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We're getting ramped up for the Android Central podcast right now but in case you missed out on anything today -- get yourself caught up. Need to know what we'll be talking about? Head on back ohhh... 5-6 pages. If you're looking for something to do before we kick things off, check out the threads below from the Android Central Forums.

• HTC One X Forums - HTC one X vs Galaxy Nexus
• HTC One S Forums - HTC One S crashed - Strange battery error
• HTC Thunderbolt Forums - 3G with screen off 4G with screen on
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus Forums - Google Wallet 1.1-R63-v12 (May 16th update)
• Samsung Galaxy SIII Forums - Apple blocking One X in US. Could S3 become their next target?

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.

Although Motorola Xoom WiFi owners in the US have had Android 4.0.4 for quite some time now, Android 4.0.3 is only just now pushing out to folks in Canada. As noted in the Android Central Forums, the update went live earlier today for the masses. Checking with Motorola also shows that to be the case, as they've highlighted the update via their website.

• Updated Browser with faster rendering, zoom and pan Users can also now save pages for offline reading and request desktop versions of websites.
• Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs You can now dismiss individual notifications, apps from the Recent Apps list, and browser tabs with a simple swipe of a finger.
• Redesigned app launcher In All Apps launcher, you can now simply drag an app to get information about it, immediately uninstall it, or disable a pre-installed app.
• New System Font for Improved Readability An entirely new typeface (called Roboto) optimized for high resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished feel to the user interface.
• Updated "People" Application Replaces contacts and integrates seamlessly with Google+ and other social networks.
• Improved text input and spell-checking The keyboard now features improved accuracy to make text input faster. It also now includes an in-line spell checker to make corrections easier.
• Type with your voice Now you can simply touch the microphone on the keyboard and start talking to write emails, SMS, or any other text-more than 20 languages supported. Text appears in real time, so there's no waiting for server processing.
• Richer and versatile imaging capabilities For capturing larger scenes, the camera introduces a single motion panorama mode. Also, you can now take still shots while shooting video just by tapping the screen as video continues to record. You can also launch camera directly from the Lockscreen. When you shoot videos, you can now choose from a number of silly faces and other fun effects which recognize individual facial features so you can give your friends big eyes, squeeze heads, make noses bigger, or change the scenery with background replacement.
• Redesigned Gallery app with photo editor To help pictures look their best, the Gallery now offers a powerful photo editor so you can crop and rotate pictures, set levels, remove red eyes, add effects, and much more.
• Richer, resizable widgets You can expand widgets to show more content, or shrink them to save space.

If you're rooted, you may need to return back to stock in order to apply the update but no matter -- you can root your Motorola Xoom once again after the update is applied. With the update having been tested aplenty on the US version already, you shouldn't run into any issues with it. If so, head on into the Android Central Forums to get yourself some help.

Source: Motorola Canada, via: Android Central Forums

Samsung is moving into Burnaby, B.C. Samsung Electronics Canada has announced construction of the first Samsung Store set to open Summer 2012. As noted in the press release, Samsung is planning to offer plenty of interactive experiences at the new location by offering in-store education programs, labs and hands-on experiences.

"Samsung is excited to bring a new level of retail experience to Canadians," said James Politeski, President of Samsung Electronics Canada. "Our vision is to provide an immersive space where consumers can interact with our products in totally new ways and enjoy unprecedented service levels."

Samsung notes that this is the first Samsung Store to be opened in Canada though, there is no mention of the possibility of other locations opening up. Exact dates for the opening were left out as well, so it'll be something to look forward to for Canadian Samsung fans.

Source: Newswire, via: Mobile Syrup

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The delayed launch of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has pissed more than a few people off. Earlier this week, we learned that the ITC has blocked imports of Sprint’s new flagship HTC device at U.S. Customs to inspect the software loaded on the devices to make sure HTC is no longer infringing upon Apple’s patent #5,946,647. Sprint’s official notice of the delayed launch went out on its community forums while HTC issued an official comment to the media.

We can confirm that the product will not be in stores this Friday. Products for pre-order are on hold. We’ll provide a ship date as soon as we’re able. HTC will work with Sprint to maintain the promise for pre-order customers so they will be among the first to receive their HTC EVO 4G LTE units when available.HTC

While all of this is bad new for consumers, the delay of the HTC EVO 4G LTE may be short lived. A glimmer of hope appeared this afternoon when Best Buy customers who had pre-ordered the HTC EVO 4G LTE restarted receiving emails which state that the new release date for the phone has been pushed back from May 18th to May 23rd.

Best Buy could have some information which has not yet been made available to the public, but HTC has not released any new information on the issue. We are waiting to hear back from them regarding this new development. For all we know, the ITC has already lifted the U.S. Customs hold on the HTC EVO 4G LTE and HTC One X and HTC is waiting to release an official statement until the devices start moving through their supply chain again.

After yesterday's news of Verizon killing off unlimited data plans for grandfathered users, we were left with a lot of questions. That will happen when you don't get official word about changes, and analysts and pundits alike are forced to hypothesize. Luckily, Verizon has released some more official news about what to expect with their new shared data plans, and how this will affect current customers with unlimited data plans. Here's the full statement --

As we have stated publicly, Verizon Wireless has been evaluating its pricing structure for some time.  Customers have told us that they want to share data, similar to how they share minutes today.  We are working on plans to provide customers with that option and will introduce new plans later this year.

When the new options are introduced, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to our customers purchasing handsets and signing a new contract. Customers who choose to purchase phones at full retail price and are currently on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan. The same pricing and policies will apply to all 3G and 4GLTE smartphones.

We will share specific details of the plans well in advance of their introduction so customers will have time to evaluate the plans and make the best decisions for their wireless service.  It is our goal and commitment to continue to provide customers with the same high value service they have come to expect from Verizon Wireless.

It seems as if yesterdays speculation was on the mark, and Verizon will be pushing folks with a grandfathered unlimited data plan to the new shared data plans whenever a new contract is signed. Thankfully, there is a way out -- pay full price for your phone or tablet, and don't sign a new contract. Of course that's not a good solution for many folks, and with no subsidy a lot of the value of sticking with a carrier is lost. It's not the news many were hoping for, but at least we're all aware of the situation now. We're all interested to see more specific details about fees and data cap sizes as they are announced.

Source: Verizon

Welcome back to the first ever TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards promotion. Last week we gave away a Transformer Pad prize pack to the lucky winner Golcarcol and this week we are back with another one. Don’t forget that NVIDIA is also giving away 7 ASUS Transformer Pads with docks, Logitech Controllers and a Jambox Speaker, so make sure you go vote.

NVIDIA is celebrating the first year of TegraZone, the best place to find the hottest Android games for your Tegra-powered device. ASUS, NVIDIA, and Android and Me are partnering on a sweepstakes in which readers can vote on their favorite Tegra games for the chance to win the new ASUS Transformer Pad. Read on for the full details.

About TegraZone

NVIDIA debuted TegraZone one year ago and it now boasts over 3.5 million installs. Over 1.5 million unique visitors have used the app during the past quarter and the average user visits every 3 days. NVIDIA has also helped developers gain exposure for their games with an average conversion rate of 19%, compared to the 5% average conversion rate of Google Play. There are now close to 40 games optimized for Tegra devices and we are seeing the quantity and quality increase every month.

NVIDIA TegraZone NVIDIA PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

First TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards

Scan to vote.

Starting today and running through May 31st, users can vote for their favorite Tegra games in three categories. Every user that votes in the TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards will be automatically entered to win a free ASUS Transformer Pad from NVIDIA.

Award Categories include:

1. Best Graphics
2. Best Gameplay
3. Overall fun

Once the votes are tallied, the winners will be announced on June 6th at E3.

Vote now in the TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards

TegraZone game I’m looking forward to the most: Renaissance Blood THD

Renaissance Blood, formerly DaVinci, has been in development for a long time, but it should finally arrive on Tegra 3 devices in June. Korean developer Bridea is using the Unreal Engine 3 for this first person shooter and promises the highest graphics quality of any mobile game.

Kijong Kang, Executive Producer, described how they planned to take advantage of NVIDIA’s 4-PLUS-1 architecture by saying, “Renaissance Blood THD will leverage Tegra 3 for its multi-threading capabilities, so we can scale across all four CPU cores and deliver the ultimate console-quality performance.”

We haven’t seen a lot of info about the game released in recent months, so keep an eye on the TegraZone listing for updates. It’s possible the release date could be pushed back to the second half of 2012, but this looks like a game worth waiting on.

The Giveaway: ASUS Transformer Pad Prize Pack

Running latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the ASUS Transformer Pad is a value packed tablet that with multi-color style, and productivity with expandability when connected to the mobile dock. With a 1.2MP front and 8MP rear auto-focus camera with large F/2.2 aperture and exclusive office software, staying connected and productive has never been easier.

Gaming to go prize pack includes:

• ASUS Transformer Pad
• ASUS Mobile dock
• Logitech game controller
• Jambox Speaker

How to enter the weekly contest

Join Android and Me and start a discussion about any gaming-related or Tegra-related topic in our Threads. All Thread creators in the next week will be automatically entered to win. (Learn more about Threads)

Suggested thread topics include:

• X reasons why I want the ASUS Transformer Pad (or any Tegra 3 device)
• X games I wish were coming to Android
• Will cloud gaming be the end of consoles?
• Review your favorite Android game
• Is TegraZone and other exclusive content good or bad for Android?
• Etc., be creative!

Entries will be judged on number of comments they receive, use of images and videos, and overall quality. We will announce the winner next week when we start Week 3 of the TegraZone Player’s Choice Awards promotion.

Multiple chances to win: Users can win a tablet from Android and Me or NVIDIA. The Player’s Choice Awards will be running for several weeks, so be on the lookout for more chances to win an ASUS Transformer Pad. Don’t forget we are also running a Sonic 4 promotion that has another chance to win a Transformer Prime.

Contest Rules

This contest is open to residents of the United States, Canada, UK and Germany. Entries will be accepted for one week after the contest goes live. We’ll announce the winner on this page and on our Twitter account as soon as we draw.

Contest Winner

(coming soon)

The first week of NVIDIA's TegraZone Player's Choice awards has run its course, and that means two things -- the first is that you only have two weeks left to hit the TegraZone contest page and vote for your favorite games and developers, and the second is that we need to announce a winner of our own prize giveaway. Let's do that!

Congrats, cckgz4! You just won a killer ASUS Transformer Pad TF 300 from your pals at ASUS, NVIDIA, and AC. Check your e-mail for details.

It's a great piece of gear, and Ice Cream Sandwich runs lovely on it. But let's be honest -- the highlight of the TF300 is the Tegra 3 that's packed away inside it, and the incredible Tegra optimized games available. They bring things to an entirely new level, and it seems like each new game released pushes the envelope even further -- the gameplay on Sonic 4: Episode II is simply amazing. 

With week one over, it's time to start week two. You'll want to be sure to hit the TegraZone and vote, where they are giving away seven prize packs consisting of the TF300, a keyboard dock (a must-have accessory!), a Logitech wireless controller, and a Jambox portable Bluetooth speaker. It's like a personal arcade, but with better games! When you're done there, jump into the Android contest forums and enter our own giveaway, as AUSU and NVIDIA have partnered with us to give away another prize pack each week for the duration. 

You don't want to miss this opportunity, so be sure to throw your name into the ring and try your luck. At the same time, hard working developers get a bit of recognition, as NVIDIA will be hosting a special event for them at E3 on June 6. 

VOTE IN THE PLAYER'S CHOICE AWARDS AT THE TEGRAZONE! ENTER TO WIN IN THE ANDROID CONTEST FORUMS!

If you've been having any sort of issues playing Temple Run on your Android device now would be a good time to check for updates. The team at Imangi Studios has now released the latest update to the game and it has plenty of bug fixes and improvements added that will hopefully make the in-game experience better for all.

• Fixed many compatibility issues with Android 4.x ICS devices
• Fixed bug that caused low resolution textures to be used on high DPI devices
• General bug fixes and improvements

Personally, I never had any issues with it on my Galaxy Nexus in the past but there seems to of have been enough reported concerns for Imangi Studios to correct whatever the issues were. If you had issues try out the latest build and see how it works. Remember, if you're still experiencing problems -- reach out to the developers. They're openly asking for feedback so give it to them if need be. As always, download link is below in case you've not yet checked out Temple Run.

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So now that you are ready to move to a pre-paid plan you are going to need a shiny new device to bring along for the ride. As timing would have it the Samsung Galaxy S III, the newest shining jewel in the Samsung crown, has just gone up for pre-order on Amazon from a few different vendors.

Now this is the unlocked GSM version so ease up on that trigger finger if you’re a Verizon or Sprint customer and no LTE for you AT&T customers.

Both the Pebble Blue and Marble White are available and start at $789, but I would go ahead and pay the $20 or so more and stick with one of the sellers that has a thousand or more positive ratings under their belt.

Virtually all of the sellers are sticking with a June 1st ship date, although they warn that it is subject to change.

I know we have some die hard Samsung fans out there so I’d love to know if any of you are going to take the plunge on this or if you’re content to wait for the carrier versions to come a bit later this summer.

We handed out our first of three Transformer Pad Prize Packs earlier today so it’s now time to start week two. We will be giving away the same prize pack which consists of an ASUS Transformer Pad TF300, a matching keyboard dock, a Logitech controller, and a Jambox speaker. For this week all you have to do is comment below with your favorite TegraZone game in terms of graphics. You have until next Wednesday, May 23rd at 11:59pm EST. We will announce the winner on Thursday, May 24th and start up the third week as well.

As you know NVIDIA is celebrating the first anniversary of the TegraZone, and with it came the Players Choice Awards and these Transformer Pad Prize Packs. NVIDIA is giving away seven of these prize packs so we encourage you to head over to NVIDIA’s Players Choice Awards site and cast your votes for your favorites games in the TegraZone in terms of best graphics, best gameplay, and overall fun. Once you vote, you’re automatically entered, and hopefully you will get one of these awesome prize packs delivered to your door.

In order to be entered in our contest, you must comment below as outlined above because our contest is separate from the NVIDIA and ASUS giveaway. My recommendation to you is to enter in both places for more chances to win.

For a listing of all the eligible games, hit our previous post or head over to the TegraZone.

Good Luck!!!

Best Buy: HTC EVO 4G LTE to ship May 23 originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Our inbox and our EVO 4G LTE forums have just lit up with some potentially good news -- Best Buy is letting pre-order customers know that they're expecting a May 23 release date of the phone that's currently hung up in Customs. We just checked back in with HTC, and it's got nothing new on its end, but at this point any movement is welcomed. 

The EVO was supposed to be released at 8 a.m. Friday, May 18. But it and AT&T's HTC One X, which has been listed as out of stock for several days, have been held for review by the International Trade commission over issues with patents own by Apple. (If you haven't seen it, The Verge has nice piece showing that HTC has worked around the patent in question, so it's unclear whether there's a substantiative holdup, or if the delay is bureaucratic.)

On Wednesday, Sprint on its Community blog acknowledged that the EVO was being delayed by the Customs hold. All other questions have been referred to HTC.

More: EVO 4G LTE forums; thanks, Rodrigo, and everyone else who sent this in!

T-Mobile intros four prepaid data-only options originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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Are you fed up with your wireless carrier? Wish you could lower the cost of your monthly bill? Tired of waiting on slow Android updates? Upset that Verizon won’t be carrying the current HTC One series? Want to purchase an unlocked Galaxy S III and start using it in the US months before the nerfed carrier versions arrive?

Pre-paid wireless service has existed in North America for several years, but it wasn’t a real viable option for smartphone owners until recently. There are now tons of affordable unlocked devices to choose from and plenty of options for pre-paid data at 4G HSPA+ speeds. Read on to see why you might want to shred your current wireless contract and think about joining the pre-paid club.

1. Freedom to choose your own device

Wouldn’t it suck if your internet service provider dictated what kind of computer you had to buy? What if your cable provider only allowed you to watch programming on selected TVs? That’s exactly the situation we have with some wireless carriers and the phones they allow on their networks.

If you switch to pre-paid, you can buy any unlocked GSM phone of your choice and then choose your wireless service with no contract and no commitments.

Google recently started selling their Galaxy Nexus for $399 and reports say that up to five OEMs will be selling unlocked devices through the Google Play Store by Thanksgiving. Amazon also has hundreds of unlocked phones that will work on any GSM network.

The market for used devices is also rapidly growing. You can buy and sell used Android phones on Glyde, Gazelle, Swappa, and many more online retailers.

If there is a smartphone you really desire, chances are you can buy it unlocked and prices continue to drop. An unlocked phone will cost you more in the beginning, but the long term savings will pay off big time…

2. Save money by cutting your monthly bill in half

Why put up with a $100 bill each month when you could be getting the same services for $30-45? Most post-paid monthly bills are high because the wireless companies subsidize the cost of your handset and spread it out over your 2-yr contract, but there are all other kinds of hidden fees and taxes tossed in.

Many pre-paid carriers offer flat rate pricing, so you pay exactly the monthly rate that is advertised. It’s not like a post-paid carrier that advertises a monthly plan for $59, but then your final bill comes in close to $80 after all the fees, surcharges, and taxes.

Best of all, pre-paid carriers have no contracts or commitments so there are no early termination fees if you want to switch networks. Gone are the days of paying Verizon $300 if you are unhappy with their service and want to leave 6 months into your 24 month contract.

If you do the math, going pre-paid can easily save you over $1,000+ for the span of a typical 2-yr contract. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but pre-paid smartphone service is always cheaper than post-paid.

3. Android updates from carriers are broken

The process in which North American carriers update the software on Android phones is completely broken. First a handset maker must build and test an update, then Google needs to approve it, and finally the carrier has to put their stamp of approval on it.

If one little bug is discovered, then the whole process must start over. And often times, it’s some stupid crap like carrier bloatware that is incompatible with the latest update. I’ve heard stories of certain updates being pushed back months just because they didn’t work with the carrier installed navigation app (that no one uses).

Just look at Google’s flagship Galaxy Nexus on Verizon. That device launched on December 15th with a handful of known bugs, and five months have passed without a single update.

The HTC One X is another good example. I have the AT&T version and the international version. The AT&T model has received no updates since I have had it, while the international model has been updated 5 times already by HTC. These updates has helped to improve performance, extend battery life, and squash annoying bugs. It’s a breath of fresh air to see regular updates instead of going nearly half a year with no new software from your carrier.

When carriers get out of the way, software updates flow much more frequently. A Google employee confirmed this when the Galaxy Nexus went on sale in the Play Store. He said they were “very glad that Google is back in the business of selling phones directly without any middlemen to interfere.”

4. LTE is overkill for the average user

One of the major downfalls to going pre-paid is going to be the lack of LTE service, but I have found that it’s mostly overkill for the average user. Having your smartphone connected to a 4G LTE network is really good for two things – eating up your data allowance 5x faster and draining your battery life.

Unless you are downloading large files on a daily basis or tethering your device to share the internet connection, I have not seen many other use cases that take advantage of LTE speeds yet. Both AT&T and T-Mobile offer 4G HSPA+ networks that offer a similar experience for the majority of tasks performed with a smartphone.

A certain number of mobile workers require LTE speeds so they will be stuck with their carrier, but I have found that I can live without LTE since I’m surrounded by WiFi at home and work.

5. Straight Talk SIM

There are many options for pre-paid, SIM only service, but I decided to go with Straight Talk after doing my homework. Straight Talk is a brand of Tracfone and they offer unlimited GSM service on AT&T or T-Mobile’s network.

For only $45.95 per month (taxes included and no hidden fees), you can get unlimited talk, text, and HSPA+ data. Straight Talk lets you choose between AT&T or T-Mobile compatible SIM cards and they also offer micro SIMs for newer smartphones.

Of course the data is not truly unlimited like Sprint and the terms of service prevent tethering, but you can still get access to a HSPA+ network and get download speeds of 5-10 Mbps depending on your device and location.

For most people this is “good enough”, and it’s the same exact service they are paying double for with AT&T or T-Mobile.

I encourage you to visit Straight Talk SIM for the full details.

6. Simple Mobile

Simple Mobile is another pre-paid SIM only service that operates on T-Mobile’s network. They were recently acquired by Tracfone, but we expect them to keep the brand going.

Like Straight Talk, Simple mobile will sell you a regular SIM card or a micro SIM. Phones that were designed to operate on AT&T will still work with Simple Mobile, but they will only have access to 2G Edge data speeds.

They offer a cheaper plan for $40 per month that includes unlimited talk, text, and web, but data speeds are limited to 3G HSPA. If you want the full 4G HSPA+ speeds, then you will have to pay $60 per month.

Once again, tethering is not supported and your data speeds may be throttled if you abuse the service.

I think Straight Talk SIM is a better deal all around, but check out the Simple Mobile site for more details.

7. T-Mobile SIM-only Value Plan and Monthly 4G

T-Mobile is one of the only nationwide carriers to sell a SIM-only service. It’s more expensive than the options listed above, but we still wanted to share it.

For $59.99 per month customers get unlimited talk, text, and data (up to 2 GB of high speed). A two-line family plan is also offered at $49.99 per line, per month.

In order to get a SIM-only Value Plan, customer will have to pay a $35 activation fee and agree to a two-year service agreement. This kind of defeats the purpose of pre-paid, and there are much better options out there.

Visit T-Mobile’s SIM-only service page for the full details.

If you don’t need a lot of talk time and really want to save some money, you can also go with T-Mobile’s Monthly 4G pre-paid plans. They don’t sell the SIM card by itself, but you can buy one of their cheap phones at Walmart and then just take the SIM card out and swap it into the device of your choice.

As you can see above, for $30 per month customers get 100 minutes, unlimited text, and 5GB 4G HSPA+ data (after that it’s throttled). There is a $60 per month plan that offers unlimited minutes, but it only includes 2 GB of 4G HSPA+ data.

Just like Simple Mobile, phones that were designed to operate on AT&T will still work with Monthly 4G plans, but they will only have access to 2G Edge data speeds. I believe all the SIM cards are full size, but you can pick up a SIM card cutter for under $5 if you have a newer device.

Head over to the Monthly 4G Prepaid Plans page for the full details.

Conclusions

• Pre-paid plans offer access to AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ networks
• Pre-paid has no contracts and no commitments. Switch service providers whenever you like.
• Carriers slow down Android software updates. Popular unlocked devices get more frequent updates.
• Google’s Galaxy Nexus at $399 is a great deal, and more devices are coming to the Google Play Store
• Pre-paid is not for everyone, but if it fits your needs then it can save you a lot of money

If you have already made the jump to pre-paid, let us know how your experience has been. Would you recommend it to your friends and family? And if you are thinking about leaving your carrier, please share your concerns below.

Automotive companies have embraced the advantages of smartphone technology; however, it’s been a treacherous road to navigate. Carmakers like the idea of apps improving technology, but they aren’t too keen on encouraging drivers to be distracted.

The Car Connectivity Consortium, made up of various auto and electronic manufacturers, has joined together to establish an industry standard for certifying apps and devices that are both safe and useful for drivers. That standard is MirrorLink.

MirrorLink is a system that connects smartphones with in-car “infotainment” systems and select aftermarket stereos. Phones connect via USB cable, and the MirrorLink-enabled car or radio automatically detects that a dashboard of approved car apps should appear. Music, navigation, or other approved apps are then controllable by touchscreen or steering wheel controls.

MirrorLink-enabled car monitors mirror whatever is on the phone’s screen, so it becomes easier to control a music app or place calls via Bluetooth. Auto companies have used their own systems to perform these functions, but some are clunky and most are limited in scope and capability. This system doesn’t quite work for everyone, which is why the Car Connectivity Consortium banded together to simplify the process.

“There’s a need in this industry to create one common way to connect your phone to the car and find a way to operate apps in a safe manner while driving,” Mika Rytkonen, chairman of CCC, said in a recent interview with Androinica.com.

Rytkonen notes that it will take time for consortium members to implement MirrorLink across their product line, and some will take longer than others to transition from their existing systems, but there are encouraging signs of adoption.

“I think that Toyota was quite a big surprise how fast they were able to implement it to the market in the Toyota IQ,” Rytkonen said.

There has yet to be an Android phone capable of MirrorLink, but Samsung is out to be the first with its Galaxy S III. It probably won’t be the only phone considering that HTC, Motorola, and LG Electronics are also members of the consortium. Other members include Alpine, Fiat, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and many more (full list here).

MirrorLink members are working to implement a system that will be deployed at most major car manufacturers and be easily utilized by smartphone makers and consumers. The goal is that consumers will be able to have as little distraction as possible because MirrorLink will have “the first ever cross-industry user interface guidelines,” according to Alfred Tom, who chairs the CCC Ecosystem Workgroup.

Tom added in addition to streamlining the interface and connectivity standards, MirrorLink will also be empowered by developers outside of the car/phone system. The consortium is working on a system that would allow developers to have their apps certified as safe to use, and under what conditions. (MirrorLink won’t allow video to play if the car is moving, but it might be possible in park.

Until now, most Android-based in-car use centered on a car dock and auxiliary plug of some kind. MirrorLink starting to appear in products should make the way our cars and phone communicate smarter, so long as drivers use common sense and drive safely.

Related Stories

• Samsung Galaxy S III scores high in unofficial battery life tests
• T-Mobile loses 510k contract customers, gains 187k net customers because of pre-paid
• U.S. smartphone penetration finally gets a majority, women and men report similar numbers

As you know, we have ASUS Transformer Pad Prize Packs to give away. We’re giving away three of them, and we just finished week one. Congratulations goes out to Jason Keilholz who is going to receive an ASUS Transformer Pad TF300, a matching keyboard dock, a Logitech controller, and a Jambox speaker. Jason voted for Shadowgun for best graphics, which I think was an excellent choice.

These prize packs are for the celebration of the one year anniversary of the NVIDIA TegraZone, which now has around 40 games all optimized for the Tegra 2 and/or the Tegra 3 processor. If you haven’t already, please head over to NVIDIA’s Players Choice Awards site and cast your votes for the best TegraZone games of the year. They are giving away seven, yes that’s seven, of these same prize packs. All you have to do is vote and your automatically entered for a chance to win.

Talk Android still has two more prize packs to hand out so look for our next contest post shortly.

Verizon to give users time to evaluate their data choices originally appeared on AndroidGuys.

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We’ve talked about this latest LG offering the Optimus 4X HD a few times. Showing a nice new user interface that will come packed in with this device. Now seem via the YouTubez we have a fresh new commercial ready for you to soak in. The video brings us great visuals and a nice look at the phone. A few of the specs for Optimus 4X HD include, a Tegra 3 quad core processor, 720P IPS display, an 8MP BSI camera, 2150mAh battery and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. If you want to take ride on the Optimus ‘Light Cycle’ (you’ll see what I mean) click play, sit back and enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Canadian service provider TELUS today announced the availability of the HTC One S for $99.99 on a three-year contract, or $569.99 with no contract. The HTC One S made its way to T-Mobile U.S. late last month following on the European release, but for those unfamiliar, here's a quick refresher on the specs.

• 4.3-inch 960 x 540 SuperAMOLED display
• Android 4.0.3 with HTC sense
• 1.5 GHZ dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor with 1 GB of RAM
• 42 Mbps HSPA+ connectivity

If you're thinking of picking one up from the TELUS online store, be sure to read at least one (if not two) of our reviews first. The non-removable battery and storage might be a bit of a turn off, and the PenTile display may not stack up to some of the competition, but it still feels great in the hand, and has an awesome camera. Any takers? Perhaps some testimonials from our American neighbours could sway some opinions.

More: HTC One X forums

En ny launcher specifikt avsedd för androidsurfplattor är på gång. Den heter Chameleon och har lyckats skapa en del sus i androidbloggosfären. Ett videodemo släpptes redan för två månader sedan men nu söker utvecklaren finansiering via Kickstarter med målet att samla ihop 50 000 dollar.

Tydligen hade teamet bakom hemskärmsappen hoppats på att få en tillverkare i ryggen, men ingen verkar ha nappat och därför försöker de nu få finansiering på andra vis. Det dyker med jämna mellanrum upp demos av allehanda idéer för nya androidgränssnitt. Många av dessa består dock ofta av just idéer och datorgenererade videor.

Chameleon-utvecklaren har redan hunnit en bra bit på vägen och har fungerande kod, så risken för att detta ska bli till vaporware är inte så stor. Vad tror ni om gränssnittet efter att ha kikat på videosnuttarna? Är det här en typ av hemskärm ni skulle kunna tänka er att köra på er androidsurfplatta?

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