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Android 4.2 adds multiple users and panoramic photos, copies Swype and AirPlay

While Google's big press event scheduled for today in New York may have been canceled, the company still decided to move forward with a slew of announcements via blog post. Among them was the release of Android 4.2, an updated version of Jelly Bean to come preinstalled on the new line of Nexus devices.

Swype fans will be pleased to hear that Android 4.2 includes a keyboard that lets users input text via gliding gestures. Not only that, it offers predictions based on common strings of word combinations for "smarter" typing. While the news is … Read more

Nexus 4 phone with Android 4.2 confirmed by Google, LG

Google and LG confirmed today the long leaked Nexus 4 smartphone, which will run on Android 4.2.

The Nexus 4 marks the first Nexus device built by LG, with Google looking to expand its partnerships and keep some of its partners thriving in the brutally competitive smartphone business.

"This is the first time we collaborated with LG to build a Nexus device," Andy Rubin, who runs Android at Google, said in a statement. "They brought an extraordinary amount of talent to the project, and the result is a feature-packed device that feels great in your hand … Read more

Nexus 4 will have wireless charging, leaked manual says

A leaked quick-start manual has confirmed that the Nexus 4 will come with wireless charging.

The highly anticipated 4-inch smartphone will include an induction coil at the back of the device, between the Nexus logo at the top and LG's branding on the lower half of the smartphone. A few pages in, the manual mentions the "wireless charger" directly, and notes that Nexus 4 owners must only "use an approved model."

Pocket-Lint reports that the smartphone will come with only 8GB of internal storage, and because the device lacks a micro-SD slot, users will not … Read more

Sprint Galaxy S3 gets Jelly Bean

Sprint is the first U.S. carrier to deliver an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3. Available starting this morning as an over-the-air update, the handset will benefit from features such as Google Now, enhanced and expanded notifications, and Android Beam.

Samsung has taken steps to enrich the user experience on its end, giving little extra touches to the camera aspect. Once users download the Jelly Bean update they will discover new live filters for still images and video as well as the power to pause and resume while recording.

What's more, the Galaxy … Read more

Sony will bring Jelly Bean to various Xperia models

Sony today announced that it will provide Android 4.1 Jelly Bean updates for a number of its Xperia models. A post on the company blog confirms that the update will hit the Xperia T, Xperia TX, and Xperia V in the first quarter of 2013.… Read more

U.S. Galaxy S3 owners, your wait for Android 4.1 is almost over

The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update will wend its way to Galaxy S3 smartphones in the United States in "coming months," Samsung announced in a press release (see below). The specific launch dates will be revealed by each of the carriers, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and U.S. Cellular.

S3 owners will potentially be able to grab Android 4.1 either over the air or through Samsung's Kies software, which downloads the update to a computer and then syncs it with the smartphone. Each carrier will announce its own update method.

Beyond … Read more

Galaxy S3 Android 4.1 update continues trek through Europe

Android 4.1 continues to reach more Samsung Galaxy S3 owners throughout the world.

France, Spain, Romania, and Austria are the latest spots in Europe to receive the Jelly Bean update for the S3, according to blog site SamMobile. Users in those countries can actually grab the new version from SamMobile. But the site advises people to use Samsung's own Kies software, which downloads updates to a computer and then syncs them with the phone.

CNET has contacted Samsung for comment and will update the story if we receive any information.

So far, the Android 4.1 update has … Read more

Android 4.1 reaches Samsung Galaxy S3 owners in Korea

Samsung Galaxy S3 owners in Korea are finally getting a taste of Jelly Bean.

The rollout of Android 4.1 for the S3 starts today in Korea, a Samsung representative confirmed to CNET.

Reaching the 3G and LTE editions of the S3, the Jelly Bean update adds such features as Google Now and new widgets for the home screen.

Samsung has posted a page for Korean users on how to update their S3 phones to the latest Android version.

Android 4.1 landed in Europe late last month for Galaxy S3 owners. Samsung has so far been mum as to … Read more

Sony 'Odin' tipped as 2013 flagship device

We might be a few months away from CES and Mobile World Congress, but that doesn't mean handset rumors are going to wait around. The preliminary details for a new Sony smartphone have surfaced, possibly laying the groundwork for a new "flagship" device.

According to information first noticed by Blog of Mobile (translated), Sony is prepping a C650X smartphone under the code name of Odin. As detected in its User-Agent Profile (UAProf), the phone looks to run Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean and Sony's 10.1.A.0.XXX firmware.

To be clear, there is … Read more

Acer brings Android 4.1 to four Iconia Tab models

Acer confirmed that an Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update is in the cards for at least four of its Iconia Tab models.

The software update is coming to the Acer Iconia Tab A110, Tab A210, and Tab A510 models, a company spokesperson recently said.

Each tablet will reportedly get the tasty OS treasure later this quarter. The Iconia Tab A700, on the other hand, began seeing its own Jelly Bean rollout last week.

It's not all good news for Acer owners, though. The company rep says that the Tab A100, Tab A200, and Tab A500 will not see … Read more