jelly bean

Sprint's HTC Evo 4G LTE joins the Android 4.1 club

The HTC Evo 4G LTE is the newest member of the Sprint family to receive an Android 4.1.1 update.

Sprint will release Jelly Bean in stages over the next few weeks, but anxious users can manually install the update starting today.

As is the case with other 4.1 updates of its kind, the Sprint smartphone will see new features such as enhanced notifications, camera improvements, and a smarter keyboard.

The Evo 4G LTE will get a few HTC-specific tweaks as well, such as the Tap and Go function that pairs the handset with select Beats Audio speakers. … Read more

Verizon updates Samsung's Galaxy S3 to Android 4.1

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean will begin rolling onto Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S3 as soon as tomorrow, Verizon announced today on its blog.

The update will occur in phases, so you may have to exercise some patience before you see your OS version start its over-the-air transformation to Android 4.1.

Specific to Verizon, the Jelly Bean update will make the handset global-ready, so customers can add an international roaming plan to use the phone overseas in GSM areas. Verizon is a CDMA network.

Android 4.1 also brings support for Verizon's Isis wallet, a mobile payment collaboration … Read more

Pantech preps 1080p smartphone for CES, rumors say

Competing with HTC's Droid DNA, Pantech could introduce a 5-inch 1080p HD smartphone at CES 2013 in January, according to a rumor that surfaced today.

Details of an unannounced Pantech handset called the Vega IM-A860 for now have spilled online, apparently via a Wi-Fi Alliance certificate. The document suggests that the Vega will carry a 1,920x1,080-pixel full HD screen, a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor with an Adreno 320 GPU, and support for 4G LTE.

CNET reached out to Pantech, however, the handset maker declined to comment for this story.

If history is an indicator, Pantech could … Read more

Motorola updates Android Jelly Bean plans

Good news to anyone who's hungry for Jelly Bean: Motorola recently modified a customer support page that outlines the various devices expected to receive Android updates.

The Motorola Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD are the latest to see the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update, both of which are reflected on the support page. Looking ahead, the Atrix HD will be next in line to see the update, slated for later this month.

Moving into the new year, the Electrify M and both versions of the Xoom tablet should see an update prompt in Q1. As … Read more

Sony queues entry-level Xperia E for Q1 2013

Sony today announced a new, entry-level Android handset that is expected to ship in the first quarter of the coming year.

Dubbed the Sony Xperia E, the company's latest should make for a decent first smartphone experience. Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the device features a 1GHz processor, and comes loaded with Sony's custom software touches.

The Xperia E will be offered in a single SIM model as well as a dual-SIM edition, the Xperia E dual. Aside from this difference, both are identical in every other facet. Details include a 3.5-inch (320x480) display, a 3.… Read more

Get alerted when the Nexus 4 is back in stock

The Nexus 4 release has been anything but smooth. Google saw the launch day stock ordered up in just a few minutes. Then last week Google released some more inventory in the Play Store here in the U.S. and was met with more issues. The 8GB Nexus 4 started out at a 4-to-5-week ship time and eventually maxed out at 8-9 weeks before going back out of stock. The 16GB model is still available, although you'll be waiting 5-6 weeks for it to ship.

Google has been sporadically releasing more stock in other countries, such as the U.K. and Germany. … Read more

Six juicy Samsung Android rumors

2012 may be drawing to a close, but that just means Android-makers like Samsung are getting ready for a big 2013. Here are six Samsung rumors being whispered about in dark alleys and blogs.

1. Samsung Galaxy S4 Rumors already abound for Samsung's next-generation flagship phone, likely called the Samsung Galaxy S4. While Samsung will do its best to keep things under wraps, we can be sure that there will be no shortage of leaks, rumors, and early benchmarks.

Even though it hasn't been announced, the Galaxy S4 is already tied to a number of purported specs that … Read more

Android 4.1 reaches Samsung Galaxy S3 on AT&T

Android 4.1, aka Jelly Bean, is now spilling out for AT&T customers with Samsung Galaxy S3 phones.

As of today, AT&T subscribers can update their phones using Samsung's Kies software. This method requires users to download the new Android flavor onto their computers and then apply the update to their phones through a sync.

Users can update their phones by following the steps provided on AT&T's Jelly Bean upgrade page. AT&T will not offer the update over the air, so Kies is the only way to get Jelly Bean … Read more

Asus may be cooking up another low-cost Android tablet

A new tablet could be in the works from the folks who brought us the Google Nexus 7.

A few specs about the potential tablet recently popped up on benchmark site GLBenchmark.

The limited details revealed so far point to a Jelly Bean flavored tablet with a 1GHz processor, a Mali 400 graphics chip, and a screen resolution of 1,024x552 pixels (likely 1,024x600), as described by blog site Cult of Android.

Codenamed the Asus ME172V, the new tablet doesn't match the specs of the Nexus 7, which sports a 1,280x800-pixel resolution and a maximum processor speed … Read more

Motorola Droid Razr HD, Maxx HD get Android 4.1 next week

Motorola Droid Razr HD and Droid Razr Maxx HD will soon see an Android 4.1 update.

Both Motorola smartphones will see Jelly Bean take control as the new operating system version as soon as next week, according to Verizon's blog. As a refresher, Jelly Bean offers enhanced notifications, Google Now, and a more intuitive keyboard.

Verizon is also using the update to implement a few carrier-specific changes to the Motorola duo. Gone are the Verizon Video app and Color app, making room for a new Video calling portal and Accessories app. What's more, the Droid Razr HD … Read more