A few months ago it had been rumored that Google may be asking ASUS to build their tablet for them and now we have some more details on this likely partnership. Digitimes have claimed that Google’s tablet is well near completion and that shipments will be starting in June in preparation for a release sometime in July.

Just to remind you, this isn’t a rumored product as Google chairman Eric Schmidt already revealed last year that the company would be releasing a tablet within the next six months. While they may have fallen a little bit short of that estimation, a July release would still ensure that Google has maintained their word and the tablet could force Apple to step up their plans on a renewed iPad effort with upgrades made to the existing ‘new iPad’ that launched just a few months ago.

If a July release wasn’t exciting enough for you, we’ve also heard that Google will be unveiling their new tablet at Google I/O which starts in June. Potential specs of the device that have been speculated include a Tegra 3 quad-core processor and Google’s brand new unseen Android 5.0 Jelly Bean OS. What do you make of the decision to allow ASUS to build the device though? The Transformer Prime is obviously a lovely piece of kit, so are you happy that Google has given the Taiwanese manufacturer a chance to become a global brand in the US?

Samsung would have been another obvious choice since they built the Galaxy Nexus, but we’re pleased to see that Google is trying out different things. How does a quad-core, Jelly Bean effort from ASUS sound to you this Summer? Instant buy for you, or will you hold out to see if Apple has something in the pipeline?

More About: Android, asus, google, google nexus tablet

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The good news, is that a lot of you are going to be happy. Ice Cream Sandwich updates may be taking their time to come out, but looking at the list it seems that HTC has done a good job in trying to bring Android 4.0 to as many handsets as possible.

Even older handsets such as the HTC Thunderbolt are getting the update, as is the Desire S and Desire HD. Thunderbolt owners should expect the update to occur between July and August, while the Desire HD update is scheduled between July-August and the Desire S a little sooner between June-July.

Unfortunately, it looks like those of you with a Droid Incredible 2 are in for an anxious wait. HTC has basically said that they are still deciding on whether this handset will get the update or not, with a decision to be made before the end of August. Expected ICS updates are happening for the Sensation line of handsets, and there’s good news for Vivid, Amaze 4G and Rhyme owners as well.

It’s a good idea to bookmark and study the update chart over at HTC’s website here. Early HTC Flyer buyers are probably regretting their purchase right now, as the website also drops the bad news that the device will remain on Honeycomb forever.

Overall, it’s nice of HTC to provide these kinds of details that consumers are obviously desperate to hear. The move seems to have been prompted by Motorola’s recent ICS chart, so let’s see if Samsung decide to provide a similar chart soon. Are you happy with this information provided by HTC, or has your handset been left off the list?

More About: Android, HTC Rezound, Ice Cream Sandwich

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Even other Android owners are probably even aware of the Galaxy Nexus’s plight on Verizon, as it’s an unusual occurrence where such a high profile device fails to receive official support since launching a mere six months ago.

It’s almost turned into something of a laughing stock and obviously not the kind of headlines you are expecting to read when talking about Google’s current ‘flagship’ smartphone. Luckily, this update episode may be coming to an end as Droid-Life has heard that the Android 4.0.4 update could be dropping on May 22nd.

There’s no leaked documents from Verizon or Best Buy databases this time, but apparent confirmation from Verizon employees state that this is the solid date that the update will land. However, despite that there’s also no guarantee that Android 4.0.4 will bring any notable new features to the table and it could just be an update littered with bug fixes.

After waiting six months, we would like to think that Samsung are planning to add some new functionality in order to make up for the huge delay. The company did a similar thing when rolling out the premium suite Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy Note, so something on those lines would be great.

Are you holding your breath for an update on May 22nd, or do you just think it will turn out to be another disappointment? Let us know if the lack of official updates is ruining your Galaxy Nexus experience or not.

More About: Android, Galaxy Nexus, Ice Cream Sandwich

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While that is obviously pretty disappointing for owners of those devices, Motorola has come out and attempted to provide a little relief on the situation, as well as provide clarity regarding updates for their other Android handsets.

The good news is that the RAZR and RAZR MAXX are still penciled in for an ICS update sometime during Q2 of 2012. The bad news is that a list provided by the manufacturer names and shames specific devices which will not be receiving an update to the latest version of Android.

Despite being released last Summer, we can confirm that the Droid X2 won’t be getting an update. Also on the doomed Gingerbread-only list is the Motorola Droid 3 and also the Motorola Milestone 3. If you are still using one of these three handsets, it’s probably a good idea to start thinking of a new phone to purchase, or contemplate installing a custom version of Android instead.

Aside from the RAZR and RAZR MAXX, Motorola also reiterate that the Droid Bionic and the Droid 4 are still in line to receive their updates sometime during the third quarter of 2012. No specific months unfortunately, but this list is obviously better than complete silence which other manufacturers and of course certain carriers are well guilty of doing.

If you have time to spare, check out the full upgrade chart over at the official forums. What Motorola device are using at the moment – are you reading good news or bad news?

More About: Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, Motorola

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While some may see this as a major security breach, others such as the developer who managed to achieve the feat may be thinking that Samsung could have actually foreseen this outcome. Chainfire, the XDA developer who has rooted the Galaxy S3 has said that the process was ‘relatively easy’ and that Samsung is the only high-end Android OEM who are not completely locking away their devices from users who are eager to explore custom alternatives.

If you think about it, Samsung often come under fire for their TouchWiz interface, but if they appear to have minimum barriers in place for people to root their device – then perhaps it’s not so bad. Now that the root has been achieved, it obviously paves the way for other developers to get started on custom ROMS for the device. Samsung may not be too happy about this aspect, but the fact that their latest device appears to be left open for exploration, Samsung probably deserves a lot of credit for this.

The root method isn’t available at the moment, but you can find out how it was possible over at the XDA forums here. Are you surprised that the device has been rooted, given that it is Samsung’s new prized asset? Will you now look to replace TouchWiz with a custom ROM as soon as possible, or are you intending to keep the phone in its original state?

More About: Android, samsung, Samsung Galaxy S III

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If you haven’t heard, the Optimus LTE2 is gaining quite a following, due to the inclusion of 2GB of RAM, the first for any mainstream smartphone in the world. You may have noticed a pattern developing with LG also behind the world’s first dual-core device in the Optimus 2X, but the device does a lot more to gain attention aside from the extra RAM.

For starters, it actually looks pretty nice as well. LG are perhaps harshly criticized by consumers for building smartphones that may not look the part, while many consumers also question the build quality of LG devices as well as opposed to phones from Samsung and HTC in comparison.

If you take a look at the couple of videos we have to show you below, you’ll probably agree that the Optimus LTE2 is an instant improvement design wise. We’ve even read on social media boards that many of you think the LTE Optimus LTE2 has a nicer design than the Samsung Galaxy S3.

The videos also give you a first glance at LG’s new ‘Optimus UI 3.0′ which offers a slick new approach to the Android 4.0 lock screen, as well as a rather cool feature which allows you to scribble quick memos on the screen, on top of any app at any given time. There’s also some expected gimmicky features thrown in there as well – by using the device’s microphone, you can say the word ‘Kimchi’ to automatically take a picture. Although it may sound a bit tacky at first, we have a feeling that it may become a universal smartphone feature in the future. LG better patent this before Apple hears about it though.

Check out the videos below for yourself and give us your initial impressions of it. Do you think LG has done a good job with the design this time around and perhaps more importantly – is it better looking than the mighty Galaxy S3?

More About: Android, lg, LG Optimus LTE2

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You may remember that it was LG who decided to announce the Optimus LTE2 on the very same day as when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S3 to the world. While some of you may call this cheeky tactics from LG, there’s reports coming out of Japan that Samsung may be planning a little act of revenge.

We all know that the International and 4G LTE versions of the Galaxy S3 will pack just 1GB of RAM. However, the Japanese version of the device which will be landing on NTT Docomo has already been confirmed to be shipping with 2GB of RAM, as noted by The Verge. While this may be a horror story for those planning to get one in Europe or the US, it may even end up being exclusive to Japan, as the Galaxy S3 there will also feature a TV tuner, which the other versions do not.

The reasoning behind the move is still up for debate though. Has Samsung equipped an extra 1GB of RAM purely to compete with LG and their Optimus LTE2, or is the extra RAM a requirement due to the added TV Tuner and compatibility issues with NTT Docomo? It’s a shame if this does remain exclusive to Japan, as an extra 1GB of RAM would obviously be well appreciated with consumers over here.

The good thing to take out of this though, is that it looks like 2GB of RAM is no longer a myth so we could see a lot more smartphones announced before the end of the year which also feature the extra RAM. What are your thoughts on this – is it a big deal to you if this is exclusive to Japan, or would you demand that Samsung compensate International and US Galaxy S3 buyers in some way?

More About: Android, samsung, Samsung Galaxy S III

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We now have some very useful hands-on videos for you to check out, which showcases three official accessories that are now available to buy from retailers online. This retailer in question Mobile Fun, provides a preview of the official dock, a flip case and also the official Stylus pen dubbed the C-Pen.

Unfortunately, after watching the video we have to say that Samsung could have done a lot better in the stylish department when designing these accessories. The flip case in particular doesn’t really look too appealing to the eye and we’re sure that other third-party manufacturers will be able to come up with something that looks a lot more glamorous and keep that sexiness intact that Samsung’s new flagship surely deserves.

The dock also appears to be very basic, with a simple slot for putting your phone inside, as well as a hidden compartment for storing a battery inside. The stylus is the most impressive of the three shown in our opinion, as Samsung has done well to disguise the stylus as a real pen and it looks like the design will come in very handy indeed when using apps such as Draw Something.

Going back to the flip case though, we can see that getting pretty annoying if there’s no way to stop the front of the case flapping around during use. Like we said above, we’re looking forward to seeing some third-party accessories in the weeks to come, as there is bound to be heavy demand for some other alternative accessories.

What are your thoughts on the three shown here – which do you think is the most practical? Do you think that the official flip case is ‘horrible’ like some social media boards are suggesting?

More About: Android, samsung, Samsung Galaxy S III

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While Draw Something is great addictive fun thanks to its never-ending possibilities, as well as support for playing with friends, the same cannot be said for the Logos Quiz unfortunately which provides a decent amount of fun, but threatens to fizzle out quickly once you have completed the levels.

If you haven’t tried Logos Quiz yet, you really should since it is great fun and it’s also a free download. Basically you have to guess the logos in the shortest time possible, with 8 levels of logos and progressing degrees of difficulty depending on which level you have managed to get to.

The disappointing aspect of the Logos Quiz app though, is that all the logos are predetermined and there isn’t any sort of live updates in place to make sure you receive fresh logos everytime you play the game. This naturally has led to users just searching for the answers online, essentially giving the app a short life-span.

That doesn’t mean to say that it’s the end of the line though, as some support by way of frequent updates could remedy the situation and put the app on par with the likes of Draw Something. We would like to see support for two players added as a priority, and there could be a new interface put in place where the two players would have to guess randomly generated apps in a short space of time. Hopefully the developers are thinking of adding to the game, as it would be a shame for the app to just die out once everyone has cracked those eight levels.

The principle of the game itself though is great – who doesn’t like wasting a few minutes of transport time with some classic logo guessing? If you have been playing the game regularly, or if you have already completed all logos, let us know your suggestions on how the Logos Quiz could be kept alive.

More About: Android, apple, Logos Quiz

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Before you ask, no we’re not talking about the LG Optimus LTE2 that the company announced on the very same day as the Samsung Galaxy S III. There is in actual fact another rumored LG handset that is on the way and the guys over at BriefMobile apparently have an image of the back casing for the device already.

While the image doesn’t look glamorous at all and certainly not as slick as the Galaxy S3, it’s the specs which may win you over in the end. The LG Optimus LTE2 will officially pack 2GB of RAM, the first smartphone in the world to do so, but the rumored LG LS970 ‘Eclipse’ apparently comes equipped with 2GB of RAM as well.

That’s not all though, as other purported specs include a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, which again will be another first since we are only just seeing smartphones releases with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip instead. There’s also meant to be a 13 megapixel camera on board, an Adreno 320 GPU and 4G LTE connectivity support.

There’s a growing feeling that LG like to be ‘first’ to the smartphone spec reveals, but how many of you would put this aside in favor of quality of brand? Not everyone is a fan of LG products and that’s obviously something that the South Korean manufacturer is looking to change. Is it all about having the latest specs at the first opportunity for you, or would you still pick the Samsung Galaxy S3 simply because their brand is more established in the market?

More About: Android, lg, Samsung Galaxy S III

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