Android Community Weekly: April 7th, 2013

With an exciting past few weeks in the world of Android we’re back with the Android Community Weekly. From leaked smartphones, HTC, Facebook and more we have everything you’ve missed this week in Android news. Obviously the star of the week was Facebook, but that isn’t all that happened so catch up on everything you’ve missed below.

We have to start with HTC and Facebook, well, because they had the biggest of announcements this week. For one Facebook announced their “new home on Android” called Facebook Home. It’s essentially a deeply integrated launcher replacement that takes over your smartphone, but the verdict is still out on how it’ll be. It hits the streets April 12th on the Play Store. At the same time, April 12th HTC is also releasing the very first “facebook Phone” called the HTC first. Check it out in our hands-on right here!

Probably the biggest news out of all of the Facebook and HTC gibberish is the fact that under Facebook Home, the HTC first runs completely stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean — and here’s how to get it. Not bad for $99 right folks? While we’re on HTC some leaks have appeared with a device being called the HTC M4, which is like the HTC first without the Facebook. Get some!

Updates, now lets talk about updates. ASUS issued Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the Transformer Pad Infinity as they continue to be the fastest to update their tablets these days. AT&T’s LG Optimus G also got Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, which is nice. One big part of Android 4.2 is Google Now, and that also received a sizable update with tons of new features.

Now for the speed round. Verizon’s CEO claimed he’d consider dropping 2-year contracts – but I’ll believe it when pigs fly. An awesome new Holo-themed Twitter client hit the streets called Robird, the DROID Bionic is getting Jelly Bean soon and more. Then getting in at the last minute, Motorola’s bootloader encryption was finally cracked. Hurrah!

Oh, and Android is still the top smartphone platform hitting nearly 52%. Enjoy the rest of the weekend folks!