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Android rumor roundup

Android rumor roundup is a weekly column that gathers the top rumors each week in the Android space.

The Android rumor mill churned a bit slower this week, producing relatively few new devices. On the other hand, a couple of models became official with product announcements and acknowledgments. Let's start with those before moving on to our regularly-scheduled rumor roster.

Devices confirmed!

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Samsung head J.K. Shin confirmed this week that a mid-size Galaxy Note experience is not far off. Without officially recognizing the model or name, it is nearly certain that this will … Read more

Set Android owner info to help recover a lost smartphone

Nobody wants to go through the ordeal of a lost smartphone, but it happens. There are tracking apps available to help owners locate their lost or stolen phones via GPS, but in some instances, just having your contact info on your phone might do the trick.

Many Android smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note II, have an Owner Information setting that will display your contact info on the lock screen. If you lose your smartphone and a Good Samaritan finds it, they'll be able use the owner information you've entered to reunite you with your precious … Read more

Acer shows off Liquid E1 handset in China

Acer has shown off a new smartphone it's calling the Liquid E1.

Announced in China yesterday, the Liquid E1 will ship with a 4.5-inch, 960- x 540-pixel display and a dual-core 1GHz processor. The device will have two cameras onboard, including a 5-megapixel rear-facing and 0.3-megapixel front-facing lens. The Liquid E1 will ship with 1GB of onboard memory and 4GB of storage. According to Acer, the handset will run Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).

The device's design is as underwhelming as its specs. The Liquid E1 comes with rounded edges, a flash and lens on the … Read more

Chrome for Android gets adventurous with WebGL

Google has released a new beta of its Chrome browser for Android that gives people the option to try new features such as WebGL and CSS graphics features.

The update, the third since the inaugural version of the Chrome beta for Android, shows not only more of the browser team's ambition but also a faster pace of change.

The unbranded stock browser that shipped with Android for years moved comparatively glacially, but in particular with the new Chrome beta releases for Android, Google is pushing for a broader feature set. And the code base is evidently an offshoot of … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 rumor roundup

Considering the popularity and success of the Samsung Galaxy S3, it's understandable that whispers of its successor (presumably called the Galaxy S4) are circulating. From iffy launch dates to spec upgrades, CNET tracks all the talk and rounds up the latest GS4 rumors here.

Please note that we'll continuously update this piece up until the device's official launch. Please let us know if we missed any rumors ourselves.

January 23, 2013 You may get your hands on the GS4 in April It's always interesting when rumors start ball-parking a release date, but SamMobile does one better and gives an exact date: Tax Day. Not only did the outlet report its launch day will be on April 15, it also said the phone will have a larger 2,600mAh battery.… Read more

How to post Instagram photos to a Facebook Page

Currently the default location to share photos on Facebook from Instagram is your Timeline or Wall. (The label of where the photo is shared depends on if you're using the Android or iOS version of the app.) If you manage a Facebook Page and want to share a photo on that page, you may have found yourself uploading the photo to Instagram, then going back to your Camera Roll or Gallery and sharing the photo from there. But you can set up Instagram to share with your Facebook page by default. Here's how:

To share a photo on … Read more

Temple Run 2 swings onto Android devices

Android users can now try to escape giant apes, swing on ropes, and jump over chasms, all courtesy of Temple Run 2.

The fast-paced action game debuted on Google Play today, where Android device owners can download it for free. Temple Run 2 has already proven a hit among iPhone and iPad users by racking up 20 milllion downloads from Apple's App Store in its first four days.

The new game places you in a jungle environment just like the original but throws in a variety of new twists and turns and better graphics.

This time you start off … Read more

Asus MeMo Pad 10 tablet makes video debut, could be announced at MWC

Someone let the pad out of the bag when a video featuring the unannounced Asus MeMo Pad 10 was posted yesterday. The video has since been set to "private," but it gave a sneak peek at the 10-inch tablet which is now speculated to premiere at Mobile World Congress in February.

The tablet is expected to ship with Android 4.1 and sport a 1,280x800 HD IPS display. It may house the 1.2GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor rather than the recently announced Tegra 4 quad-core.

Other features expected on the MeMo Pad 10 are … Read more

Verizon pops color into Lumia, Droid Razr lineup

Starting tomorrow, Nokia will whip out a new color palette for two of its phones. In addition to white and dark gray, the Nokia Lumia 822 Windows phone will now come in red.

For its part, Motorola goes soft on the Droid Razr M, which you'll be able to pick up in pink, as well as the more traditional white and black.

Earlier this morning, Verizon also announced that it will carry Samsung's Ativ Odyssey Windows phone, beginning tomorrow for about $50.

You'll be able to buy the new shades both online and in stores.