discovered and the launch date was pushed back multiple times. On December 15th, Verizon finally released the Galaxy Nexus to retail stores, bugs still present, and issued a small patch on that same day to address some of the issues.

Unfortunately, the patch from Android 4.0.1 to 4.0.2 only addressed a small number of issues and the Galaxy Nexus was left with a good chunk of annoying bugs.

We were told that Verizon and Google were already working together on another update to address the complaints from those of us that rushed out to purchase the device, and we believed them. But never in our wildest dreams did we think that five months would pass and Verizon would still not release a software update to fix all the known issues.

I’ve already covered the bugs and Google has fixed the majority of them with the latest Android 4.0.4 update. The disappointing thing is that Verizon has been testing this update since February, but they have not rolled it out to customers yet.

We reached out to Verizon to get to the bottom of the delay and they told us they needed more time to make sure the software update “won’t harm either customers’ phones or our network.”

I’m fully aware I could hack my phone and flash one of the test builds which would end my misery, but I decided to stick with the official Verizon software build so I could endure the same experience that the average subscriber would see on their device.

For all we know Verizon could announce tomorrow that a new software update is finally available for their Galaxy Nexus, but the public image of this device is now forever tarnished and I would no longer recommend that any Verizon customer purchase it.

Drive-by Conclusions

In my five months with the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, I have learned some interesting things:

• The process in which US carriers update the software on their Android phones is completely broken, and Google knows this.
• The average Android phone ships with numerous bugs and it could take your wireless carrier half a year to fix them.
• Most Android users don’t hack their phones, and they have a shitty experience.
• Google’s solution to this whole problem is to just buy a phone directly from them.

At the end of the day, I’m still glad that I got to experience being a Verizon customer. Their in-store staff and phone support is top tier, and I understand there is nothing they can do to fix the problem with Android updates. They offered me the chance to switch to a different smartphone, but I think I’m better off paying the $300 early termination fee and returning to an unlocked device.

Maybe Google will fundamentally change the way that Android devices are updated, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. In the mean time it appears that only a Google backed device should expect regular updates, but even that’s not certain.

This June is going to be huge for mobile operating systems. Not only is Google hosting I/O, where they should be announcing several exciting things, but Microsoft will be announcing products and services at the Windows Phone Developer Summit, and Apple will be detailing iOS 6 at WWDC. I plan on going over some of the things I think we’ll see at I/O in another post, right now I want to talk about the competition.

Windows Phone could very well be on the verge of taking off. The Lumia 900 is reportedly selling well here in the States. Big name developers are finally gravitating towards Windows Phone. And the platform is about to receive a huge push from carriers like Verizon and AT&T. Knowing this, it’s still hard to tell what to expect from Microsoft at WPDS.

We know that Microsoft is going to try and lure developers at the conference. How? Showing off “Windows Phone 8,” as it’s rumored to be named, and giving away free devices to attendees are good bets. Boasting more carrier support might also be in the set list.

Back in late April, Reuters reported that Verizon was going to put some serious weight behind Windows Phone. Saying that the US’ largest carrier was working closely with Microsoft like they did with Google on the original Droid. For developers, this news is huge. Some of the original developers making apps for Android right before the Droid dropped are still the most popular apps today. If Microsoft were to announce nothing more than Verizon’s plans for just how seriously they’ll be supporting Windows Phone 8 devices, the Windows Phone Developer Summit would still be a success.

Even if Microsoft did announce something huge, like the Lumia 900 coming to more carriers in the US or Verizon as a launch partner for Windows Phone 8 this fall, these kind of events are rarely covered in-depth by anybody other than technology publications. So the general public is rarely immediately affected by the things announced. In other words, don’t expect Android’s market share to take a sky dive this June. I do, however, think the Windows Phone Developer Summit will be the next phase of Microsoft’s rise to relevancy.

As for Apple, no one knows anything. Even going by past years at the Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, we’re still just guessing. In the past, Apple has announced the next iPhone at WWDC. Last year they waited until the fall though, and just spent the conference discussing software changes. There’s good reason to believe that will be the case this year. But unlike Microsoft, the things Apple could announce may be immediately disruptive to Android and Google. Especially since Apple likes to announce a product, and get it out as soon as possible.

The two most popular rumors surrounding iOS 6, expected to be detailed at WWDC, include maps and social networking.

The social networking rumor is new this week, but carries a lot of weight. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple will be updating iCloud to include photo sharing. Allowing for comments, likes, etc. on iCloud will essentially turn Apple’s cloud based storage service into a full-blown social network. With the amount of people already using iCloud, they’d have a ton of users right off the bat. And more would undoubtedly want to join. I could see entire families switching to iOS just so everyone can use the photo sharing feature built right into iCloud. All it would take is one member of the family already using it and everyone else would be sucked right in (I’ve seen it happen with things as small as Facetime. True story.).

It’s hard to imagine the full scale of damage iCloud photo sharing could have on Android. There may be an exodus of people looking to get in on Apple’s exclusive social network, or it may do nothing at all. It’s certainly worth keeping an eye on though.

The other half of the two most popular iOS 6 rumors will be crazy huge for Google. But it might not be all bad.

Apple is expected to announce a new maps app in iOS 6. One that has nothing to do with Google. Yes, seriously. Even though Google Maps is largely regarded as the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to geography, Apple will be ditching the service and releasing their own competing service. The immediate thing this means for Google is that as soon as Apple throws the switch and their maps app hits iOS devices everywhere, Google will lose millions upon millions of users in a flash. The damage there will be instantaneous. But it could go even further.

Let’s say for a moment, that like the Mac Press would have you believe, iOS 6 maps is going to blow your mind. There’s supposed to be some awesome 3D technology implemented in the app, and it’s supposed to be super reliable. If the app is good enough, Apple may actually be able to lure in customers it. If it’s not amazing, then it works to Google’s advantage. Google will be able to lure in customers by boasting the leading name in mapping software, Google Maps. No matter what happens, Apple’s maps app will have an effect on Android. There’s no doubt about it.

Those are just some of the things I expect to see detailed at Microsoft and Apple’s developer conferences this June. Who knows what else could be detailed, and how they can affect Android. What kinds of things do you expect Microsoft and Apple to announce at their developer conferences this June? Any new services or products? Let us know in the comments below.

The Nexus name has come under some serious fire lately; and I can’t deny playing my part in that. Thanks to botched updates, carrier control and an absolutely horrendous initial rollout, Google’s Nexus line just ain’t what it used to be. So why then, did I just recently purchase a Galaxy Nexus as my next personal device? In a nutshell: everyone deserves a second chance.

When the Galaxy Nexus was announced, before the device was actually released, was when the problems first started. We knew the device would launch on Verizon here in the US, but it ended up taking much longer than initially expected. As for those of us not on Verizon, despite a GSM version of the device, compatible with both AT&T and T-Mobile HSPA, being detailed alongside the Verizon LTE version, there was no news of that version of the Galaxy Nexus coming to the US at all. In fact, even a Sprint version of the Nexus was detailed before a US GSM variant was.

After that, between the release of the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon in December and this April, a lot of crazy stuff went on. The CDMA version of the Nexus was labeled “fake” since Verizon practically has complete control of it, different versions of the international GSM Nexus were facing update problems as it was discovered carriers and Samsung also had control of those devices. And that’s just the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus S is still facing update issues, and the Nexus One has been left for dead. But there was still hope for the Nexus name, and it came in the form of the Google Play store.

When Google first announced they’d be selling the GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus direct to consumers out of the Google Play store, I was ecstatic. The “Pure Google. No Contract. No Commitment.” slogan on the banner for the Nexus’ sale page had me excited. The software information page for the Play version of the Galaxy Nexus is what had me sold.

“A Galaxy Nexus purchased on Google Play is a Pure Google device and is among the first to receive the latest software updates from Google. We are pushing out updates to Nexus devices as quickly as possible and we will continue to provide the latest updates to these devices going forward. For devices purchased on Google Play, you can expect software updates to come directly from Google, rather than your mobile service provider.”

Could this finally be it? The Nexus I’ve been waiting for? It certainly seems like it. I know Google has messed up in the past, and I know it still has a huge PenTile display (which is what originally deterred me from wanting the Galaxy Nexus). But if Google were to, say, announce and release Jelly Bean at I/O this year, this would have to be the device to get it first. Seeing a new version of Android being released and not being able to use it right away is some strange from of torture I wouldn’t wish on even the most obnoxious of Android enthusiasts.

And to top it all off, a totally unlocked PentaBand device that is guaranteed to get updates directly from Google surely must cost at least $600. Right? The fact that Google is able to get the Galaxy Nexus directly to consumers for just $400 is nothing short of a miracle. Even with tax and shipping, I only paid $435. That is incredibly cheap in terms of brand new unlocked phones. Plus I was able to pass my Nexus S down to a budding Android enthusiast at a steep discount to knock some money off that $435 as well.

Looking past the price and updates, more than anything, I want the Nexus name to succeed. Not in the way that analysts and carrier CEOs do. In the way the developers and die-hard fans do. I know I’ve badmouthed the Nexus name recently, but it’s only because I felt personally betrayed. Not many companies can do that to me, which really says something about the place Google holds in my life.

So I ordered a Galaxy Nexus from the Google Play store. And I’m really hoping for the best. Google, please don’t let me down again.

Last September, I took a look at Samsung’s home screen replacement called Pure Breeze Launcher. At the time, I went easy on them. It was pretty bad when it first came out, but I praised Samsung nonetheless for “thinking outside the box” (ugh). But that was then. And this is now. Pure Breeze Launcher has been tweaked, updated to work with Android 4 and boasts a “new modern user experience.” Too bad it still sucks.

The theory behind Pure Breeze Launcher isn’t all that terrible. A minimal way to keep all your apps organized, giving you constant access to what you use the most. But the execution is so poor, I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out what the hell Samsung is really going for.

If I had to describe Pure Breeze Launcher in one sentence? It’s like Samsung took Apple’s always-open-app-drawer approach, added the ability to make folders into an entire page and color coded it all. If I had to elaborate? Actually, one sentence is fine. There’s nothing to this launcher. Some frosted glass accents, crazy names for everything (the Kite?!) and a whole lot of bugs.

Even though it says Pure Breeze Launcher was updated for Android 4, it barely works on my Nexus S. Icons keep disappearing. I can’t scroll between pages, err groups, err the Kite. No wait… it didn’t start me off in the Kite. It started me off in the all apps page. So how do I get to the Kite… OK, press home again. So then to get to my groups… No, that doesn’t make sense, maybe I… Well my groups are supposed to be here… What?! There’s no icons, but pressing this blank area takes me to my groups… Well then how do I… SCREW IT.

But hey! You can have wallpapers now! Samsung is kind enough to start you off with a wallaper of a guy wearing some Adidas jersey shorts and an athletic shirt (at least I think that’s the PC term for “wife-beater”) fishing off a pier. Now that’s art.

Look, I really wanted to like Pure Breeze Launcher. I swear I did. The idea of the Kite, an endlessly scrollable area where you can throw apps and widgets and shortcuts sounds kinda cool. But it just doesn’t work. If fact, it drove me partially insane. Which is why I probably shouldn’t do this, but if you want, you can download the Lite version of Pure Breeze below. Just remember, I can’t be held responsible for any medical expenses incurred from trying to remove the memory of this thing from your brain.

Pure Breeze Launcher Lite Samsung San Jose Mobile Lab PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Welcome back to our weekly column where we round up all the Android-related rumors and discuss the validity of each one. Everyone seems to love our original rumor reports, but we thought it would be fun to examine the rumors from around the web and share our thoughts on the possibility of them coming true. Read on for this week’s latest Android rumors.

Pre-paid customers gain access to 4G WiMAX network

Rumor: Tammy Parker of Fierce Wireless reports that Sprint will offer WiMax service on their pre-paid Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile brands.

Our thoughts: This rumor was posted earlier in the week and Sprint just confirmed it in their quarterly earnings call. Device details were not disclosed, but both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile will gain access to WiMAX sometime in the second quarter. Sprint is already moving on to LTE, but they already paid Clearwire $926 million for unlimited access to its WiMAX network in 2012 and 2013.

Probability: 100% confirmed

Verizon passed on the Samsung Galaxy S III?

Rumor: Stephen Schenck of PocketNow reports that Verizon will launch a device codenamed Samsung Jasper (SCH-i200), that features a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor.

Our thoughts: It’s really interesting to see that Verizon could be launching a new Samsung phone with a Snapdragon S4 processor. We don’t believe this Jasper device is the Galaxy S III, so it raises the question if Verizon will carry Samsung’s flagship smartphone.

Most carriers only have room for two hero products. At Verizion that is the iPhone and their Droid brand. We saw Verizon pass on the Galaxy S II and the HTC One X, so it’s not unbelievable to think they could skip the Galaxy S III. My gut thinks that Verizon wanted to turn the Galaxy S III into one of their Droid phones, and Samsung balked at the request.

As a current Verizon customer, I really hope that they carry the Samsung Galaxy S III. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them skip it and launch another Samsung Droid phone (like the Jasper) instead.

Probability: 40%

Sprint to bring back the Motorola Photon series?

Rumor: Evan Blass of PocketNow reports that Sprint will launch a sequel to the Motorola Photon 4G, codenamed the Photon Q.

Our thoughts: I wasn’t sure how successful the original Photon 4G was on Sprint, but it makes sense that Sprint would partner with Motorola again and try to build up the brand. This device should become Motorola’s first LTE device on Sprint, and we believe they will go with the Snapdragon S4 processor. Look for this device to feature very similar specs as the RAZR HD (aka Fighter).

Since this rumor comes from king leaker Evan Blass, I believe it to be true. Look for Sprint and Motorola to unveil this device at the upcoming CTIA Wireless show in May.

Probability: 90%

Galaxy Tab with 2 GHz CPU unveiled next month?

Rumor: Aloysius Low of CNET Asia reports that Samsung could unveil a new Galaxy Tab at their London event on May 3rd.

Our thoughts: We have believed for quite some time that Samsung would unveil a Galaxy Tab with their 2 GHz Exynos 5250 processor. I thought it would be unveiled at MWC in March after I saw a prototype device at CES in January, but I was wrong. At this point, we think it’s a matter of when, instead of if.

Looking back at past Samsung Unpacked events, there is a strong chance we could see a new Galaxy Tab. At the Unpacked event in 2011, Samsung introduced both the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1. We haven’t seen many leaks lately about a new Samsung tablet since everyone is focused on the Galaxy S III, but don’t be surprised if Samsung shows one off on May 3rd.

Probability: 75%

HTC plans to develop its own mobile processors

Rumor: Wu Xiaowen of the China Times reports that HTC has partnered with ST-Ericsson to produce their own application processors for low-end smartphones.

Our thoughts: In today’s competitive mobile industry, you need custom silicon to differentiate your products. Apple and Samsung do it, and HTC needs to do more of it if they want to keep up. We already saw HTC take a step in this direction with their ImageSense chip found in the One series, and having a custom system-on-a-chip (SoC) is the next logical step for them.

Probability: 95%

Galaxy Note still coming to Sprint and Verizon

Rumor: The Samsung Galaxy Note will come to T-Mobile in May, and a launch on Sprint and Verizon will follow in the coming months.

Our thoughts: Rumors from back in January suggested the Galaxy Note would be coming to Sprint and Verizon, possibly as the Galaxy Journal. Now that we have seen the T-Mobile Galaxy Note in the wild, it appears that AT&T’s exclusive launch period is coming to and end. I have no proof that Sprint or Verizon picked up this device, but it is a truly unique product that has seen higher than expected demand. Verizon has a pretty crowded lineup, but I could picture the Note with LTE coming to Sprint this summer.

Probability: 60% for Sprint, 30% for Verizon

Snapdragon powered Galaxy S III in the United States

Rumor: Kim Yoo-chul of Korea Times reports the U.S. version of the next Galaxy could feature a Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm.

Our thoughts: Qualcomm is facing a shortage of their 28nm Snapdragon S4 chips, but Samsung is a top-tier customer, meaning Qualcomm should supply its chipsets even under a “heavy chip shortage,” according to unnamed Samsung officials.

The Korea Times report says, “Samsung plans to release its Galaxy S III smartphone according to different specifications and different markets. For European consumers, it will use 3G and the company’s own quad-core mobile APs, while its own solution that combines LTE, 3G and quad-core mobile APs will be used for the Korean version. But only in the United States, will Samsung use Qualcomm chips.”

I know that the majority of LTE phones launching in the first half of 2012 are using the Snapdragon S4 chip, but I find it really difficult to believe that Samsung would go this route. Samsung produces their own Exynos application processors and their own LTE modems, so it makes little sense for them to go with the Snapdragon S4 in the next Galaxy.

Why would Samsung use the same chip as HTC and LG if they are trying so hard to differentiate the Galaxy S III? I could be wrong, but I just don’t see it happening.

Probability: 25%

Got any juicy rumors?

Find any hot Android-related rumors that we failed to cover? Just contact Taylor or leave a comment below and we will evaluate them next week.

Welcome back to our weekly column where we round up all the Android-related rumors and discuss the validity of each one. Everyone seems to love our original rumor reports, but we thought it would be fun to examine the rumors from around the web and share our thoughts on the possibility of them coming true. Read on for this week’s latest Android rumors.

Motorola RAZR HD coming to Verizon and AT&T?

Rumor: The Motorola RAZR HD (Vanquish/Fighter/MB886/qinara/Atrix3?) is coming to Verizon and AT&T.

Our thoughts: Last week a trusted source was telling me they played with the Motorola Vanquish (aka Droid Fighter) and said it featured Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor. We already knew from previous rumor reports that the Vanquish/Fighter was an upgraded version of the RAZR MAXX, with a 720p display.

This week a new benchmark result appeared for a Motorola device with the model number MB886 and product name Qinara. This device also features a Snapdragon S4 processor and 720p display. AT&T released the Motorola Atrix (MB860) and Atrix 2 (MB865), so this leads us to believe that the MB886 is also headed to AT&T, possibly as the RAZR HD or Atrix 3.

You could say I’m stretching the facts, but it looks pretty likely that the “RAZR HD” will make an appearance on both AT&T and Verizon this summer. Specs for the devices should include a 4.6 inch 720p HD display, 13 megapixel camera, dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, and massive 3,300 mAh battery.

Probability: 75%

Galaxy S III is a minor update?

Rumor: Andrew Royal of CNET UK reports the Galaxy S III will be a minor update compared to the Galaxy S II and says an unnamed source told him, “It’ll be like the iPhone 4S was to the 4.”

Our thoughts: This is just dumb. The next Galaxy is going to be Samsung’s flagship device, and they will do everything in their power to make sure it tops the upcoming iPhone 5. It’s looking more likely that the next Galaxy will feature the first processor with ARM Cortex-A15 CPU cores, which would easily make it the most powerful phone to date.

Samsung execs have also been talking up all day battery life, so we think the next Galaxy will have a few surprises. CNET UK also mentions that the device will feature eye tracking technology that can detect when a user looks away from the display. This could be used to turn off the display when not used, which would help extend the battery life.

Finally, to compare the next Galaxy to the iPhone 4S upgrade is just silly. The iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S featured identical design on the outside, and all signs point to Samsung doing something different. Rumors suggest the next Galaxy will have a ceramic case and wireless charging, two unique features not found in the Galaxy S II.

Probability: 0%

Samsung stopped production of the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1?

Rumor: Sascha Pallenberg of Netbooknews reports  that Samsung stopped the production of the GT-P 5100 aka Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 so they could upgrade the tablet to a quad-core CPU.

Our thoughts: Multiple rumors have been suggesting that the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 had been delayed, and Samsung has a history of changing product specs after they announce them. Last year Samsung revealed the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 at Mobile World Congress, then redesigned it one month later to make it thinner than the iPad 2.

When the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 was first announced at this year’s Mobile World Congress, many questioned if this product even earned the “2″. It featured the same old dual-core 1.0 GHz processor, and the rest of the specs were underwhelming.

Samsung said they would release the Tab 2 10.1 for $399 in early May, but other products like the quad-core Transformer Pad 300 have already outclassed it at the same price point.

We know Samsung has their quad-core Exynos 4412 ready to use, since Meizu is shipping it in a phone in June. Samsung could use that same processor in the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, or they could also use the even newer Exynos 5250.

Sascha has been in this business a lot longer than me and I trust his sources, so look for the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to be delayed.

Probability: 85%

Tegra 4 has 4 CPU cores

Rumor: Technology news site VR-Zone reports that Tegra 4 will feature a quad-core Cortex-A15 design.

Our thoughts: When NVIDIA first showed us their Tegra roadmap, they said Wayne (aka Tegra 4) would be coming at the tail end of 2012. Given the history of delays with the Tegra 2 and Tegra 3 launches, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Tegra 4 launch was moved to early 2013.

NVIDIA has yet to share any official details about Wayne, which puts them behind their schedule this time last year. We first learned of Tegra 3 in February of 2011, and the first devices began shipping last December. We are now in April, and I don’t think NVIDIA is in any rush to talk about Tegra 4.

The leaked roadmap posted by VR-Zone shows that NVIDIA will go with a 4-PLUS-1 configuration, using ARM Cortex-A15 CPU cores. NVIDIA already hinted they would use A15 in the next Tegra and they seem pretty committed to the 4-PLUS-1 architecture, so this doesn’t come as a surprise.

We also see a new part SP3X, which might be the chip called Grey spotted in previous roadmaps. This should be NVIDIA’s first chip to integrate their Icera modem, which will bring LTE connectivity to mainstream phones. An earlier leaked roadmap placed this part at Q1 2013, but it now appears to have slipped to Q3 2013.

Overall we don’t see a lot of new information to report with this latest leaked roadmap. Tegra 4 will likely feature quad-core A15s, an improved GPU, and arrive in devices by early 2013.

Probability: 95%

“FIRE UP THAT TANNING BED AND BREAK OUT THE HAIRGEL! DJ Pauly D is here with a ton of fistpumpin’ fun.” Yes! It’s just what I’ve been waiting for! A game starring Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D that steals heavily borrows character design from the original Mega Man series! No, no. Wait a second. This is all wrong. That’s exactly what I don’t want.

When DJ Pauly D was first brought to my attention, and I took a gander at the app listing, I was surprised. A solid 3.8 stars? I’ve used great apps that have been ranked worse than this. So I choked up the courage to drop $2 on this bad boy and hoped for the best.

Here’s the thing about DJ Pauly D – Beat that Boardwalk. The gameplay isn’t really all that bad. It’s like Streets of Rage, but without the fighting. Just moving up and down. And jumping. If I were giving this my opinion free review, I’d probably say something like, “with relatively solid gameplay, if you like Jersey Shore and have a spare $2 in your bank account, you might want to give Pauly D the game a shot.”

But this isn’t that review.

This is the review where I can barely hold back my loathing for the disgusting freak show that is Jersey Shore. Everything about the app amplifies that by about x50. From the email announcing the app (“The player did G.T.L. right when they get a ‘Guido Streak”, starting to look frail well the players know its time for ‘Going to the Gym’, and when Pauly D’s skin starts to look moon color the users know its time for ‘Going to get a tan.),’ to the app listing itself (“BOMB THE BOARDWALK! BOARDWALKERS, MUSIC AND BLING! PUMP IRON TO ACTIVATE JUICEHEAD MODE! STOP AND TAKE TAN! LAUNDROMATS KEEP YOU LOOKIN’ FLY!” yes I swear those are real quotes), everything screams, “this is what’s wrong with the youth of our nation!”

And did I mention the characters look an awful lot like the characters from the original Mega Man series? Way to stomp on my childhood.

I could never take a game like this seriously. Which is exactly why it’s the CrApp of the Week. If you’re a rich sadist, or there’s just something wrong with you, go ahead and download DJ Pauly D – Beat the Boardwalk. Or you can take my word for it. That $2 could be far better spent not doing virtual laundry, TAKING TAN and PUMPING IRON.

DJ Pauly D MEDL Mobile PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Normally I’m a big proponent of emerging advancements in the technology industry. I lust after the latest gadget out there, and welcome technological innovations that will better my everyday life. When Google first took the wraps off of Project Glass, the project that will soon make augmented reality glasses…umm, a reality, I was excited for the next iteration of connectivity.

Fast forward to this week and an announcement from Google that the products have entered testing at Google HQ. Robert Scoble noticed Google executive Sergey Brin wearing a prototype at a fundraiser, and noticed a blue light flashing off his right eyeball, indicating the devices are indeed operational in some respect.

But as I’ve taken time to digest exactly what a future world with Google Glasses might look like, I’m not quite sure I like what I see. As a society, we’re already glued to our smartphones enough to the point that it’s not uncommon to see blog posts geared towards helping us disconnect and enjoy the world around us pop up on a daily basis. While it’s certainly easy to put your phone in your pocket or leave it on your desk for a while, it’s a lot harder to take off a pair of connected glasses, at least it will be when Google Glasses hits version 2.0.

See, the prototypes that are making the rounds today are a standalone device built for people with good eyesight or who wear contact lenses. It’s hard to see folks who wear glasses on a normal basis putting on a second pair of glasses with Google’s augmented reality system built-in. The prototypes as they exist currently will not be the final product. Instead, when Google Glasses makes its way to consumers in 2013 (and beyond), it’ll likely be sold either as a standalone glasses product, or as a lens that gets built into someone’s regular pair of glasses that people take with them everywhere.

While this certainly isn’t a problem in and of itself, it quickly becomes one when you consider how poorly our brains are able to handle multitasking. Argue with me all you want, but studies have repeatedly shown that we are awful at multitasking. When we multitask, instead of doing one task exceptionally well, we do two tasks half-assed. This is why drivers run the risk of deadly crashes when they decide to use their phones to text, email, or Twitter while driving (guilty, as charged). We simply aren’t that good at multitasking, and the thought of millions of people using augmented reality glasses while trying to partake in everyday life is frightening.

So no, I will not be rushing out to buy Google Glasses when (or, if) they reach the consumer market. My smartphone and tablet is enough for me to get my mobile connectivity fix, thank you very much.

Agree? Disagree? Sound off and have a conversation about the future of connectivity in the comments below.