Motorola Atrix 2 now available in India for Rs 22,990

Motorola has launched the Atrix 2 in India, which is now available with online retailers like Saholic for Rs 22,990. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread running smartphone features a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot. Other features include a 4.3-inch qHD (960×540 pixels) Gorilla Glass display, an 8.0 MP camera (1080p video recording at 24 fps), a VGA front video calling camera and a 1735 mAh battery. The Atrix 2 also features a Webtop app, which offers a desktop-like browsing and productivity experience when connected with Motorola’s Lapdock accessory. Motorola, however, is unlikely to sell the Lapdock in India. There is no Android smartphone available in India that offers a combination of a 1GHz dual-core processor, 8.0 MP camera and a 4.3-inch display at this price. We believe Motorola might be on to something here but we will reserve our verdict till we review it. In the meanwhile, jump the break for complete specs of the Atrix 2.

Motorola ATRIX 2 ME865 Features and Specifications
Form Factor	Touch Tablet
Software	Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Dimensions	66 x 125.9 x 10.49 (mm)
Display	4.3” qHD 540×960 TFT, 256ppi
Weight	147g
Processor	Dual-core 1GHz Processor
Battery	1735 mAh
Talk and Standby Time2	Up to 12 hours of talk time and 6.25 days in standby
Bands/Modes	WCDMA 850/1900/2100 GSM 850/900/1800/1900
Wi-Fi	802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth®	Version 2.1+EDR, Stereo Bluetooth Class 2
Connectivity	3.5mm headset jack, USB 2.0, BOTA
Messaging/Web/Apps	MMS, SMS, Email (Corporate Sync, GMail, POP3/IMAP embedded, Push Email) IM (GTalk), WebKit w/ Flash
Cameras	8MP auto focus with LED flash, VGA Front Camera support PSP Video
Audio	AAC, AAC+, AAC+ Enhanced, AMR NB, MIDI, MP3, WAV, WMA v10, WMA v9
Video	Capture/Playback HD1080p Video, H.264, MPEG4
Storage & Memory	1GB RAM x 8GB Internal Memory, External Memory supports up to 32GB MicroSD card
Location Services	aGPS (assisted), eCompass
Pre-loaded Applications	Access to Google Maps™ with Navigation, Google Talk™ and Web browsing
Sensors	eCompass, Accelerometer, Light and Proximity Sensor

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Beats Audio software ported to non-HTC devices

Audio quality is always something that will be subjective. Opinions on what good sounds like will always differ from person to person. This definitely applies to Beats Audio, and the inclusion of Beats on new HTC devices. HTC have just opened up the API to the Beats software for third-party apps to take advantage, but XDA member RockoDev has gone further than that. He has managed to port the Beats software for use on non-HTC devices into a flashable zip file.

Beats is essentially a branded equalizer. The files have been pulled for flashing to other devices. Expectations shouldn't be set too high though, as again everyone has different tastes in sound quality. Flashed to my LG Optimus 2X, I actually do feel there was a general improvement.

When comparing it's important not to fall into any placebo effect. Just because it's there doesn't make it better. The test setup was a song that I know very well, and a pair of good quality Bang and Olufsen earphones. In listening to the same song a few times before and after flashing Beats, there was a noticable change. Nothing groundbreaking, but the bass was improved and the overall sound did feel better.

You'll find more at the source links below if you fancy trying it out for yourselves. We know a lot of you don't like Beats, but there's a lot of people that do. Shout out in the comments with your thoughts if you do decide to try it.

Source: XDA Developers

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German court throws out two suits in Apple-Samsung patent spat

A German court has thrown out a third lawsuit Samsung recently filed against Apple regarding a 3G patent, along with one of two slide-to-unlock suits Apple filed against Samsung, FOSS Patents reported on Friday. Judge Andreas Voss of the Mannheim Regional Court ruled that Samsung’s standard-essential patent covers a method of computing a certain mathematical result, however the specifications of 3G/UMTS don’t require a phone to perform said computation. Therefore, a handset merely uses the result and while Samsung may own the path to get there, it doesn’t necessarily own the destination. Judge Voss has previously dismissed two other 3G/UMTS suits filed by Samsung. Read on for more.
The second patent in question, which covers Apple’s slide-to-unlock technology, describes a smartphone user’s ability to unlock a device “by performing gestures on an unlock image.” It covers the concept of moving an image along a pre-defined path with one’s finger. Like the dismissal of Samsung’s 3G patent suit, Apple’s claim was dismissed because the judge determined Samsung’s unlock mechanism it differentiated enough that it does not infringe Apple’s patent. The decision does not, however, have any bearing on Apple’s other slide-to-unlock-related complaint that is pending against Samsung, with a ruling scheduled for March 16th.

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HTC releases new APIs for Beats, Sense lockscreen, device management and MediaLink

HTC has announced that they are opening up a bit more of the OpenSense SDK, and including APIs for Beats Audio, the Sense 4.0 lockscreen, Mobile device management, and the MediaLink HD system. This opens many new features to application developers, and apps can include these calls so that they are differentiated on HTC Sense phones, yet function on all phones with the same software build.

In layman's terms, this means the people who build apps can now include things like Beats Audio support, lockscreen widgets and shortcuts, remote control through websites like htcsense.com, and leverage the media streaming ability of the MediaLink HD docks. If you have a Sense 4.0 phone, you'll get all these perks, and the apps can be written so users without a Sense 4.0 phone get the same exact app, without the Sense features and functions. That's less work for developers and it means faster and better updates -- something all Android junkies love.

The new OpenSense SDK will be available in the coming weeks, in the meantime we can prepare for things like a video player that uses Beats Audio, with a lockscreen widget or Web app to control it, streamed to your television via MediaLink. I think we're ready.

Source: HTC

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Sprint to support Google Wallet on ten handsets this year

Google Wallet is ready to expand its influence thanks to Sprint. Speaking at a Mobile Payment Services panel at Mobile World Congress 2012, VP of Google Wallet and Payments Osama Bedier told those in attendance that Sprint has plans to release ten Google Wallet devices this year. The next one to hit the retailer will be the LG Viper, which joins the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus in Sprint’s lineup of Google Wallet-enabled devices.
Bedier said 22 of the largest US retail chains now support the NFC-based Google Wallet which lets customers pay with their phone at 300,000 terminals around the country. Bedier adds that the number of terminal is increasing each day, with most of their installations headed to convenience stores and fast food restaurants. Bedier is encouraged by this growth and said, “We believe the ecosystem has taken off.”
Sprint, however, is the only carrier giving undivided attention to Google Wallet. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless have not been so supportive of the payment system because the trio are working on their own NFC payment system. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless are working with payment services like Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express to offer a nationwide, wireless payment system that ties into your cellular account. Isis will start trials later this year in Salt Lake City, Utah and Austin, Texas.
[Via Fierce Wireless]

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Apple to launch subscription TV service by Christmas, content talks going downhill

Apple has plans to launch a subscription television service by Christmas this year, according to a recent report from the New York Post. The paper states that Apple wants the service to treat channels like apps, allowing the user to purchase subscriptions for either individual channels or groups of channels a la carte. Apple has long been rumored to be pitching the service to top media executives, but according to the Post, the negotiations are not going well. Eddie Cue is reportedly leading the talks and content providers have seemingly not been partial to his propositions. Apple’s pitch can be summed up as “we decide the price, we decide what content,” one of the Post’s sources said. “They want everything for nothing,” said another. Apple apparently plans to launch some form of its TV service by the end of the year with or without full cooperation from the networks, and the service is expected to be available on Apple TV as well as the new iOS-powered HDTV Apple will reportedly launch later this year.

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Android apps can access and post personal photos

Apps on Android handsets can send user photos to a remote server without the owner's permission.

In a security flaw that mirrors the Apple iPhone vulnerability exposed yesterday, a New York Times investigation found that any Android app with permission to access the internet could post images to a remote server.

According to app developers and security researchers that put the theory through its paces, it was easy to create an app asked for permission to use the internet, but not to access photos, but then have the app post the latest picture to a public photo gallery.

“We can confirm that there is no special permission required for an app to read pictures,” said Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer of Lookout, a company that makes Android security software.

Although Google insists app developers ask for permission to share other information – such as email addresses and location – there was no such edict for photos.

Legacy storage

Google acknowledged the weakness, the Times said, and would consider changing its approach.

A Google spokesman told the paper that the lack of restrictions on photo access was a design choice made to accommodate the way early Android phones stored data, with photos often saved onto a removable disk.

Security researcher Ashkan Soltani said Google’s explanation of its approach would be “surprising to most users, since they’d likely be unaware of this arbitrary difference in the phone’s storage system”

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