BlackBerry Pushing BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1.0.1526 To Devices

BlackBerry PlayBook Software version 2.1.0.1526 brings a re-branding of BlackBerry App World to BlackBerry World, allows for SMS chat through BlackBerry Bridge, and also adds improvement to the browser while boosting the volume on the slate. It also adds support for in-app payments, which should make developers happy. For those who care about such matters, the update is 132MB.


Source: CrackBerry

Google Now Gets Updated, Take That Siri

Google Search for Jelly Bean was updated on Wednesday, and it brings quite a few features along with it. Among the changes, users can put a Google Now widget straight on their home and lock screens, giving them much quicker access to their most important cards.

We figured something like this was incoming, but didn’t expect it to arrive so quickly. In addition to merely adding a widget, the update also includes movie ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and integration with Fandango similar to Passbook on iOS. When you purchase a ticket through Fandango, Google Now will provide a QR code for your ticket and will even tell users when to leave for their movie one of the best things about Google Now.

There are a ton of other small updates within the app, boosting Google Now’s humongous bragging rights as one of the premier mobile features in Android. With Key Lime Pie likely coming in May, we can’t wait to see what else Google introduces.

Source: Google Play Store

HP To Adopt Android For Upcoming Mobile Devices

Hewlett-Packard will now reportedly look towards Android to power its next-generation of mobile devices. Sources speaking to ReadWrite claim that the company is planning to release a high-end tablet that will be equipped with NVIDIA’s new Tegra 4 processor and powered by Google’s mobile operating system. It was also reported that HP may launch an Android-powered smartphone, however earlier comments from CEO Meg Whitman indicated that a new handset won’t be released in 2013. The news of HP’s migration to Android comes shortly after the company launched a new computer based on Google’s Chrome OS. HP’s high-end Android tablet will reportedly be announced soon.

Source: ReadWrite

Apple Releases 6.1.1 Software Update For iPhone 4S

Apple has released an update to iOS 6.1, hopefully fixing the connectivity problems that have stopped users from sending text messages or going online. Version 6.1.1 has showed up for us as an OTA update; its change log indicates it "fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S." iOS 6.1, released in late January, added wider LTE compatibility for some devices and improved features like Siri and iTunes Match, but it caused intermittent network connection problems.

Nexus 4 Wireless Charging Orb Now Available

We’ve been waiting for the wireless charging orb for the Nexus 4 to hit the Google Play Store, today is your lucky day. Google has finally listed the accessory in the Google Play Store, and you can walk away with it for just $60. With it, you’ll be able to prop your Nexus 4 up in horizontal or vertical orientation and have your device charge just as effectively as it would via USB.

There’s not much else to the thing aside from its ability to charge your phone and make it look good at the same time, but the convenience of being able to plop your phone down without having to fiddle around with flimsy USB connections is a treat.

Source: Google Play Store

How To Enable USB Debugging Mode On Android 4.2 Jelly Bean And Higher

USB debugging mode is really intended only for developers and people who don’t know what they are doing may accidentally enable it and put their device at risk. This is why starting in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Google has hidden the ability to enable USB debugging mode. If you want to know how to enable USB debugging mode in Android 4.2 and higher, this guide will show you exactly how to do that.

To see the option for USB debugging mode in Android 4.2 or higher, do the following:

Open up your device’s “Settings”. This can be done by pressing the Menu button while on your home screen and tapping “System settings”

Now scroll to the bottom and tap “About phone” or “About tablet”.

At the “About” screen, scroll to the bottom and tap on “Build number” seven times.

Make sure you tap seven times. If you see a “You are now a developer!” message pop up, then you know you have done it correctly.

Done! By tapping on “Build number” seven times, you have unlocked USB debugging mode on Android 4.2 and higher. 

You can now enable/disable it whenever you desire by going to “Settings” -> “Developer Options” -> “Debugging” ->” USB debugging”.

iOS 6.1 Untethered Jailbreak Now Available

The iOS 6/6.1 jailbreak was just released by the Evad3rs team. We already knew it was coming, yesterday morning for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch this program was released. It looks like they met that promise, because you can now download the untethered jailbreak tool. It’s called “evasi0n,” specifically, and can be applied through Linux, OS X or a Windows-based machine (XP or higher).



Source: evasi0n

Android 4.2.2 Reportedly Rolling Out In “Next Couple Weeks”

Google will begin pushing Android 4.2.2 to the Nexus 4, the Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10 in the next “couple weeks,” International Business Times reported recently. The news outlet didn't have much to say about what’s included in the release other than there are several bug fixes related to Bluetooth streaming, and performance enhancements.

This won’t be as big of an update as Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie, which will likely make its debut during the Google I/O developer conference in May, but it shows Google’s constantly tweaking its operating system releases to make them as efficient as possible. We’re curious at this point if existing Jelly Bean devices will ever see Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean of if owners will simply have to wait for Key Lime Pie if they ever get another update at all.

Source: International Business Times

Carbon For Android (Better Known For There webOS Twitter App) Now Available

After more than a year in the works and a couple of false starts, Carbon for Android the Twitter app is finally available on Google Play. Everything we showed you a week ago in our exclusive preview still stands. The scrolling is the gold standard for any other application. The animations are as subtle as they are impressive. And the overall design and feel is among the best we've seen in a Twitter app. And the keyword and hashtag filters can help clean up your timeline in a way usually reserved for desktop Twitter clients. This initial release is just for phones, but rest assured a tablet version is on the way.


Source: Google Play Store

AOSP Updated To Revision 1.2, Build JOP40G

The AOSP has been tagged as 4.2.1 r1.2, and the small change log lists a few interesting bug fixes. Version JOP40G will have some power management fixes as well as a tweak to the way an EXT4 partition handles file creation. These fixes are not device specific, so they will affect the Nexus 10, Nexus 7, and Nexus 4. We imagine the Galaxy Nexus will also see the benefits of this build.

In a nutshell some folks had issues where their device would shut off when removed from the charger, and these changes should address those. No word on when to expect an update, or if one is planned for this tag. There's plenty of bugs to squash in 4.2.1, and like we have seen with every other build of AOSP these things take a little time.

Source: AOSP