Articles about Android

How about an Android flip phone with high-end specs?

Flip phones are nowhere near as popular nowadays as they used to be a few years ago, but they are much more interesting as manufacturers introduce new models that try to keep up with the times. A great example is Samsung's new G9198, which comes with high-end internals and runs Android.

Basically, it is the flip phone for people who love the form factor but not its typical shortcomings. And, yes, in case you are wondering, there are still lots of consumers interested in buying a flip phone in 2015. Understandably, they are just not your typical smartphone buyers.

Continue reading

Google teases with Android M name video

You might still be waiting for Lollipop to limp onto your handset, but just around the corner is Android M. We already know quite a bit about what to expect from the next version of Android -- you can even try out the Android M Developer Preview if you want -- but there's one thing that's far from clear: what is it going to be called.

There have been all sort of guesses since the codename was revealed by Google and now the company (Google, Alphabet... call it what you will...) is starting to tease us with name suggestions. There's also a video that offers a 'musical hint' at the name.

Continue reading

10 things you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 in NYC yesterday and there has already been a great deal of coverage of the handset. It is hard to beat getting hands-on with a phone but there are important factors that could sway you one way or the other when it comes to making a purchase.

Samsung has already produced an infographic pulling out what the company thinks are its highlights. To help you decide if the Galaxy Note 5 should be on your shopping list, here are ten things you need to know.

Continue reading

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ pricing revealed

When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ earlier today, there was a lot to take in -- but information about pricing was notable by its absence. As these are both flagship handsets, low prices were never going to be on the cards, but as the day has worn on, carriers have revealed how much you can expect to pay.

Pre-ordering starts today, so you don't have much (well... any) time to save up, but we now know how much the two handsets will cost from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Read on to see how much you'll have to part with.

Continue reading

Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 2 and Note 2 Prime starting at $125; unveils Android 5.1-based MIUI 7

Xiaomi, the fast-growing Chinese technology conglomerate which earned a name selling durable and powerful smartphones, tablets and other gadgets at insanely cheap price points, today at an event in China announces two new smartphones and a major update to its Android based ROM. The company today launches the Redmi Note 2 and the Redmi Note 2 Prime.

The successor to the company's fast-selling Redmi Note phablet, the Redmi Note 2 is Xiaomi's latest take to the increasingly competitive smartphone market. The Redmi Note 2 sports a 5.5-inch FHD display and costs just RMB 799 ($125).

Continue reading

What's hot about the Samsung Galaxy Note 5? [Infographic]

With the launch of the Galaxy Note 5, Samsung is hoping to revitalize the mobile arena and reclaim its place as the handset manufacturer of choice. The latest addition to the Galaxy Note range feature much that's familiar, including Samsung's S Pen, but the overall specs have increased.

As an alternative to leafing through lists of hardware specs in dull lists, Samsung has produced an infographic highlighting everything it believes is great about the Galaxy Note 5. The company appears particularly pleased with the screen and camera, as these are singled out for special attention.

Continue reading

Android owners now more loyal to their OS than iPhone users

Android logo phone

The loyalty of Android users to their mobile OS has increased slightly in comparison to the steadfastness of iOS devotees, according to a new piece of research.

The report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), which was spotted by CNET, took in the opinions of some 4,000 US consumers.

Continue reading

Samsung unveils Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+

At its Galaxy Unpacked event in NYC, Samsung today took the wraps off two of its most eagerly awaited handsets -- the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. Just like Apple with the iPhone, Samsung's phone range is more about evolution than revolution -- but that's not to say there isn't quite a lot to get excited about.

Both devices include 4GB of RAM and as with previous generations, the Galaxy Note 5 features Samsung's S-Pen Stylus. The Galaxy S6 Edge+ boasts a larger screen than its predecessor but the Note 5's is the same size as before. So what else is new, and when can you get your hands on one?

Continue reading

Twitter drops 140 character limit from Direct Messages

As promised back in June, the character limit for Direct Messages on Twitter is being increased. The 140 character barrier is being dropped so messages sent between Twitter users can be much, much longer than before.

The character limit for regular tweets remains the same -- and tweets via SMS are still subject to the same restrictions -- but private conversations can now be much more verbose. The increase will affect Twitter.com, iOS and Android mobile apps, TweetDeck, and Twitter for Mac.

Continue reading

Open your mind and visit Google's Android Experiments website

Technology can be cold and harsh -- circuit boards, processors, and programming languages. For some, there is beauty in the technology itself. For other people, the beauty is found in what is created using that technology.

Android is the most popular Linux-based operating system of all time -- a great choice for creative developers. It took the scary Linux world of command lines and elitist support communities and delivered something normal human beings could use. Today, Google launches AndroidExperiments.com -- a site dedicated to projects and experiments that utilize the mobile operating system. Consider it a museum of modern art, but for Android apps.

Continue reading

People love their mobiles but hate crappy battery life, poor customer service, and endless faults

Stop the presses! People don’t like it when things are rubbish! A new study shows that while we are more attached to our phones than ever, they are an increasing source of frustration and problems. Users have become less tolerant of issues with hardware, bad experiences with customer services, and crashing apps.

The study -- entitled It's Complicated: Mobile Frustrations & Churn -- also found that faulty handsets and poor customer services would be enough to drive nearly a third of people to a new carrier or handset manufacturer. Interestingly, the study also threw up a few surprises, including the revelation that not many mobile users are bothered about photo and video quality.

Continue reading

Google stops neglecting Hangouts for Android -- releases 4.0 update in Play Store

When I need to communicate with friends, family or colleagues, I often turn to Hangouts. The reason why is simple -- most of them have Gmail accounts, which in turn, means they can be contacted on Hangouts too. Not to mention, the service is available for all platforms, except the lowly Windows Phone, of course.

Unfortunately, the Android app has been lagging behind for a while now. For whatever reason, the iOS version has been superior, in both usability and appearance. Today, this changes, as Google finally pays attention to Android users and delivers Hangouts 4.0.

Continue reading

Security is weakened because random numbers are not random enough

A lot of security systems are based on random numbers, prime numbers, or a combination of the two. But generating random numbers is not as random as you might expect -- or hope -- and it relies on sources of broadly random data that can be used as a starting point. The problem is that these sources of data are not large enough.

The entropy of data generated by Linux servers -- which are the backbone of much of the internet -- is, says security expert Bruce Potter, too low. Speaking at Black Hat USA 2015 -- an event which has already seen the unveiling of the Thunderstrike 2 firmware malware and the Stagefright-beating Certifi-Gate Android vulnerability -- Potter warns that the low entropy problem means that seemingly random numbers could in fact be easier to guess or crack than first thought.

Continue reading

Improvements coming to Twitter for Android as Falcon Pro developer joins the company

Joaquim Vergès, the man behind Twitter app Falcon Pro, is joining Twitter. His much loved app will live on, but Vergès will soon be starting work as part of the official Twitter team, helping with the development of the UI.

The announcement came -- of course -- via a tweet. Vergès said that he was going to use Falcon Pro as a testing ground for new features, but explained that he had become frustrated by the limitations of being a third party developer.

Continue reading

Forget Stagefright, Certifi-Gate vulnerability allows for complete remote control of Android phones

There have been numerous stories in recent days about the threat posed by Stagefright to Android users. A more serious threat has been revealed at Black Hat USA 2015, however -- one that affects hundreds of millions of Android devices. Known as Certifi-gate, a vulnerability has been found in Remote Support Tools which could allow for hackers to take full control of phones.

The security issue was discovered by Check Point, who has notified handset manufacturers of the vulnerability, and launched an app that you can use to see if your handset is affected. Stagefright led to many handset manufacturers announcing a switch to monthly security updates, and some have already issued a fix for Certifi-gate. However, it seems that HTC is a little slow off the mark this time around, particularly when it comes to patching newer phones.

Continue reading

© 1998-2025 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. About Us - Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy - Sitemap.