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Possible new Motorola DROID seen in FCC, Verizon-bound

Fresh from the updraft of market love for its product launches at IFA 2014 – namely the Moto 360 and the new Moto X – a possible new Motorola device is headed towards US carrier Verizon, and could be a beast of a phone. The device was spotted in FCC documents with the code name “Quark” and from initial analysis of the docs could have wireless charging and turbo charging.



According to an anonymous benchmark of a device modeled as XT1254, code name “quark_verizon” which surfaced about a month ago – this device could have monster specs. It purportedly sports a bleeding edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 2.65Ghz quad-core processor, 3GB of RAM, and an Adreno 420 GPU.


The FCC documents all but confirm that this device – whatever it is – is heading to Verizon. As per the image below, the device is compatible to all of Verizon’s wireless bands, from CDMA2000 to LTE bands 4 and 13, and also includes Verizon signature global roaming GSM bands of 850 and 1900. The FCC document unfortunately does not give us any hint of the specs. But it does mention a possible wireless charger setup, something which we had hoped to see in the new Moto X, but that hope was in vain.


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But the software version gives us confirmation – 5821.0.463.QUARK_VERIZON.EN.US – that yes, this is the rumored “Quark” device, and yes, it is heading for the Big Red network. The device is slightly bigger than the Moto X, which leads us to assume that this could be the new DROID MAXX. It’s about time for a refresh of the DROID line, and we’re thinking this could be it. What do you think?


VIA: Droid Life


NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet gets a 32 GB LTE upgrade

The time has come for a promised version of NVIDIA's latest gaming device to finally make an appearance. Starting today, you can put in your pre-order for a SHIELD Tablet bearing not just an upgrade 32 GB of storage but also support for LTE networks so you can take your digital life with you anywhere.



The NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet was quite a nice surprise, bringing the two worlds of NVIDIA's SHIELD Gaming and its DirectStylus Note together in one. Utilizing the latest Tegra K1 chip, the device oozes with performance and power that makes quick work of even the most resource intensive mobile game. Add to that the ability to connect to TVs and monitors, NVIDIA's GameStream technology, and an optional SHIELD Controller, and you've got the makings of a competent gaming device that also happens to be a talented Android tablet. At launch, the SHIELD Tablet only came in a 16 GB WiFi-only configuration with a promise of an LTE model coming soon. That promise is fulfilled today.


In addition to this hardware upgrade, the SHIELD Tablet will also be getting a games upgrade, with three new titles for the tablet coming soon. Beach Buggy Blitz, as the name would suggest, is a crazy free driving kart-racing game taking place on an island paradise. While fun to play alone, this game shines even more with local multiplayer mode, where you and your friends can hook up different controllers to play in split-screen fashion.



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BombSquad is equally insane, pitting a maximum of 8 players against each other in a (literally) explosive collection of mini games. Over the top effects, ragdoll face-plant physics, and plain old competitive fun might just make you want to get your character blown up, just for a few laughs.



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Broadsword: Age of Chivalry will be making its mobile debut on the NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet. Taking on a more serious tone, players, whether in single or multi player campaigns, will get to choose between France and Great Britain in this turn-based 3D strategy game.



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Aside from the storage and network upgrade, this NVIDIA SHIELD Tablet bears the same features and benefits as the original, including frequent and timely software updates, even Android ones, that would make you feel like you're on a Nexus device. This 32 GB LTE-WiFi model goes on pre-order in US and Europe today for a full retail price of $399. The device comes unlocked but is also certified to work on AT&T's LTE network. Shipping starts September 30.





XDA Xposed Tuesday: DonkeyGuard, Don’t Be a Donkey, Control Your Device – XDA Developer TV

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Some applications ask for the world when it comes to permissions. I have spoken to developers who say it’s better to ask for permissions you don’t need, than you have to ask for more permissions in an update. However at some point, you may want to tweak information for certain apps.


In this episode of XDA Xposed Tuesday, XDA Developer TV Producer TK reviews an Xposed Module that lets you take full control over your device. XDA Senior Member CollegeDev created the DonkeyGuard module. TK shows off the modules and gives his thoughts, so check out this Xposed Tuesday video.




Be sure to check out other great XDA Developer TV Videos



The post XDA Xposed Tuesday: DonkeyGuard, Don’t Be a Donkey, Control Your Device – XDA Developer TV appeared first on xda-developers.


Motorola UK website now lets you buy a Moto G directly

It may not be the desirable Moto Maker, at least not yet, but this is still good news for Android and Motorola lovers across the pond. Motorola's UK branch has just opened up its website for direct purchase of devices, with the new Moto G being the first, and so far only, product to be acquired.



Unlocked models of the Moto G have always been available to UK residents, but not directly from Motorola itself, unlike their US counterparts. Such devices were available from retailers like Amazon, which some prospective buyers might not find convenient or worry-free. Now they have nothing to fear as Motorola UK has opened its doors for those who want to get a Moto G straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. It does, come with a price, however, as the this Motorola-direct model costs ₤149.99, around ₤5 more than the Amazon price tag, though it will also arrive sooner than the retailer's.


To be clear, because the naming convention is a bit confusing, what is being offered here is the new, in other words the second generation, Moto G. This means a 5-inch increase in size for the same 720p resolution. It does also mean a faster 1.2 Ghz quad-core Snapdragon 400, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage. But most importantly, it also means dual front facing speakers and, finally, a microSD card slot.


The good news is that the Moto G is just the opening act. The UK website also has placeholders for the Moto 360 and the Moto X. The latter is expected to arrive with the Moto Maker customization service, making the UK the second country outside the US to get Moto Maker. Moto Maker opened shop in Germany last July, marking the start of its possible expansion to even more markets in the near future.


SOURCE: Motorola

VIA: Engadget





Nexus 9 set to launch in October, folio keyboard leaked

You’ll have to jog your memory backwards a bit for the last time you saw one of the Google-approved Nexus devices being launched. But it looks like October is going to be the month for Nexus fans as HTC looks set to launch the Nexus 9 tablet device in the next few weeks.



An invite has gone out for an HTC media event interestingly titled “Double Exposure”. There has been no official hints about the subject matter of the event, but it is strongly pointing to a launch of the Nexus 9 device. All the rumors point to a strongly-specced tablet – a 9-inch 1080p Full HD display powered by NVIDIA’s premium Tegra K1 chipset, 16GB of internal storage, a 16MP camera, and 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage among others.


HTC is also making available an app that can control the tablet via other Android and iOS devices. Speaking of peripherals, one such accessory has been leaked out of China’s parallel for the FCC – this is an external keyboard that doubles as a folio cover. Given the strong specs of the Nexus 9, we’d like to see more accessories that lean towards gaming and such, but hey, we’ll take what we can.


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The timing of the launch is also quite interesting in that it could be very close to Google’s official launch of its new OS – Android L. In fact, there are rumors that the Nexus 9 tablet could be the first official device to carry the newfangled operating system. We will have to wait and see – the event is slated for October 8th, so it will not be that long a wait.


VIA: BGR, SlashGear





Android One treats: Android updates for 2 years, offline YouTube

Google unveiled yesterday the first fruits of its Android One program, but it did more than just announce three extremely affordable Nexus-like devices. It unveiled a slightly new way of putting out Android smartphones, one that includes not just hardware but an entire ecosystem.



To some extent, Android One is like the Nexus line where Google gets to standardize the hardware as well as the core Android experience. Unlike the Nexus, however, Google has handed OEMs free reign over branding and distribution. It has even partnered with local networks to offer an enticing experience. Despite that, however, Google still has a palpable presence in those devices, especially when it comes to the software. And that is exemplified by the "promise" of receiving automatic Android updates for up to 2 years. Two years might not seem like a lot, but its more than what OEMs ever guarantee. That said, some have actually criticized that 2-year pact which actually also exists for Nexus devices.


One other interesting Android One feature, at least for India, is YouTube offline access. This much rumored YouTube feature has finally taken flesh, or is about to, with Android One. Details are still a bit sketchy at the moment, but the basic premise is that Android One users in India will be able to download YouTube videos whiile they're on WiFi so that they can view them later on without touching their 3G data. How long those offline videos will last or how many videos one can download are questions that still remain unanswered. Google's Android One page only notes that it is coming soon and leaves it at that.


Android One will be spreading its wings across more OEMs (Acer, Alcatel Onetouch, ASUS, HTC, Intex, Lava, Lenovo, Panasonic, Xolo), more SoC makers (Qualcomm), and more countries (Indonesia, the Philippines,Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka), all before the year ends. The 2-year update promise is likely to carry over to the new batches as well, but we will have to wait and see whether the YouTube offline access will be available there as well.


SOURCE: Android One (1), (2)

VIA: Android Police, Reddit





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Chromecast Wallpaper adds beauty to your Android smartphone

If you’re not the type of person who wants to use too colorful or too loud phone cases but would like to have your smartphone have a little more personality, then wallpapers are your best decorative bet. However, most of the built-in wallpapers are not that great or you don’t have that many choices given by your OEM. A new app brings the beauty of the wallpapers from Google Chromecast to your Android device of choice.



Called, what else, Chromecast Wallpapers, the app will remove from you the burden of googling nice images with the correct size, just to make your smartphone’s home screen a little more interesting. It brings to your device the 680 stock wallpapers from Chromecast, with a 1920x1080 resolution for the images, which should be about right with most Android devices. You’ll find landscapes, cityscapes, nature images, abstract art, animal beauty shots and other kinds of images that are nice to look at, if you choose not to put your selfie or a loved one’s picture on your home screen.


However, the wallpapers are hosted online so you will be able to use the images only when you’re connected online, which come to think of it, is most of the time now. Some of the images are also huge, so if you’re counting your data bytes, you might want to switch to WiFi when downloading the wallpapers.


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They do indicate in the app page that it is not in anyway authorised or licensed by Google, so if you’re a bit concerned with proprietary rights for photographers and designers, then this may be a bit uncomfortable for you. But if you just want pretty pictures on your smartphone (and you don’t really mind where they come from) you can download Chromecast Wallpaper for free from the Google Play Store.


VIA: XDA Developers


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