Android Latest News

Nexus S emerges in white attire, but it only covers its rear

2011-01-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

Staying true to its Galaxy S forefather, the Nexus S has shown up with a new white shell, which, just as with the Galaxy S, only extends to its rear portions, leaving the front end a familiar shade of noir. Just what's keeping manufacturers from blanching their phones' visage, we don't know, but at least it's looking like there'll be some variation in the Nexus S' palette. We did notice a "Silver Black" Nexus S sprouting up in European retailers' listings a couple of weeks ago, which this could well be -- it all depends on how loosely these companies define the word "silver." There's no knowledge on when or where this chromatically altered S will be on sale, but you'll know more as soon as we do.

Update: First picture from the wilderness of the white back is now embedded after the break. The Next Web suggests Vodafone may be the European carrier for this particular version of the handset.

Samsung: Google Nexus S Coming To Canada Q1 2011

2011-01-17T17:30:00.002-08:00

CES 2011 has brought us some interesting Android news including Android 3.0 Honeycomb for Tablets and much more (which we will have a summary of this week). One interesting thing that cropped up today is word that the Google Nexus S is in fact headed to Canada soon.
MobileSyrup got a chance to talk to Samsung about this and Q1 2011 seems to be the approximate date. No pricing is available yet but we’re likely to see this phone in both spectrum variations eventually. This means it can be used on any GSM carrier in Canada. Great news and certainly an exciting one for Canadians.

Rogers Samsung Captivate Android 2.2 Froyo Update Available

2011-01-17T17:30:00.000-08:00

Among the Samsung Galaxy S smartphones released to our top Canadian carriers, Rogers’ Captivate is last to receive the Android 2.2 update. While Bell’s Vibrant and Telus’ Fascinate owners have already been enjoying their Froyo treat for a little while, we’re happy to see it finally arriving to Captivate users as well.
Rogers has provided a PDF outlining the upgrade procedures and you’ll find that just below. Now only if they stuck to their promises, maybe we wouldn’t be so bitter about the timing eh? As always, don’t forget to tell us how it went!

Android 2.3 Gingerbread SDK review and bugs

2011-01-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

It's been over a week since gingerbread came out, i've been using the updated sdk since day one.
Here is a little review about it from the developers point of view (it's not as sweet as the name suggests...).
Adb is moved to /platform-tools directory from /tools.
SDK 2.3 is not backwards compatible with older ubuntu's because GLIBC_2.11 is only available in newer distributions.
Some guy found a workaround:
> Just found a work-around solution:
> 1. Add this repository: "deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu lucid-
> security main" to software sources (/etc/apt/sources.list)
> 2. Start update aptitude: sudo apt-get update
> 3. Start update libc6: sudo apt-get install libc6
When I tried this, on my ubuntu (9.10) laptop, it wanted to remove +2,5Gb of random packages that used the old version of glibc (gnome etc..). So after I made a fresh install of ubuntu 10.10, it worked like it should. A few months ago I had to move back from 10.10 to 9.x because eclipse and the sdk wouldn't work well..now it's the other way around.
The new layout editor:

You used to be able to just put layout items into (empty wrap_content sized) layouts. Now you can't use the editor for that, you have to switch to xml view and do it by hand.
The small icons on the outline window are gone. You can't delete or move an item with a click of a button.
The highlight around the items is a sweet addon, and it's good that you can move around already deployed items in the editor by dragging them.
ADB and SDK manager:
3rd party addons are now available conviniently from the manager sdk manager.
It's kinda broken. It works, but it still displays the updates that are already installed, and it even lets you reinstall them over and over again, which I did, until I realised that they were already installed and working.

You used to be able to put %s %d etc in strings.xml(here is a good forum topic about it), now you have to format it in a specific way.
The first time I re-checked out my projects from the svn server I ran into this. First thing I did was projects/clean, and obviously R crapped itself, and I got a few hundred errors because of it. It took me some time to figure out that I had a % symbol in my strings.xml.
To sum it up, this new version of the sdk doesn't feel like it's ready for production purposes. There a lot of hidden errors that I ran into. So if you are in the middle of a project, don't waste time by upgrading your sdk and (maybe) risk bumping into these problems and waste time.

EVO 4G Shift is Coming January 9th, and Its Accessories Are Already Popping Up!

2011-01-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

The HTC Evo 4G Shift is finally confirmed to arrive by RadioShack of all places. The ad shows that they are selling it for US$149.99 with a 2-year contract, and it does brand the name EVO 4G Shift (picture below taken from Android Central). Engadget has also reported that BestBuy has started carrying screen protectors that are designed for the HTC EVO 4G Shift (picture in gallery below). Well, I suppose that confirms the phone's existence, doesn't it?

We were also graced with some shots of Sprint's official case and holster for the Shift. According to our source, the phone is around the size of the original Motorola Droid.
So, what do you guys think of the new EVO 4G Shift. Is anyone planning on swapping out the original EVO for the smaller keyboarded version? Let us know!

Make Your Xperia X10 Look Like Gingerbread

2011-01-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

No, you can't have Gingerbread on your Xperia X10 yet and it'll probably take a long time before you can, but you can apply a custom ROM with a Gingerbread theme. I've made a mod of the AOSP ROM we've talked about earlier to make it look like Gingerbread. The screenshots are a bit outdated, I've modified the notification bar today.
It resembles Gingerbread, but it's just a mod of the 2.1 AOSP ROM from Jerpelea and zdzihu.

Here's a mod of the AOSP ROM. What I've basically done is added a Gingerbread theme, add some Gingerbread apps and a few other things. It's based on version 008a of the AOSP ROM.

This ROM has practically the same issues as the AOSP ROM, meaning:

The camera crashes in the Advanced Settings
Video recording doesn't work
The camera isn't usable in other applications, like the Barcode Scanner for example.
The Gingerbread launcher doesn't work yet. Work in progress.

As you can see, these are primarily issues with the camera driver, which needs to be rewritten. For details on installing this, continue reading.
To install the ROM, you need to have a custom recovery, in this case xRecovery, installed. Here's how to do that:

Samsung Continuum (Review)

2011-01-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

A sexy, sleek new Android device from Verizon Wireless brings a little twist to makes it stand out on its own. While it sports the Galaxy S logo many are familiar with, the Continuum separates itself with a few distinctions.

The smaller 3.4" Super AMOLED screen really is a beauty, just like all the other Galaxy S devices. The 1.8" ticker display is the first thing to stand out & separate the Continuum from the rest of the pack. Aside from a few dislikes which I'll dive into towards the end, the albeit gimmicky device should land in the hands of many Verizon Wireless customers. Best suited for those with smaller hands that find a typical 4.3" display to be too large, but don't want to sacrifice the speed of the ultra fast Hummingbird CPU.

The ticker display is the most controversial topic surrounding this phone. Its a 1.8" (480 x 96) screen at the bottom of the main display. Geared towards the social networking part of life, there are Facebook, Twitter, SMS & other notifications inside the ticker. While quite innovative, it has a few things holding it back.
First of all, why on earth is it on the front of the device? I believe its better suited on the back towards the top or bottom, so while laying face down, the information inside the ticker is accessible. Why rob precious real estate from the front by adding a second display when the main screen could be larger? Relocate the ticker to the back, open the source so developers can make the most of it (read: better than the manufacturer had in mind) & we might have a winning combination. Until then, I'm going to call it a gimmick.

Battery life is fairly impressive with this device. The 1500mAh battery which is pretty common in many Android devices, might get a little extra help from the smaller display size of the Continuum. The USB charging port is on the side of the device which is a pet peeve of mine. Not being able to mount the device in my universal windshield mount is a considerable loss. GPS navigation can kill the battery & without the ability to charge the device you might end up at your destination with a dead cell phone.

The photo above shows the Continuum can snap a decent photo. The LED Flash is available for dark lighting conditions as well. It sports a 5mp camera with auto focus. Built in, is the ability for 720p video recording too. A quick dive into the specs of the Continuum & its easy to be impressed.

1GHZ Hummingbird Processor
Super AMOLED Display
Wifi 802.11B/G/N Compatible
3.5mm Headphone Jack
Expandable Memory Slot (microSD)

All-in-all the Continuum has many items on the "Want List" for any Android device. Fast CPU, expandable memory & an awesome display. However i do have a few gripes which might be considered deal breakers for some, as well they should be. I've already had a mini-rant regarding the ticker display & feel it would have worked better if Samsung considered how things were done in the day of the flip phone. Remember when flip phones introduced the small display on outside of the clam shell indicating time, missed calls etc? Well that didn't steal anything from the main display & provided information "at a glance" which should be the goal of the ticker without the real estate sacrifice. The next gripe is a rather large one and it has more to do with the entire line of Galaxy S devices that are STILL running Android 2.1 (eclair). Seriously a device with a Hummingbird CPU released in the 4th quarter of 2010 doesn't have at least Android 2.2(froyo)? I mean, SERIOUSLY? The TouchWiz interface is easily replaced for those who prefer ADW or LauncherPro as alternatives. Oh but there's something about Bing on a Google Android device just screams out "mod me, mod me - save me, save me!"

A little side note, it appears the device is rootable using the z4Root method courtesy of AliWaqas. There aren't any customROMs & dev support seems to be absent despite having its own forum on XDA. In other words, this device may not be for the l337 h4x0r5 out there, but if it gets updated to Android 2.2(froyo) I could see it fitting the intermediate user. As it sits right now, its best for the younger consumer that enjoys gimmicky little things like the Ticker Display.

The “Android SMS Bug” Does Not Exist

2011-01-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you all a story of my youth. I was in high school, driving around in my first car, a 1976 Mercury Monarch. Approaching an intersection, I saw the stop sign too late; I was going to run right into the guy coming the other way. Last ditch effort, I slammed on the brakes and, inexplicably, the car lurched forward into the intersection. What the eff? The other car swerved, ended up just running into the Monarch's trunk, took off the back bumper. It was my first accident and my first ticket (for blowing that stop sign). But I couldn't understand, what was wrong with the car that made it accelerate when I slammed on the brakes?
That's right, folks, I had slammed on the gas, not the brakes. Nothing was wrong with the car. But it took a while to get that through my head.
Over the past week, a supposed Android bug has gotten a lot of press, both on Android-related sites and mainstream tech sites. A bug report claims that SMS messages intended for one person are getting sent to a different, unintended recipient. Worrisome to be sure, but why has Google taken no action on it, leaving it at medium priority until all the bad press this week?
My guess is that they have been unable to reproduce it. It's certainly never happened to me, nor to the large majority of Android users. As I write, about 4,500 people have starred the issue on Google Code. Sounds like a lot until you remember that's 1.5% of the number of Android phones being activated every day. And, reading through the comments, you'll see that most of those 4,500 have not experienced the issue. They're starring it because they read about it somewhere.
There are a few reports from people who say they have personally been affected by the issue. Many say it happens when they are rapidly switching between multiple conversations. Others offer magical thinking like "it seems like deleting all my texts fixes the issue for a while" and "it got a little better with the 2.2.1 update." Sounds like user error to me. Just like when I slammed on the gas, absolutely sure it was the brakes, I'm sure they honestly believe they are not at fault.

Are there other possibilities? Sure:

It could be a user interface issue that makes users susceptible to errors, especially when they are trying to switch quickly.
It could be hardware issues with specific phones or specific models of phones, maybe touchscreen issues?
It could be a real bug.

My guess is that it's user error, perhaps exacerbated by some user interface feature that makes the error more likely than in third party apps.
Today, Google upped the priority to critical, which some took as confirmation that the bug is real. But at the same time, a Google representative noted that "this is a very difficult to reproduce bug." It seems clear the priority was upped due to all the bad press, despite their never being able to reproduce the issue internally.
Could I be wrong? Sure, it happens now and then. But the burden of proof is on those claiming a bug exists. I will gladly and loudly raise the alert if someone can produce a reliable way for anyone to reproduce the issue and/or logs of the issue occuring. The steps I've seen to reproduce the issue involve switching rapidly between multiple conversations, which, again, is a good way to create user error.

Fix Alarm Clock Not Working in 2011 Glitch on iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch

2011-01-02T08:30:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly iPhone alarm clock stopped working in 2011. While many are busy finding a fix for this, we would first like to let you know the exact cause. In fact iPhone Alarm glitch is not a universal problem, it just affected a few iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users only and that too when the new year approached (1st January 2011). This bug has kind of similarity to the earlier Daylight Saving Bug.

The “iPhone alarm clock not working in 2011″ was heavily tweeted on Twitter and that’s how other iPhone users came to know about it (not all use alarm feature). All non-recurring alarm clock schedules on iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad will not work from January 1st onwards.

According to 9to5mac, the iPhone alarm glitch will get fixed automatically on January 3rd of 2011. However, you may follow the below steps to avoid this temporary glitch or bug in Alarm Clock of iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch.

iPhone Alarm Not Working in 2011 [Warning]

2011-01-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

According to some source we came to know that the alarm clock of the iPhone is not working this morning, 1st January, 2011. As we know in November we face similar type of bug in the alarm clock of the iPhone. In that time iPhone had trouble with repeating alarms back during the change to Standard Time and single alarm failures. At the midnight, one off alarms will cease to sing out. According to a TiPB reader, You will be able to fix this bug by following the steps posted below.

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1. First you have to tap clock.
STEP 2. Then you have to tap Edit.
STEP 3. Now you have to tap your alarm.
STEP 4. Now you have to tap Repeat.
STEP 5. Now you have to set a repeat interval.
STEP 6. Now tap save.
That’s it. In this way you can fix the iPhone Alarm bug. According to 9to5mac, this alarm bug will fix itself on 3rd January 2011. According to Engadget, It is one time alarms that are causing the problem, not repeats. Don’t forget to share your views in the comment section below. As usual stay tuned with us for more updates. Wish you a very very Happy New Year.

Roger Ebert's Past Game Addiction Made Him Sad

2011-01-02T08:24:00.001-08:00

This year, famed film critic Roger Ebert said games could never be art — a mistake he later admitted. While Ebert might not be a fan of games, that doesn't mean he didn't used to play them obsessively .
In a "Siskel & Ebert" holiday gift guide from 1989, Ebert and his former co-host Gene Siskel fumble their way through a game of Tecmo Bowl and find it endlessly amusing that you can make the players say "hut, hut, hut, hut".
While arguing about who won and marveling at children gaming for a whole hour a day, Ebert revealed, "I got one of these sets (NES) at home, and I started playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with it. And after a while, after a week of this, I'd find that every time I had a spare moment and every time I came home, I was in front of the set playing with these mutant turtles."
Continuing, Ebert said, "It got to the point where it was making me quite unhappy, because I was so obsessed with it, and I finally unplugged the machine and said, 'That's it for Nintendo.'" Ebert added that his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game was so hypnotic and so repetitive that he didn't think it was good for his mental health. While he apparently quit Nintendo cold turkey, Ebert did review a PC game in 1994.

Why Roger Ebert Doesn’t Like Video Games: He Became Obsessed With TMNT

2011-01-02T08:23:00.001-08:00

It’s easy to understad Roger Ebert’s position that games aren’t art when you realize that he once became addicted to TMNT on the NES, arguably one of the hardest and, I believe, worst games on the platform.
In this video clip from the Siskel & Ebert 1989 gift guide, Ebert reported that he “started playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with it. And after a while, after a week of this, I’d find that every time I had a spare moment and every time I came home, I was in front of the set playing with these mutant turtles.” You see, for a week, Ebert was basically a 12-year-old boy.
Considering he probably hasn’t played many games since that lost week, I suspect his opinions on the medium are slightly distorted. However, he’s still a great movie reviewer, so lets let him rail against Dark Tower as much as he wants.

Google Android Launches on 7 Inch Tablet PCGoogle Android Launches on 7 Inch Tablet PC

2010-12-23T23:58:00.003-08:00

Rumors that Samsung S-pad tablet will run Google Android has gone (In fact, we'd take this with a grain of salt, since there wasn't anything official reported). However, it seems that it's should take a period of time before the so-called Samsung S-pad comes into the market. While Google has confirmed rumors that it will develop an Android-based tablet computer months ago, there is still no sign. However the Chinese manufactures are always full of courage and creativity that they develop the first Google Android tablet PC in the world. And then many android-based tablet PCs are born. Here goes the one.
This 7 inch tablet PC is among the first serials that has adopted Google Android operation system. Compare with those notebooks that have adopted Windows XP or Window 7, this tablet PC will save you trouble and money since Google Android is open source, which means this OS is almost totally free for user and the community will always be updating and programming for this platform. Then this will keep Google Android OS always up-to-date. This is not like that of Microsoft OS, pack too much, more than we desire and cost much, more than we can offer. Mini in size and light in weight, this tablet is really ultra-portable, the right one of so-called UMPC (ultra-mobile PC). Apart from the Google Android OS, this device boasts VIA MW8505 533MHz CPU, supporting WiFi 802.11 b/g. This processor will ensure a smooth operation. With Google Android OS, users can enjoy lots of applications provided by Google, like Google chrome, Google Maps, Google earth, Gmail, Google Talk and others including You Tube. And all these can be conveniently found and download freely in Android Market. You can get what you really need and get rid of the redundant. Be powerful and efficient, but do be simple! This is what "Google" implies!
In a word, adaptive and expandable, this 7 inch high-brightness touch screen pad is fully upgradable! It desires you consideration!

How to Recover Deleted Text From Android Devices

2010-12-23T23:58:00.001-08:00

There are a variety of different reasons why an individual would want to recover deleted text messages and other data from their Android cellular device. There are times when people accidentally delete text that they intended on saving for future use, there are numerous individuals that would like to catch cheating partners committing infidelity, employers that are trying to catch thieving employees, and parents that have worries that their teenager is engaging in sexting, bullying, or even using illegal drug substances. Each of these situations can cause a tremendous amount of stress, pain, and excess worrying, and are perfect cases where a cell phone forensic investigation could be beneficial.
When you consult with an expert that performs cell phone forensic investigations on Android cell phone devices, they know how to expertly recover deleted text and other helpful information that can give you the information you need to confront your spouse or partner about the infidelity that they have been engaging in. Besides being able to undelete deleted text, they can also obtain other deleted information that would include the call history that has been removed, device properties, names and telephone numbers of contacts, the browser history of websites that have been visited, data that has been erased from the file system, and any pictures or graphics that have been removed from the cellular device.
The important thing that you should note before trying to recover deleted text messages on your own, is you should never try to use SIM card readers that can be purchased over-the-counter. It is a one in a million chance that you will be able to find one that works just right with your device, and in many cases all they end up doing is completely destroying the very data that you are trying to undelete. Even professionals with tools that cost thousands of dollars generally will need to try several different tools before they find the perfect one that works with a specific cellular device.
If you suspect that your wife is texting another man, or your husband is deleting text messages, it would be worth your while to have an expert recover deleted text and other data from the device so that you will know for sure. What is so great about this type of service is all that you are required to do is send in your Android device and the expert will take care of the rest. Once they have undeleted deleted text and other data, they will send you a disk that contains all of the evidence that was found on the phone.

Top 3 Security Apps For Your Android Phone

2010-12-23T23:57:00.001-08:00

Keeping your Android phone safe should be a key concern. You have tons of valuable data that is stored on that. Not only do you not want your personal information getting into the hands of the wrong person. You also do not want to spend money on replacing your phone. You then have to re-enter all of your data into this new phone which is a waste of time. I will show you the apps to keep your phone safe.
Lookout
The Lookout app has tons of security features such as antivirus, a firewall, and intrustion prevention. The best part is that they are extremely lightweight so they do not bog down your phone. Lookout out also helps you if your phone is lost or stolen. You can log into the web interface on any computer and track down your phone. You simply click the locate button and it will show where your phone is on map. Lastly Lookout also comes with data backup. It will back up all of your personal data including contacts, photos, video, e-mail, and text messages.
WaveSecure
WaveSecure is another great security app which is similar to Lookout. WaveSecure lets you lock down your phone from the web interface so that it becomes useless if you have lost your phone. You can also display a message and sound an alarm. Just like Lookout you are also able to track down your phone with WaveSecure. You can set an auto-backup or trigger a backup remotely from the website. The one big feature that WaveSecure offers that Lookout does not is the wipe out feature. You are able to log into the web interface and remotely wipe all the data from your phone.
Protector
Protector is another great app but it's different than the previous 2 apps. Protector allows you to password protect any app on your phone, or any feature of an app. It's a great security program that can be very beneficial for many users. Protector allows you to password protect any Android app. SMS, Gmail, e-mail, Settings, Photos, Calendar, Notepad, Chat...or anything else you can even want to put a password on is an option.
You are even able to protect just particular features of apps if you need to. There is no workaround that will put your apps at danger. Even using a task manager won't prevent the apps from losing their protection. If you try to uninstall the Protector app, you need the pin code to do so!
The only complaint with this app is that there is no pin recovery. If you forget your pin you are totally screwed. That's a big gamble so just make sure you have it somewhere.

iFixIt tears open the Nexus S, discovers curved display’s secrets

2010-12-20T08:45:00.000-08:00

iFixIt have shown their love for Google and Samsung’s flagship Gingerbread phone by prying it apart and ripping out their innards.
What’d they find? Well, the feature that most differentiates the Nexus S is its concave screen, which is supposed to be more comfortable to use. You might assume that this screen was some sort of funky curved Super AMOLED panel, but it’s nothing so impressive: rather, the Contour display is just a regular, flat Super AMOLED panel fused to a curved piece of glass.
There’s some other interesting departures. The motherboard is different from the Galaxy S, apparently to accommodate the increased storage capacity as well as the new NFC chips.
Compared to an iPhone, iFixIt were pretty happy with the Nexus S’s repairability, claiming it was easy to teardown. Ultimately, they give it a 7/10 for repairability… a nice change of pace in an increasingly unrepairable sector.
Read more at iFixIt

PlayStation App heading to iPhone and Android platforms

2010-12-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Sony has posted some news on its European Playsation blog that the Japanese company is launching a free Playstation App for iPhone and Android smartphones. However when the app is made available to download you will need at least iPhone iOS 4 or a minimum of Android OS 1.6.
The first version (1.0) will allow you to do the following:

Check out your PlayStation Network trophies and keep up to date with your friends’ games and online status.
Discover all the latest games, news and hardware for your PlayStation 3, PSP and PlayStation 2.
Read all the announcements on the PlayStation.Blog.
Share your favourite products or news with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or via e-mail.

To start with the app will be available in the following countries: UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and The Netherlands. However the next version will support most SCEE countries and will also let you comment directly on PlayStation.Blog.
Read more at PlayStation.Blog

'Google phone' fever high on eve of Android event

2010-12-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

By Glenn Chapman, AFP

People sit under a Google logo, in 2008.

Photographed by:
John Macdougall, AFP

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Google is expected to step into the mobile arena Tuesday with its own Nexus One smartphone in a direct challenge to Apple's heavyweight iPhone handsets.
Google has seized the spotlight in a week when the technology world's attention would typically turn to a premier Consumer Electronics Show that officially begins Thursday in Las Vegas.
"Everybody seems to think it is a Google-supplied phone," Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney said on the eve of what the Internet giant has dubbed an "Android press event" at its Mountain View, California, headquarters.
"It doesn't make any sense. It can't be a true Google phone. I think it is about Android software, but everyone today is guessing."
A true Google phone would be one shipped by the Internet firm, according to the analyst, who believes it is more likely that new generation Android software and applications are being crafted into hardware sold by the manufacturer.
"You could call it a Google phone, but it is not going to be a Google phone," Dulaney said.
"If it really is a Google phone, they are going to make people mad. I don't think they are that stupid."
Google selling its own phone would irk makers of handsets based on Android software.
Internet buzz surrounding Nexus One included some reports by people claiming to have toyed with the touch-screen smartphones.
One reviewer lauded the Nexus One as a worthy rival for the iPhone, while another contended that Google's mastery of software wasn't reflected in the hardware.
The Internet search and advertising giant has already gained a foothold in the market with its Android mobile operating system, featured in a number of phones starting with T-Mobile's G1 in October 2008 and more recently with the Droid from Motorola.
But the Nexus One, designed by Taiwanese handset maker HTC, represents a significant departure in that Google is expected to sell the Google-branded phone directly to consumers who will not be tied to any one telecom carrier.
Apple's popular iPhone, for example, is available exclusively in the United States through AT&T, but buyers of the "Google phone" will reportedly have their choice of wireless carriers.
Technology blog Gizmodo, citing leaked documents, said the Nexus One will cost 530 dollars "unlocked" -- meaning it isn't tied to a specific carrier -- or 180 dollars with a two-year service agreement with T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG.
Google has been coy about any plans to jump headfirst into the fast-growing smartphone market, dropping hints but not confirming its intentions outright.
Agence France-Presse and other media outlets have been invited to a press event on Tuesday at Google headquarters.
"With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago, we've seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation," the invitation said. "And this is just the beginning of what's possible."
Among the hints dropped by Google was a blog post last month in which the company said employees were testing a mobile product internally in an exercise known in the industry as "dogfooding."
Google's plunge into the smartphone market has drawn a mixed reaction.
"It looks like Google is moving to see if they can do the Apple thing," said analyst Rob Enderle, of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley, in a reference to the iPhone, which has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was introduced in 2007.
Pointing to Google's pending 750-million-dollar acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob, a number of analysts said Google hopes to replicate its Web advertising success in the mobile space.
Ovum research fellow Jonathan Yarmis said Google will have to walk a fine line between marketing its own smartphone and being a supportive partner for the growing number of firms making their own handsets based on Android.
Although Android's share of the US smartphone market is relatively small, it has doubled in the past year to 3.5 percent in October, according to comScore, and Gartner predicts Android-based smartphones will capture 14 percent of the global market by the year 2012.

Omnifone signs music deal for Google's Android

2010-12-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Omnifone, the digital music service provider, is to make its MusicStation offering available to all mobile handsets which carry Google Inc's Android operating platform, it said on Monday.
Omnifone, which already provides its service to the likes of British pay TV company BSkyB and Vodafone, said it would debut its service on the Google Nexus One and HTC handsets at the Mobile World Congress industry event in Barcelona.
MusicStation for Android will offer all users on the Android platform immediate access to a catalog of over 6.5 million tracks, with additional features such as search and discovery systems, social networking aspects and news updates.
"Omnifone is delighted to be able to deliver the richest and most sophisticated music capability on mobile, and one that will work effortlessly on any manufacturer's Android device," Omnifone Chief Executive Rob Lewis said.
Mobile operators and handset makers have all started to offer music services in a bid to increase customer loyalty and grow revenues.
(Reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Richard Chang)

Steve Jobs Lashes Out At Android

2010-12-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

Steve Jobs doesn't usually make a guest appearance on Apple's post-earnings conference calls with analysts, but this time he made an exception, attacking Google for marketing its operating system as 'open' versus Apple's 'closed' iOS. 'Google loves to characterize Android as "open" and iOS and iPhone as "closed." We find this a bit disingenuous, and clouding the real difference between our two approaches,' said Jobs. 'Android is very fragmented. Many Android [manufacturers], including the two largest, HTC and Motorola, install proprietary user interfaces to differentiate themselves from the commodity Android experience. The user's left to figure it out. Compare this to iPhone, where every handset works the same.' Jobs stated that the real debate is between 'fragmented versus integrated' and which is better for the consumer.

Nexus S Availability And Pricing Announced: Get Thee To Best Buy

2010-12-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

Google just announced that the Nexus S is now available at Best Buy and Best Boy mobile stores for $529.99 unlocked (which means it will work on AT&T’s network without 3G (for now)) or $199.99 with a T-Mobile 2 year plan.
Note that some commenters are saying that the phone is not available unlocked right now:

“We will not carry an unlocked version, they are locked to T-Mobile. I know the press releases say so, but it is very locked to T-Mobile and can not be unlocked. If you want to buy without a plan, add to package, click existing customer, and then replacement phone. If you call us please call 8668132021 to place the order for delivery.”

The number is legit (I called), so that may be the best way to go if you want to ensure you’ll be able to get it unlocked in your area.
Product Page
via Google

Android Market Gets A Badly-Needed Facelift (But Web Purchasing Is Still MIA)

2010-12-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

I’ve been an Android fan for a while now, but I can’t remember the last time I had anything good to say about its integrated application marketplace, Android Market. Compared to the iPhone’s App Store, Market’s experience has always looked less visually compelling, and in general it’s been harder (and less fun) to navigate. Today, the Google team has announced that Android Market will be getting an upgrade over the next two weeks. And good news: this update will be going to all Android users who are on version 1.6 or higher, which means it will go out to the vast majority of devices.
I haven’t gotten access to the application yet, but judging by the screenshots the Market has gotten a fresh coat of paint, and looks much more modern. Promoted applications — which until now have been tiles at the top of the screen that would change every few seconds — will now be featured in a swipable view that looks a lot like Apple’s CoverFlow.
Data about each application will now be consolidated into a single window pane. The Market will also include a content rating system (this is not shown in the screenshots, so you can’t really see what this looks like yet). And app targeting has been improved while size restrictions are loosened:

To make it easier for developers to distribute and manage their products, we will introduce support for device targeting based on screen sizes and densities, as well as on GL texture compression formats. We are also increasing the maximum size for .apk files on Market to 50MB, to better support richer games.

One major change that I’m sure developers will applaud involves Android’s refund window. Historically Android has offered a 24 hour return window for users who purchased an application and decided they didn’t want it; this time limit has now been cut down to 15 minutes. Google’s explanation is that this is because it will “help developers manage their businesses more effectively”, and that ”most users who request a refund do so within minutes of purchase” anyway. It’s probably because developers feel frustrated when users buy a game or utility, use it for a full day, and then get a full refund (and there may be some accounting issues, too).
And, from the I-can’t-believe-it-didn’t-have-this-already department, Android Market now has separate categories for Widgets and Live Wallpaper applications. And it looks like the Android typeface (which always made things look a little less polished for some reason) has apparently been abandoned in some menus.
Of course, this new release is still missing one key feature: a web version of Android Market. This was previewed during Google I/O way back in May, promising to let users browse through Android applications from their web browsers, and then wirelessly ‘push’ the applications they purchased to their phones with no tethering needed.
My hunch is that this functionality (or parts of it) is latent in this new version of Android Market, and that Google will activate it once the web component of this is done. Here’s what the team had to say about upcoming releases:

However, we’re not done yet. We plan to continue to rapidly enhance Android Market for both users and developers and make it the best content distribution service for the Android ecosystem.
Please stay tuned as we continue to deliver new capabilities in the coming weeks and months.

Tips and Tricks on How to transform Android SmartPhone turned into a webcam

2010-12-12T13:27:00.000-08:00

DroidCam, is the thing for you, if you don’t want to carry a webcam with your laptop or desktop pc. DroidCam helps to turn the Android Smartphone into a webcam, isn’t it amazing?

DroidCam is created by Dev47Apps, the DroidCam 2.0 hasn’t been released, it’s a beta version as it is a work in progress. The beta version still has a few errors; it’s a work in progress.
Since the last month, the developers have made some progress, after the first release. This application has been tested on various PCs which have been run on XP 32 bit, windows 7 and Vista operating systems.
This program, DroidCam 2.0 is a client program for windows that must be installed on the desktop computer or your laptop if one wishes to use it with Android phone. Another thing needs to be kept in mind is that the rest of the part of the software needs to be downloaded from the Android Market and installed on your Smartphone.
The desired software is only well-suited with the smart phones that run with Android 2.0 or higher, for people with an older cell phone, which is an older version, this application won’t be displayed on the Android market.
After the windows client of DroidCam v2.0 Beta is downloaded and installed, you should open a chat program that you wish to use with the webcam and select DroidCam as a microphone and a webcam. This can easily be done by checking the audio settings of the chat program.
The next step is to simply start the application from the start menu and then a message “waiting for device” will be displayed on your screen.
After this message you are supposed to install the other part of the softare. After searching the Android market, you would find “DroidCam 2.1 Beta, as this application has been updated.
After this, just make sure that the wi-fi is enabled on your phone and is connected to your network at home.
To start the DroidCam app just click “connect” on your phone, after which a list of IP addresses would be displayed. Tap “add new” and enter the IP address of your computer.
Save it by tapping on it. A message “connected” will appear, meaning everything is in the correct order. Then you can start the chat program and you would be able to see live video feeds being transmitted by your phone.

DroidCam 2.0

Google Nexus S now available for pre-order on four networks

2010-12-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

The Carphone Warehouse has announced that pre-orders on four networks for the forthcoming Google Nexus S have now gone live.
UPDATE: TechRadar spoke to The Carphone Warehouse, which confirmed a 'huge interest' in the device to us:
"The Google Nexus S is a game-changer for Android so it's great to see so many networks getting behind it. We've seen huge interest in the phone over the last few days since pre-ordering began at The Carphone Warehouse," a spokesperson told Techradar.
"We now have a great offering of Android handsets which will continue to grow in the New Year."
The phone will be available to buy both on contract or PAYG/SIM free, with the former costing £35 per month for a free phone - O2, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange are supporting the phone, but Three is nowhere to be seen.
However, while £35 per month does get you a plethora of minutes and unlimited texts, the most you can get data-wise is 750MB included.
Go big for a gig
To get over 1GB allowance, you'll need to sign up to a £50 a month deal, which seems a little extreme, and will hopefully be updated when the networks start offering it directly (if they ever do).
SIM free the Google Nexus S will cost £549.95, with the PAYG curiously the same, but with a mandatory £10 top up - usually paying a network for the phone will get you a micro-discount at least.
Still, there's not long to wait, as the Google Nexus S UK release date is set for 20 December - enough time to blackmail Santa (with those photos of him bothering that OTHER reindeer) into bringing you one.

HTC confirms Desire HD Android 2.3 update?

2010-12-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

TechRadar contacted HTC earlier today about the recently announced Android 2.3 update and whether or not it will be coming to its flagship phone: the HTC Desire HD.
Although HTC didn't namecheck the phone, it did confirm that a number of its handsets will be given the update.

Be excited
In a statement, a spokesperson for HTC explained: "We are excited about the OS update coming for Android, and while HTC will definitely have some phones running this OS, we do not have a specific timeframe for new phones or updates at this time. Please stay tuned for more details."
While "some phones" is as flimsy an answer you are likely to get, it does confirm that the update will be coming to handsets already in existence.
At the moment, the HTC Desire HD is the flagship phone from the Taiwanese company so we're pinning our bets on this.
However, the Desire Z and Desire will probably get some Android 2.3 loving, too.