Rumors about a so-called Nexus tablet from Google have been flying around for a while. What you see above comes to us from Pocketnow and the pictured device is purported to be the search giant’s upcoming tablet. Could it be the cheap stock Android Nexus tablet meant to compete against the new iPad?

As we reported earlier, the Nexus tablet (or whatever it will be called, if it’s coming that is) is expected to have a 7-inch display and will be coming from Asus sometime this summer. If this is indeed the Nexus tablet that we are looking at, it looks more like a ten-inch slate.

It looks like it has some qualities of an upcoming Google tablet. The generic Ice Cream Sandwich OS is displaying only official ICS and Google apps; there are no third party apps or widgets visible.

But, anyone who is an expert in Photoshop can create such an image very accurately, and also we are suspicious about the presence of the Android Market icon instead of the Google Play Store (yes, it could mean that it’s an older render too). The folks over at Pocketnow are also not talking about a source. That does not mean that the image is a fake, but the image does not provide us with any good evidence to prove that it is real.

There are no hints about specs, price or the release date, but previous rumors point towards a device with a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and a $199 price tag.

Just to let you know, Android Community is saying that the above device looks similar to the 7.7-inch Tegra 3 tablet from Toshiba which was shown off at CES.

The post Rumored Google Nexus Tablet Could Be A Ten-Inch Device appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

It may not be coming jam-packed with features as the new iPad which becomes available today for the cost of an arm and leg, and it may not be as thin as the teased stainless steel Archos slate, but it certainly is unbeatable when it comes to its price tag. The ridiculously cheap Aakash 2 tablet, which is the successor to the $35 Aakash tablet designed for the students in India, will be launched in the country in the coming month with a price tag of just $40.

Yes, you heard that right, the device will cost only that much. And although it can never be placed alongside all the high-end tablets out there, it features some better components when compared to its predecessor and is expected to come with improved performance (and don’t forget the $40 price).

The new Aakash will come equipped with a 700MHz Cortex A8 processor, a 3200 mAh battery (promises 3 hours of use), 512 MB of RAM and a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display (replaces the resistive one). That may not look too great, but the previous Aakash lasts just around 2 hours and its performance was not that awesome either.

Although some are saying that the device will run Android 2.2 Froyo, it might arrive with Gingerbread on board. In case you are new to the OS, ICS is never going to arrive. And support for Android Market, now called the Google Play Store, is also a possibility.

The Indian government wants to see a tablet in the hands of every student in the country within the next five to six years. That’s a mighty big task in a country which is home to over 1.2 billion people. Makers DataWind have promised to bring out 100,000 units, although that’s not going to be nearly enough.

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The change in name really doesn’t affect the user experience all that much, because the Android app still looks and works in exactly the same way. The idea is that the content services from Google, like Google Books and Google Music, will be more unified across the various platforms. You can get your entertainment and share it through the cloud.

“Today we’re eliminating all [the] hassle with Google Play, a digital entertainment destination where you can find, enjoy and share your favorite music, movies, books and apps on the web and on your Android phone or tablet,” said the official statement from Google. “Google Play is entirely cloud-based so all your music, movies, books and apps are stored online, always available to you, and you never have to worry about losing them or moving them again.”

To celebrate the switch, Google has discounted 23 apps and games in the new Google Play to just 49 cents. These include World of Goo, Osmos HD, TuneIn Radio Pro, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline, NOVA 2, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, SwitftKey X Keyboard, and Pocket League Story, among others.

The post Android Market Becomes Google Play, Offers 49 Cent Apps appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Although all tablet lovers are waiting anxiously to know all about what’s new from Apple, at least some of you are looking forward to play with the Tablet P, Sony’s unique clamshell Android tablet. The dual-screened device, which was announced last year, is finally making its way stateside via AT&T on March 4^th.

Just to refresh your memory, the Tablet P boasts a pair of 5.5-inch LCD screens which work independently or combined into a single large screen. So, when folded, that will be a 10-inch device in your pocket.

Running Android 3.2 Honeycomb with the company’s software additions (upgrade to ICS has been promised to arrive in a few months), the Tablet P also features a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear cam and just 4GB of storage with a microSD card slot for cards of up to 32GB. You will have access to many apps optimized for the dual screens of the tablet from the company’s Select App, and of course Android Market is always there. And it is PlayStation Certified as well.

Via AT&T, the Tablet P will be available for $399 with a 2 year contract. It is a 4G device and you can choose from two monthly plans: $35/mo for 3GB of data or $50/mo for 5GB. But if you choose the latter, after two years you would have spent $1600. But you can get the device contract-free for $549 and select a pre-paid data plan that suits you.

But forget about all that if you have marked March 7^th on your calendar.

The post Sony Tablet P Finally Coming To The US Via AT&T appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

For the first time ever, you will be able to play Survival mode on mobile devices. The update adds new blocks such as doors, fences, and gates, and tools for various purposes including digging, attacking and shearing.

There will be a bit more violence (which is always fun as long as it’s just in the game, right?) via the introduction of mobs. The first creatures to arrive are sheep and zombies, and you can expect more for the future. You can flee to safety or fight the zombies and hunting for food is also there.

There will also be day and night in Survival mode with the monsters coming at night, and you can also gather resources from nature. But those who want to stick to the Creative mode also have something to cheer about. You will now be able to fly.

The update for Android devices is currently available for download at Android Market. It’s free if you bought the game earlier, otherwise you will have to shell out $6.99. But you can always check out the demo version if you are willing to sacrifice a few things. As for the iOS version, the update is ready to go too but is awaiting the green light from Apple.

The post Minecraft Pocket Edition Updated with Survival Mode appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

That’s why Google has come forward to announce a new service called “Bouncer” just days after Symantec’s announcement of a major malware infection found in some Android apps.  Yeah, Android Market is the hippest night club in town and it’s not going to put up with belligerant drunks and would-be thieves. Get out, buddy. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

In a nutshell, Bouncer will scan developer accounts automatically and look for “potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience.” It also “looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags.” If it finds some bad stuff, it gives that app (and presumably the developer) the boot out of the door, thereby protecting us Android users from the bad guys.

Let’s just hope that Google’s Bouncer isn’t like its Goliath-sized non-digital counterparts where you can just slip them some green to get in the club.

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We know Apple has a strangle hold on which apps make it to the App Store. That’s why Google is preferred by many developers since their apps have more of chance to see the light of day on Android Market. But this freedom appears to have helped malware makers as well. According to Symantec, millions of Android devices have been infected by malicious chunks of code called Android.Counterclank.

Calling it the largest Android malware infection ever, Security software vendor Symantec has discovered 13 apps from three developers (iApps7, Ogre Games and redmicapps) which are carrying the Android.Counterclank spyware which is technically a trojan and is a minor modification of Android.Tonclank. Some of these apps have been available on Android Market for at least a month.

The malware is capable of receiving remote commands without your knowledge and can steal information from your device. According to Symantec, it has infected between 1 million and 5 million Android devices so far.

The list of apps (posted below) which carry the bug includes games such as Counter Elite Force and CounterStrike Hit Enemy, and naughty titles such as Pretty women lingerie puzzle.

If you have a doubt whether an application, which is not in the above list, is infected with the trojan, you can check by seeing whether a service with the same name is running at once when you open the app. It can also be detected by looking for an added Search icon above your home screen. According to one user who installed Deal & Be Millionaire, “the game is decent … but every time you run this game, a search icon gets added randomly to one of your screens. I keep deleting the icon, but it always reappears. If you tap the icon you get a page that looks suspiciously like the Google search page“.

If there is an infected app on your device, we encourage you to uninstall it and/or reboot your device entirely back to stock.

Some of the malicious apps have already been removed from the Android Market but we are waiting for an official comment from Google.  In the meantime, we have contacted the developers for a response.

The post Biggest Android Malware Infection Ever, Says Symantec appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

ASUSTeK Computer goes to extraordinary measures to appeal to widest possible audience of their potential customers. Original ASUS Eee Pad Transformer was and still is one of the most popular 10-inch Android slates, even if the Transformer Prime clearly takes the role of ASUS flagship tablet. This time, ASUSTeK has released a group of FAQ videos that can influence customers decisions in favor of its $360 – $399 device.

This ‘Most FAQ’ mini-series consists of 10 episodes, so here we go:

1. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #1: How do I use Google Maps on the Eee Pad?

Using Googgle Maps on Eee Pad Transformer is really fun. Note that the demonstration makes rounds about Pegatron plant.

2. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #2: Can I download applications for Eee Pad?

Can I download applications for Eee Pad? I would certainly try, if I had this tablet. Jokes aside, it’s easy, and Android applications specially designed for tablets are out there, fully accessible in the Android Market.

3. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #3: What’s makes Transformer dock different from other docks?

This one is the hit of the season. Eee Pad Transformer wouldn’t be a “transformer” if there wasn’t such a useful accessory as its docking station combined with a good keyboard. It goes for $140 on top of Transformer price, but a refurbished variant can save you $20.

4. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #4: What does Transformer have in terms of expandability?

When in the docking keyboard, Eee Pad Transformer has very good expansion options in terms of what and how many external storages may be used and coexist. Connecting an external USB HD drive is a particularly compelling feature.

5. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #5: How large is Transformer? Is the screen easy to break?

It’s a scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass, it should be really tough. What do you think?

6. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #6: Can I play games on my Eee Pad Transformer?

That’s an easy one. Of course, you can! I’m surprised you’ve been waiting till 6th episode, to ask.

7. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #7: What’s the difference between Transformer and iPad?

A legit question. In this episode, iPad is thoroughly beaten by not having Adobe Flash on board.

8. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #8: How is the camera in terms of photo quality?

Both cameras are good, hardware-wise. They might need a plethora of face-morphing effects from Ice Cream Sandwich though, but ICS will probably meet original Transformer in the next season, I think.

9. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer #9: What is MyNet? What does MyNet do?

I think you’ve got it without my further explanations: MyNet is not your net, if you don’t own a Transformer yet.

10. The most FAQ about the Eee Pad Transformer#10: How else can I access a home computer via a Eee Pad?

This one is serious: MyCloud. Hopefully it will work without a hitch when this Transformer gets the ICS upgrade.

The post 10 Video FAQs about ASUS Eee Pad Transformer appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Phandroid is visibly pressed with no basic specs sheet given to them in the making of the video. Engadget is reporting a little more data for this mysterious prototype as the following:

• Model T98 with 16 GB internal storage and microSD card slot;
• 7″ IPS-type 1280×800 screen;
• Tegra 3 quad-core SoC clocked at 1.3 GHz;
• Front/rear 1.3/5 Mpix cameras, no LED flash on rear camera (but it’s a prototype that some Ainol/Aigo may furnish with one);
• possibly a 4100 mAh battery;
• SIM slot

From my view of it, I doubt it runs “stock 4.0″ Android, it’s more like AOSP 4.0.1, and not full Android 4.0.3 “Final” version, so there should be no certified Android Market and Google Apps just yet.  Anyway, it’s a prototype, so who cares. It didn’t show awfully fluid swipes, or transitions, in fact, none of these videos show these at all.

The post ZTE 7-inch Quad-core Tablet Runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Although Detroit’s NAIAS is thought of as the first big auto event of the year, the presence of automobile giants at CES suggests that the Las Vegas event is fast becoming the kick-off of the year’s major auto events in regards to in-vehicle computing. We saw some interesting stuff at the automotive area of CES 2012 this year, one among which is the RoadRover Android-powered dashboard.

As you might know, the company already provides its service via a number of vehicle models such as Audi A3, Nissan Altima, Peugeot 407/408, Toyota Tundra, Chevrolet Captiva and others.

With the RoadRover Android system, you will be able to synchronize data among Android-powered devices such as smartphones and tablets.  You will have access to Android Market for playing with a lot apps from the comfort of your car and get access to Facebook updates and tweets via your connected smartphone.

They are also providing external USB camera support which lets you take pictures while traveling and you will be able to upload everything right away onto your Facebook profile. But for that also, you just need your handset. Let’s not forget about its navigation capabilities too.

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