Android 4.2.2 hits international HTC One

HTC has begun deploying an Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update to the HTC One, according to Android Central.

Users living in Taiwan are reportedly starting to see the Android 4.2.2 update. While HTC has yet to make any formal announcements, the 456MB update file includes a number of changes to the flagship smartphone. Among the details are a new lock screen style and widget, an enhanced launcher bar, quick settings, and a battery percentage in the notification bar.

For now, only those in Taiwan are reported to see the update; however, we might soon expect some … Read more

The 404 1,296: Where we take our filters to the grave (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Help Kickstart a documentary on the cultural impact of "Back to the Future."

- How movie theaters keep cool through summer's scorching months.

- A Web site that exposes Instagram frauds that use #nofilter.

- Kanye, the new Steve Jobs, gets Jobs-signed Apple mouse.

- How Xbox fans in Japan earned the nickname "Gropers."

- Pebble smartwatch coming to Best Buy starting July 7.… Read more

Review: Robo Defense FREE is fun and addictive, but it ends too quickly

Robo Defense FREE is a tower defender that stands out for its quick and addictive gameplay. It's one of the most basic tower-defense games on Android, but that may make it one of the best. You have to pay up to unlock all of its levels and maps, but it's worth the $3.

This application comes as a toned-down version of the full game that only gives you 11 levels on one map. You'll unlock endless upgrades and gameplay with the premium version of the app. That's a refreshing change from the "freemium" tower … Read more

Review: Rocket Music Player sounds and looks better than most music players

Rocket Music Player combines cool features with an attractive layout and fantastic audio quality. It's a near-perfect blend of style and substance. Since it gives you most of its great features for free, there's no question that you should try it.

This app is one of the rare apps that sounds better without headphones than it does with them. It sounds great even on mediocre speakers. It has some advanced audio-tweaking settings like limiters, fading, and gapless playback. There's an equalizer, but you need to pay $4 to unlock all of its features. You can only tweak … Read more

Review: Solitaire lets you play the Klondike variation of the game

Solitaire is an OK port of the classic game, but the ads and lack of options stop it from being great. The game loses all of its replay value by only giving you a deck of cards to play the Klondike variation of the game. Other apps let you do that while giving you literally dozens of other options.

The game's layout very interestingly mimics the Vegas table layout. It looks neat, but the app gets the most annoying part of Vegas--the incessant advertising--in there, too. The persistent banner ad isn't just annoying; it actually gets in the … Read more

Review: As a smooth, stylish free runner Subway Surfers outperforms the rest

Subway Surfers is full of colorful landscapes, smooth controls, and plenty of free-running fun. Its social-savvy gaming makes it all the more enjoyable. There's definitely a reason it sits near the top of everyone's list of favorite Android games.

This game will draw many comparisons to running favorite Temple Run. It compares quite favorably, with more lighthearted gameplay, better animation, and smoother controls. The game responds instantly to your swipes and taps. The difficulty level is a little lower than its competition, though. Once you've racked up plenty of points, you can share your top score on … Read more

Review: Super Mario Bros. 1-3 looks, sounds, and plays like the real thing

Super Mario Bros. 1-3 perfectly ports the classic Mario games with flawless audio and gameplay. It almost feels like Nintendo finally ported the games to Android tablets, as many have been clamoring for. It helps to play it with a dedicated controller for the most pure experience, though.

The app comes loaded with the dreaded Airpush, which will pop ads all over your browser. Once you're in the app, it features a very boring menu to help you travel to each game. The games all have the menus you're used to, though. The game's sound effects and … Read more

'Star Wars' wedges are made for skywalking

The world of "Star Wars" fan fashion is a wild and wonderful place full of Wampa-skin dresses and Boba Fett ski hats. No outfit is complete without a great pair of shoes, however. Etsy seller DeckoFab offers a pretty stunning set of "Star Wars" wedges.

The made-to-order wedges are crafted from decoupage with pictures of Stormtroopers, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Darth Vader plastered across them. DeckoFab also takes custom orders, so you could specify an all-Jar Jar Binks pair if you really want to be obnoxious.… Read more

App marries Google Glass to Tesla

Google Glass may not have as much porn as it once did, but an app developer is fulfilling another techie fantasy.

How about using the wearable computer to start charging your Tesla Model S, the electric automaker's sports sedan?

Developer Sahas Katta, known for a Microsoft fracas over a Windows Phone challenge, has created an app marrying Google glass with the vehicle, according to a post of his on a Tesla forum.

Katta says the app, called GLASSTESLA, can:

View vehicle charging status or start or stop charging via Glass Open the charge port without having to get back … Read more