Sony Xperia Jelly Bean updates not due until 2013, official plans

We’ve been attempting to keep on top of operating system updates for various manufacturers devices and if you’re the owner of one of the Sony Xperia phones then you may well have been wondering if or when your device will receive the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update. Sony has been very quiet about this until now but has finally announced plans for some devices. Some of you may not be pleased though as the first phones to receive Jelly Bean won’t be updated until early next year while others will be out of luck altogether.

A while ago we published a roundup of the latest update news from manufacturers about the 4.1 Jelly Bean update and at that time Sony had confirmed that it would definitely come to the Sony Xperia T and the upcoming Xperia V, late 2012 devices. We now know that these will be the first Xperia devices to receive Jelly Bean, along with the Xperia TXbut that these updates are not planned until the middle of Q1, 2013.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Jelly Bean update reaches UK: Update

The team here on Phones Review like to keep you all up to date with all the news regarding software updates on the Android platform, and recently the availability of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for the Samsung Galaxy S3 has been hitting the headlines. Now we can tell you that the software upgrade finally reaches the UK.

Recently we told you of clams that Samsung promised to get the Jelly Bean update out to the Galaxy S3 in most regions by the end of this month, and true to their word this is beginning to happen as TechRadar are reporting that UK carrier Three has begun pushing out the software update to its customers.

Motorola Droid Bionic owners get ready to cheer, ICS update approved

Here at Phones Review we’ve been chronicling the saga of the Motorola Droid Bionic and its long awaited Android ICS update for some time. While many device owners are already downloading Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Droid Bionic owners are still waiting for their first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich. Well, all of you Motorola Droid Bionic owners get ready to cheer, as it seems that Motorola and Verizon have finally got their acts together and the ICS update for the Droid Bionic has now been officially approved.

We’ve been following the sorry tale of theICS update since Motorola first confirmed that it was coming to the Droid Bionic and that was back in December 2011! After many months of waiting Motorola finally informed Droid Bionic users that the update would roll out in Q3 and there were plenty of owners who were disappointed and felt let down that the update was taking so long to come to them. Especially bearing in mind the update, even at that point, was set to arrive many moons after other smartphone users got the upgrade for their device.

Halloween Ringtones pro app, time to be terrified

Well the spookiest time of the year is fast approaching, and no doubt there are many that will be using a mobile app to get their Halloween kicks come the 31st of this month, and if you happen to be on the iOS platform there is a new app available that lets you make use of some spooky Halloween ringtones on your device, and that app is called Halloween Ringtones Pro.

The Halloween Ringtones Pro app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple iPadoffers a built in collection of Halloween tunes along with a music editor, and enables the user to create spooky ringtones along with sounds for Twitter, texts, reminders and alarms.

The best music apps for iPhone users

If you’re an iPhone user and you love music you have a huge combination of music apps to choose from to customise your device to get all the features you want. Several of these apps are frequently top rated by users.

Here is a brief review of the top Apps, please do have a read about each one and then let us know if you have already tried them, if you have not then please search the App Store, download then and then send us your mini reviews.

HTC J Butterfly announced

Today at an event in Tokyo, HTC announced it new Android smartphone, the HTC J Butterfly. Check the specs and promo video after the break.

The HTC J Butterfly features a 5-inch full HD (440 ppi) Super LCD 3 display, a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 processor, 2GB of RAM, 8-megapixel main camera with an f/2.0 lens, 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), NFC, LTE and CDMA/GSM/UMTS/GPRS radios and run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The bad news is that this model will be available only on AU/KDDI network in Japan.

Nokia Lumia 920 and 820 to be Released on November 1st?

While no official release date has been set for the Nokia Lumia 920 or Nokia Lumia 820 German website MediaMarkt has committed to the date of November 1st 2012 as the phonesrelease date on their site.

This date seems pretty reasonable seeing that Microsoft is rumored to unveil Windows Phone 8 on the 29th of this month.

I personally think that Microsoft needs to do the unveil now to give their OEM partners a head start on the all important make or break holiday season. Apple and Google have already released their big guns it's time for Microsoft to do the same.

Galaxy S3 on Verizon update but don’t get Jelly Bean excited

If you’re a regular reader you’ll know we like to keep you informed about software updates heading to devices. Today we have news for Samsung Galaxy S3 (S III) owners on Verizon as a new software update has just been approved. However, if you’re one of the many waiting for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to hit the Galaxy S3 then please don’t get excited as this is is not Jelly Bean but just a minor update.

LG Optimus G ready to hit AT&T November 2, price and pre-order info

If you’ve been following developments about the LG Optimus G that will be available in the US on both AT&T and Sprint then we have some welcome news if you’re hoping to get one soon. Details for the release on AT&T have just become available and it will be launched on November 2. We also have the information you need regarding price and pre-orders for this smartphone.

HTC One S and Desire V get a price cut in India

HTC has reduced the price of the One S and Desire V, which are now available for Rs. 25,900 and Rs. 16,999 in India. HTC One S was officially launched in India in June, but it got a price cut in Augustfrom Rs. 33,590 to Rs. 28,900. The HTC desire V went on sale in India for Rs. 21,999 in June.

The HTC One S in India has a overclocked 1.7 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor instead of S4 processor and comes with a 4.3-inch (540×960 pixels) display, Beats Audio, 8MP auto focus camera with flash 1080p HD video recording and VGA front-facing camera similar to the One X. It has 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory and 1650 mAh battery.

The Dual SIM HTC Desire V has a 4-inch (480 x 800 pixels), 1 GHz single-core processor and runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with HTC Sense 4.0 UI. It has 512 MB RAM, 4GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 32GB with microSD and a 1650 mAh battery.

The price cut is effective from today, and online retailer Saholic have already started selling the One Sand Desire V at the new rates.

LG Optimus 4X HD price drops to Rs. 27990

LG Optimus 4X HD has got a price cut in India, which is now available for Rs. 27,990. It was announced at MWC 2012 earlier this February and launched in India for Rs. 34,990 in July. The price of the Samsung Galaxy S3 dropped to Rs. 34,900 last month. HTC One X also lies in the similar price range. Now you have lot of choices if you are looking for a quad-core Android Smartphone.

The LG Optimus HD has a 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 pixels) True HD IPS display with 331 PPI and is powered by a 1.5 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. It runs on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and has an 8MP auto focus camera with LED Flash and a 1.3MP front-facing camera. It has 16GB internal memory, 1GB LP DDR2 RAM and 2,150 mAh battery.

The LG Optimus 4X HD is now available in India for Rs. 27990 from online retailer Flipkart.

Micromax A110 Superfone Canvas 2 pre-booking starts, coming for Rs. 11,990

Micromax has started teasing their upcoming A110 Superfone Canvas 2 on their Facebook page and also opened the pre-bThe design of the phone is similar to the A100, but it would come with a 1 GHz dual-core processor and an upgraded 8 Megapixel camera with LED Flash and a 0.3MP front-facing camera for video calling.

Micromax A110 Specifications

• 5-inch (480 x 854 pixels) TFT capacitive touch screen IPS display
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Dual SIM (GSM + GSM) with Dual Standby
• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS
• 8MP auto focus camera with LED flash, 0.3 MP front-facing Camera
• 32GB expandable memory with MicroSD
• 3G, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• 2000 mAh battery with up to 5 hours Talk time and up to 180 hours Standby

You can Prebook the Micromax A110 from Snapdeal by paying Rs.500 and stand a chance to win tickets to Enrique Iglesias live concert in select cities in India. You cannot cancel the booking once you pay the amount. You can pay the remaining amount while buying the phone .

There are no details about the availability of the phone yet, but it is listed on Maniac Store for Rs. 11,990. Looks like Micromax is planning to launch the device soon.ooking for the handset on Snapdeal. It is the successor of the Micromax A100Superfone Canvas.

Gmail for Android v4.2 to bring pinch-to-zoom and Swipe to delete features

Android Police has got hold of the upcoming Gmail for Android app version 4.2. Looks like this would be a major update from the existing version of the Gmail for Android version 4.1.2. The upcoming Gmail for Android update is expected to bring the most expected pinch-to-zoom feature and a new swipe to archive or delete feature to quickly delete or archive a mail from you inbox or sent. You can also disable this feature from the settings, or make it to only delete when you swipe or archive and delete. It also removes the labels when you’re in a label-only view.

They say that the apk is not from one of the leaked LG Nexus devices. Android Police managed to install it on a Galaxy Nexus running on Android 4.1, so it is clear that it doesn’t require Android 4.2. They didn’t share a APK of the Gmail app yet, but according to them the APK might only work on a rooted device running on Android 4.0 and later.

Check out their video below that shows off these new features.

Source: Android Police

Factory images of Android 4.1.2 now available for Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7

Android 4.1.2 has been out on the wild from a few days now, but some people have still not received the update. It’s time for all these people to smile because Google has finally released the factory images of Android 4.1.2 JZO54K.

Factory images are important because if you crash your system or if your device doesn’t start you can start from scratch with these factory images. Android 4.1.2 brings loads of bug fixes and also new features like landscape mode on the Nexus 7. Android 4.1.12 is currently available for Galaxy nexus on Takju build which is the device being sold on the Google Play store and is currently unavailable for the Yakju Galaxy Nexus.

So what are you waiting for? If you have a Nexus 7, you can download its factory image from here. If you have a Galaxy Nexus, you can download its factory image from here.

Google Play gets free trials option for in-app subscriptions

Google is finally allowing developers to add a free trial option to in-app subscriptions for applications in the Google Play store. The Mountain View based company today added to its developers page, details regarding the procedure for enabling trials for subscription items.

Users will be required to submit payment information in the same way as meant for usual purchases but it will be marked as a $0.00 purchase. After the trial period is over, the account will automatically be charged. Users are free to cancel their subscriptions during the trial period. The free trial needs to be a minimum of 7 days and any changes made will be applicable only to new subscribers. Developers will be allowed to create one free trial period per subscription item.

Samsung Galaxy S3 mini with 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1 GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.1 announced

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S3 mini that surfaced yesterday. It has a 4.0-inch (480×800 pixels ) Super AMOLED display  and is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core processor and runs on Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). It has a 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, 720p video recording at the back and a VGA font-facing camera. The design of the phone and some of the features are similar to the Galaxy S Duos that was announced in August. It also has some of the unique features that were present in the Galaxy S3 including S Voice, Smart Stay, Direct Call, S Beam and Buddy photo share.

Samsung Galaxy S3 mini Specifications

• 4.0-inch WVGA(480×800) capacitive touch screen display
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) OS
• 9.85 mm thick and weighs 111.5 g grams
• 5MP Auto Focus Camera with LED Flash, 720p video recording and VGA secondary camera
• FM radio with RDS, 3.5mm audio jack
• 1GB RAM, 8 GB / 16GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB with microSD
• 3G (HSDPA: 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA: 5.76Mbps), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth v 4.0, GPS/GLONASS and NFC
• 1,500mAh battery

No details about the availability or the price yet.

Samsung to unveil 4-inch 'mini' Galaxy S III on October 11th

JK Shin, head of Samsung Mobile Communications, confirmed today that his company will be releasing a four-inch version of the Galaxy S III on October 11th in Germany. Shin announced the news during a meeting with Korean press on Wednesday.

Shin didn't reveal many details about the device, though he said it was spurred by increasing demand for 4-inch devices in Europe. He also noted that it won't be an entry-level handset, telling reporters it will have "full form factor." This would make it an unusual addition to the Android landscape, where high-end devices tend to be 4.5 inches or larger.

"We'll be launching a 4-inch Galaxy S III on the 11th in Germany," Shin said. "There's a lot of demand for a 4-inch screen device in Europe. Some call it an entry-level device, but we call it 'mini.'"

Google Nexus 7 tablet welcomes Jelly Bean update 4.1.2

We always try to keep readers informed about the latest operating system updates for their various devices and today there’s some news for owners of the Google Nexus 7 tablet. A minor update to Jelly Bean is now rolling out for this device to give some performance improvements, bug fixes and stability to the Nexus 7 and if you are a Nexus 7 owner you should be receiving this update soon.

The 4.1.2 update was announced by Jean-Baptiste Quera, the technical lead of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and owners of the Google Nexus 7 tablet manufactured by Asus will be particularly pleased by one of the benefits. While the latest Jelly Bean update (30MG) brings relatively little, one highlight is that it will allow users of the 7-inch tablet to enjoy landscape mode now, a very welcome move.

News of the latest update came to us from BGR sourced from Google Groups and it appears that although some are now receiving the upgrade it is fairly slow-moving rolling out and plenty have yet to receive it. Gotta Be Mobile reports that they haven’t received the rollout of 4.1.2 just yet for their Nexus 7 devices and checking manually has had no results yet either.

However it’s possible that it will pop up soon so if you want to keep trying then go to Settings>Apps>All and then find the Google Services Framework. Hit Force Stop followed by Clear Data, then return to Settings. If you then go to About and then System Update you may find news. If you have already rooted and unlocked your Nexus 7 there’s further good news because this update won’t break them, making upgrading straightforward.

We’re interested to hear from readers on this, especially if you are a Nexus 7 owner. Have you received the 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update already and if so, did the download and install go smoothly? Maybe you’re still waiting for the update for your Nexus 7? Send your comments to let us know.

Blux Camera iOS app with PEAR photographic assistant

For all you photographers out there that use an iOS device to snap your images, you might like to know that there is a new iOS app available to download called Blux Camera, which claims to be the world’s first intelligent camera due to incorporating P.E.A.R technology, which isn’t found in any other camera.

The Blux Camera app is for the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and the iPhone 5 running iOS 5.0 or above, and the Blux Camera app integrates an intelligent photographic assistant so the user can snap the perfect picture, along with creating stylish , stunning images anywhere,and a must have camera app for photographers at every level.

iPhone 5 shoots its first commercial and water tortured

There has been a bit of a problem with the camera on the iPhone 5 of late with many reporting a purple haze when snapping images in bright light, but what about when it comes to shooting video with the new iOS smartphone? Well everything seems to be okay with the iOS camera when shooting video as the two videos we have for your viewing consideration below prove.

Apparently Apple has said that the purple haze problem is caused by usersholding the iPhone 5 wrong, but obviously when it comes to shooting a commercial with the iPhone 5 it appears the way you hold the handset doesn’t cause any problems when shooting video as evidenced in the two videos below.