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In less than three weeks, Google’s current Nexus phone, the Galaxy Nexus, is going to turn one year old. That means we’re due for an upgrade. Back in May, The Wall Street Journal said that we’re going to see multiple Nexus smartphones launched during the holiday shopping season, but that rumor is now being challenged.
According to Android and Me, Google is going to announce just one new Nexus phone this month. And the next version of Android, allegedly called Key Lime Pie, isn’t going to be version 5.0, but instead 4.2. Their server logs already show several hits from a device running Android 4.2, and while it’s easy enough to fake Android version numbers, we don’t think someone would go through all that trouble just to punk the Android community.
What do we know about this next Nexus? The three sources who spoke to Android and Me say the phone has already leaked. That could mean the Galaxy Nexus II, but it could also mean the LG Optimus G.
What do we at Android Authority think about all this? Our gut says that the next Nexus will be a minor update to the Galaxy Nexus. The next “major” version of Android will likely be shown off early next year because that’s when we can expect to see next generation hardware. By “next generation” we mean new chips that use ARM’s Cortex A15 processor such as the Texas Instruments OMAP 5. Qualcomm’s quad core Snapdragon S4 is going to start shipping in phones this month, but not in any meaningful quantities. It’s going to take a while for production to ramp up, so it makes sense for Google to host a major event in 2013 instead of this year.
Remember the first Nexus, the Nexus One? It was announced in early January. We could see a repeat of that sort of timing, and maybe that’s when Google will unveil this so called “portfolio” of Nexus smartphones.

“GPS in America has become ‘too big to fail… Like Wall Street, the manufacturers of GPS devices have spent years profiting off of vulnerable technology and are now seeking protection from the government instead of implementing the necessary reforms.”

SOURCES CNN Money ComputerWorld

With Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite starting to ship tomorrow, Barnes & Noble has raised the stakes by dropping the price of its Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight from $139 to $119.
While originally it was thought that it was only certain retailers like Target and Walmart dropping the price of the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight, Barnes & Noble’s own listing for the e-reader is now showing the price as $119.

Dropping the price of the Nook Glowlight brings it to exactly the price of the lowest-tier Kindle Paperwhite, but there’s one key difference: the Nook doesn’t show you ads. The Kindle Paperwhite, of course, does, though Amazon refers to them as “special offers.”
New competition or not, it isn’t likely that Amazon is worried. The demand for the Kindle Paperwhite is so great that Amazon can’t actually keep up. Though it launches tomorrow, Amazon is displaying a notice that the Paperwhite won’t ship until October 22 for anyone buying it now.

While the Kindle Paperwhite is on a lot of wish lists, it isn’t like we’re talking about high-end tablets with competing specs. Both the Nook Glowlight and the Kindle Paperwhite are simple e-readers. While they certainly have differences, such as the Kindle Paperwhite’s front-lit screen, this isn’t a case where one device is clearly outclassed by the other.
The biggest thing to consider when buying an e-reader is which company’s store you prefer for content, so most buyers of either device probably already have their mind made up. The shipping delays Amazon is experiencing will probably end up earning some extra sales of the Nook Glowlight for Barnes & Noble, but it isn’t very likely that we’ll see droves of people jumping ship from Amazon.
Do you have a Kindle Paperwhite on the way, or are you going to opt for a Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight instead? Do you simply use your phone or tablet for your e-reading needs?

In a video released for the Korean launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we get to see even more cool features packed into a phone that already had a lot of people excited.
While we have already seen a lot of what the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, we haven’t seen everything yet. In the video a new feature was shown off: multi-window split screen support.

A list of apps is displayed either vertically or horizontally on the screen, and these apps can be dragged and dropped from the list to open a new window above or below the app that is already running. The video shows this feature being used to take notes while watching a YouTube video, open the messaging app while on Facebook, and use video chat while viewing a report in image form.
Other features are shown off as well, and the S Pen is given a lot of screen time, previewing videos and emails by hovering over them. One impressive moment shows a video being popped out of the video app,  resized and dragged around the screen on top of the web browser.
It’s important to note that all the features shown in the video are for the Korean model of the Galaxy Note 2, but it isn’t likely that Samsung would strip such an impressive feature from the phone when it is released elsewhere.
While the video was released for the Korean launch, it is in English, and is definitely worth watching. You can check it out below. If you just want to skip to the new features, start at around two minutes in.


If you were already excited for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, it is very likely that you are even more excited now.  If you’re still not impressed, another video on YouTube shows some of the features in the video off in a hands-on demo where they work just as well.
What do you think of the features shown off in the video? Are you planning to buy a Galaxy Note 2?

If you want to buy a Nexus 7 from Google but haven’t gotten around to doing it, today is a good day to finally pull the trigger. After today, customers who buy the Nexus 7 will no longer get $25 of credit in the Google Play Store along with their purchase.

Those who buy a Nexus 7 today will get $25 of credit toward Google Play Store purchases and an entire year to spend it. If you buy it after today, you’re still getting a cool new tablet, but no free apps to run on it. If you’re still on the fence and you like free things, it’s probably time to buy one.
If you have been eyeing the Nexus 7 for a while, chances are good that you might know the specs, but just in case, here is a refresher. The Nexus 7 includes a 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, 1 GB of RAM, either 8 or 16 GB of internal storage, a 4325 mAh battery, 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 7-inch HD IPS display at 1280 x 800 and 216 ppi.
The tablet runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and, being a Nexus device, will receive frequent updates. For gadget fans, its nice to know that you won’t be stuck running a dated version of Android while other devices are seeing updates.
The Nexus 7 will cost you $199 for the 8 GB version, and $249 for the 16 GB version. Both devices are for sale in the Google Play Store.
Are you finally going to buy a Nexus 7 today? If not, have you already got one? What did you get with your Nexus 7 Play Store credit?

MetroPCS is the 6th largest mobile carrier in the United States. It’s also looking to get bought out. Amid rising stock prices and a growing user base, MetroPCS is looking to send their customers to potentially greener pastures. Nothing concrete has been worked out yet. However, word is that Sprint, T-Mobile, and Dish are potential buyers.

It’s quite a range of potential buyers. Of the three, T-Mobile makes the least sense. They operate on a GSM network and MetroPCS uses CDMA. This means that even if T-Mobile bought MetroPCS, it really couldn’t do much with it. The most probably reason is MetroPCS has several LTE sites and T-Mobile may want them.
Sprint and Dish buyouts make much more sense. Sprint is the 2nd largest CDMA network in the United States behind only Verizon. MetroPCS has just under 10 million subscribers and that could help Sprint close the gap with Verizon at least a little bit. Additionally, MetroPCS 4G LTe is in a number of cities that Sprint is not and could help them expand their 4G network faster. Aside from 4G, Sprint could also strengthen its coverage map and gain more of a foothold in prepaid customers.
The most interesting case is the Dish Network. It would not be the first time there was a mobile service that also provided cable service. It’s no secret that Dish has had an above average interest in the mobile world. MetroPCS would be an excellent base for them to start their own network. This would put them in direct competition with carriers like AT&T, which also provide cable, internet, and mobile.

Will MetroPCS actually sell out?

If they can find the right buyer and the right price, there’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t. MetroPCS is a good carrier in their own right. However, given their size, they can fill a lot of roles in other companies. They would augment Sprint’s network nicely. They would be an excellent base from which Dish can stage their mobile efforts. There’s probably even something productive T-Mobile could do with them.
If any of these companies do buy MetroPCS, which one do you think it will be? Let us know your thoughts!

For years, ROM Manager was the de facto standard of getting CyanogenMod updates. The familiar orange gear with the top hat has been a staple of the CyanogenMod app drawer for a very long time. However, the CyanogenMod team has opted to go with its own update system.

Many people may be wondering why. It’s perfectly natural, as ROM Manager has been around as long as single-core 1GHz processors. It’s really like an old friend. According to Android Police, it is because CyanogenMod is completely open source and ROM Manager is not. This means that ROM Manager clashes with the ideals of CyanogenMod.
Thus, the CyanogenMod team has coded their own update system. It’s pretty simple, actually. It’s built right into CyanogenMod so ROM users will be able to use it like any other system setting. They can set the schedule to check for updates as frequently as one hour to as far off as monthly. They can also check for various types of builds. These include Nightlies, Monthlies, and stable builds both new and old.
It gets its roots from the last time the CM team used a proprietary updater. That was back in CyanogenMod 6. It has been updated and adapted to work in CyanogenMod 9 and 10. When invoked, the new update system will check and pull updates directly from get.cm.
In terms of feng shui, the new updater is definitely an improvement. It gathers the updates you want straight from the source when you want it to. While we all love ROM Manager, it wasn’t that customizable when it came to updates.

So what’s to become of ROM Manager?

Worry not fans of ROM Manager. Koushik Dutta, the developer behind ClockworkMod recovery and ROM Manager, has shown zero indication that ROM Manager won’t continue as normal. Even if it isn’t part of CyanogenMod anymore, users far and wide still use it for installing ClockworkMod recovery. Its functions for downloading ROMs and checking for updates should remain unhindered. This functionality will continue as will its presence in the Google Play Store.
Almost all rooted users know what CyanogenMod is and all CyanogenMod users know what ROM Manager is. It’s a relationship we hate to see come to and end. Thankfully it was a peaceful separation and not an ugly divorce. We should get no interruption in greatness from either CyanogenMod or ROM Manager.
The new update system hasn’t made its way into nightly builds yet. However, that should be coming any time now. Are you going to miss ROM Manager? Or is out with the old and in with the new? Let us know your thoughts.