Jelly Bean OTA update for WiFi Motorola Xoom now available, soak testers get it early

Getting jealous seeing those jolly jelly beans on the Nexus 7, Galaxy Nexus, and Nexus S?
The official Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean update for the Motorola Xoom will be rolled out soon, but you can try your luck by downloading and installing the OTA file yourself, which has been uploaded by Google on its website.
Manually flashing the Jelly Bean OTA file on your Motorola Xoom will be quite a challenge though, because the file is meant only for “soak testers” and it may still contain bugs and the likes. Those who tried (and failed) have reported a “space issues” error while trying to install the update.

But if you’re brave enough and up for the challenge, the folks at XDA-developers have come up with a workaround. It’s worth noting that, at this point, it’s not guaranteed to work 100%. The workaround involves the use of CWM, a USB drive, and an OTG cable. You can head to the original thread at XDA for more details and instructions on how to make that leap to Android 4.1.1.
If this sounds like too big of a hassle, we suggest that you wait for the official rollout of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on your trusty old Motorola Xoom.  The time to flick away those floating jelly beans on your WiFi Xoom will come soon enough.





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5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note 2 phablet coming on August 15, release date not available yet

A few days ago, we told you that Samsung sent out press invites to members of the media for a special event scheduled to take place on August 15. At the time, we wondered whether the company would announce the Galaxy Note 2, its second-generation smartphone/tablet during the presser, especially since Samsung was said a few weeks ago to unveil the new phablet on August 30 in Berlin, a day ahead of the start of the German IFA 2012 tech show.
However, an even more distant report suggested that Samsung is interested in launching the Galaxy Note 2 as fast as possible, in order to beat the sixth-generation iPhone to market.
BGR now says that Galaxy Note 2 is going to be unveiled on August 15, according to a “source close to Samsung.” The same source seems to have confirmed that the device will come with a thinner and taller 5.5-inch display, which sounds familiar since it’s a spec we’ve seen in various reports so far.
However, the source did not reveal an actual release date for the device just yet. We’re also curious about Jelly Bean-friendliness for the Galaxy Note 2, not to mention the rest of its specs and features, but we’ll just have to wait and see whether the South Korean company does indeed announce its next-gen phablet in mid-August.
We have already showed you all we think we know about the Galaxy Note 2, and we used that info to offer you a preview comparison between the Note 2 and the Galaxy S3 well ahead of the actual launch of the phablet.
Are you buying a high-end Samsung smartphone this year? Is it the Galaxy S3 or the Note 2?

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Nokia Drive 3.0 Now Available

Nokia’s free GPS Navigation software available for Nokia Lumia devices tonight has seen its 3.0 update which brings some great new features.  The feature I’ve been waiting for is the ability to pin destinations to your start screen.  It’s a bit difficult to find, but if you go to the Set Destinations window and then tap and hold on a location in the History or Favorites listing you’ll find the “Pin to Start” option. That will give you one-touch access to launching Nokia Drive and setting that location as your destination.
The other feature I was primarily hoping for is unfortunately not there.  If you find a location using Bing or Bing Maps or Location Scout, normally there will be an “Apps” section where you can share the content with other apps.  This is the perfect place for a Navigation program to show some integration with the operating system, however Nokia Drive does not show here (however, Nokia Transit does if you’d like to use public transportation to get there instead of driving.)
The big new feature in Nokia Drive 3.0 that many are sure to love is the “My Commute” feature.  This allows you to set up a Home and Work location along with the times that you tend to leave each location each day.  Then the software keeps track of the route around the time that you’re planning on leaving and updates the commute timing based on the current traffic… and of course displays the pertinent information on the Nokia Drive live tile if you happen to have it pinned to your start screen.
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Special Galaxy S3 2012 Summer Olympic Games edition available in Taiwan

We’re just a few days away from the official kick off of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, and sports enthusiasts will be happy to hear that they’ll be able to pick up certain Android devices dedicated to this major sporting event – at least in certain markets.
Such is the case with the Galaxy S3, which is available in a special Olympic Games edition to Taiwanese Android fans. While we’re looking at the same Galaxy S3 device – nothing inside the phone will change – you’ll appreciate the UK-based Galaxy S3 cases and the accessories you’ll find in the box.
Moreover, if you don’t like that much the available Galaxy S3 colors – Marble White, Pebble Blue and Garnet Red (in certain markets) – then you’ll certainly favor these special case skins designed for the Olympic games. There are two versions available, one showing the Union Jack while the other features the royal guard soldier.

As for the accessories available in the box, you’ll find a miniature royal guard soldier that can be plugged into the 3.5mm headset jack – although it has no actual purpose – and three figurines sporting the same UK flag and depicting three sports: cyclism, weightlifting and Tae Kwon Do.
In addition to all that, you’ll also get to download that British royal guard wallpaper on the device in the following days, for a complete Galaxy S3 Olympic Games experience.
Check out the gallery above to see all the perks available in this special Galaxy S3 package, and let us know whether you’d buy it too. At this time it’s not clear whether the special edition smartphone will be available in other markets too.


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Bejeweled HD now available for iPad

Popcap just announced the availability of its popular game Bejeweled for the iPad. Priced at $3.99, Bejeweled HD brings in the famous match-3 puzzle game with four game modes namely – Classic, Butterflies, Diamond Mine and Zen.
The Classic game mode is the same Bejeweled game enjoyed by iPhone/iPod Touch users. Butterflies on the other hand will require you to match gems to free butterflies before a hungry spider devours the gems. Diamond Mice will have you collecting gold, diamonds and buried artifacts before time runs out. And the Zen mode features customized sights and sounds to create your own retreat for relaxation.

Take note that Bejeweled HD happens to be the first title in the series that got released specifically for the iPad. And although the game runs well on iPad 1 and iPad, it does however feature stunning graphics which is most appreciated on the retina display of the iPad 3. So, iPad 3 owners will appreciate the graphics of this game more.

Other features of the game include:

Awesome iPad 3 retina display graphics — Bejeweled is more sparkling than ever before!
Support for more languages — You can now enjoy Bejeweled in French, Italian, German and Spanish! Ultra-Smooth Action — Make multiple matches while new gems fall into place.
Hints on Demand — Can’t quite spot the next match? Use the “Hint” button for a quick tip.
Stats Galore — Gloat over your scores for total matched gems, all-time best moves and top 10 personal bests in Classic and Diamond Mine!

Bejeweled HD is available from the App Store for $3.99.

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