android 4.1

HTC prepping Android 4.1 update for One XL and One S

Users of HTC's One XL and One S phones are on the Android 4.1 update list, at least in Australia.

An update page posted by Australian mobile carrier Telstra points to an Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' update in progress for both phones. The carrier says that HTC is preparing the update but has yet to confirm a date in which it will be sent to Telstra for testing.

No further beans were spilled as to a possible release date or availability for other HTC devices or other carriers around the world. But the handset maker has revealed … Read more

How to access the camera app on your Nexus 7

Google's newest tablet, the Nexus 7, comes equipped with a front-facing camera, but no way of accessing the camera outside of apps such as Skype, Instagram, and the like. But thanks to a small app, which adds a camera launcher to your Nexus 7, you're able to access the camera and the Android 4.1 camera app like you would on any other Android 4.1 device.

The process couldn't be simpler.

Head over the to Google Play Store and download Camera Luancher for Nexus 7.

After installation, you'll see the familiar Android camera icon added … Read more

Google's Nexus 7 tablet already out of stock at key retailers

Those of you looking to buy Google's new Nexus 7 tablet may have a wait on your hands.

Unveiled late last month, the tablet has slowly trickled into the retail market. Google was naturally first in line, offering the Nexus 7 as a preorder in advance of its official mid-July launch. Other retailers, such as GameStop, Staples, and Sam's Club, soon followed suit.

But a lot of eager customers apparently scooped up those pre-sales, since the tablet is playing hard to get at most outlets.

GameStop, which is selling the 16GB edition, is showing the tablet as back-ordered. … Read more

Google Nexus 7 tablet preorders ship today

Good news, tablet-lovers. Google will ship units of its 7-inch Nexus 7 tablet to customers who preordered the device, the company announced in an online post.

The Nexus 7 tablet is equipped with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean right out of the box, and is powered by a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor.

Its clear screen and dirt-cheap $200 price tag make it primed to wrestle the Amazon Kindle Fire, but there are some downsides, like the lack of expandable memory, and no HDMI port or rear-facing camera.

Get the Jelly Bean keyboard on your Android 4.0 device

The new features of Android 4.1 are being ported to custom ROMs, but if that's not your scene, there are a few goodies that have landed in the Google Play Store. One of these is the new Jelly Bean keyboard, which boasts better prediction (among other things) -- and that's something all of our fast fingertips are craving.

Ready to check it out on your Android 4.0 devices? Here's how to make it happen:

Step 1: Install a copy of Jelly Bean Keyboard, by Beansoft, on your Android.

Step 2: Open the Settings … Read more

How to stop Android from adding new apps to the home screen

Have you ever noticed after installing an app on your Android device, the icon for that app is already on your home screen? Sure it can come in handy, but it also can be pretty annoying. Nicole Cozma showed us how to disable this annoying feature on Honeycomb tablets a while back, and now I'm going to show you how to disable it on other Android devices.

Disabling the auto-add widgets (or shortcuts) feature is easy.

Launch the Google Play Store on your Android device. Tap on Menu and then Settings. Uncheck the box next to "auto-add widgets.&… Read more

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean ported to Kindle Fire

Hundreds of years ago, whoever controlled the ports of the world controlled the empire. In the Android world, ports rule once again -- in particular, a developer named Hashcode's port of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to the Amazon Kindle Fire totally rules.

You can find all the necessary files at the xdadevelopers forum, and Lilliputing also has a nice walk-through of the process.… Read more

Nexus devices get Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update

After releasing the operating system source code yesterday, Google announced that those who have Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ devices will be able to update their handsets to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean starting today.

Users will be prompted with an alert about the update over the next few days.

New Android 4.1 features include a faster user experience, improved Voice Search, and more expansive notifications.

Other products that have a Jelly Bean update in their midst include: the Galaxy Nexus, the Nexus S, the Motorola Xoom, and the Nexus 7 tablet, which will ship natively with Android 4.1 later … Read more

Google Nexus 7 tablet available through Staples

Consumers eyeing Google's new Nexus 7 tablet now have another choice of retailer.

Staples announced yesterday that it will carry both models of the new tablet -- the 8GB version for $199 and the 16GB edition for $249.

The Nexus 7 is currently available for preorder through the Staples Web site, an offer good until July 11.

Staples expects to ship the tablet between July 12 and July 17. Consumers can opt to have the tablet delivered to their homes or to their nearest Staples store. Either way, shipping is free.

Potential buyers who'd like to play with … Read more

Google releases Android 4.1 source code

In a sweet treat for modders and developers, Google has released the source code for Android 4.1, aka Jelly Bean.

The source code for the latest version of Google's mobile operating system was released today as part of the Android Open Source Project, Jean-Baptiste M. "JBQ" Queru, lead engineer on the project, said in a company blog post.

"We recommend that you create new clients, even if you're working in the master branch," Queru said. "It'll make your clients smaller and faster to sync."

In addition, he noted that proprietary … Read more