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Android rocking music lovers are in luck, as last.fm has released a client for the robot OS. Following the success of the iPhone app, the platform is now available on Android.

Features:

• personalized streaming radio
• radio stations based on similar artists or a specific genre
• scrobbling - tracking the music you’ve been listening to and submitting to your Last.fm profile

Unlike the iPhone app, the Android version has background playback. Multi-tasking at it’s finest.

The application is available over at the Android Market.

[via mashable]

Following the leak of HTC’s 2009 roadmap, many are discussing the potential inclusion of T-Mobile’s G1 successor, the G2.

One of the many smartphones leaked today, codename Sapphire 2.0, is claimed to be a potential T-Mobile G2 candidate. The letters “TMO” appear under the Sapphire 2.0 heading, leading many to believe the unit is headed for the magenta carrier. The apparent myFaves button nearly cinches the deal. Finally, the 2.0 moniker may indicate the unit is a follow up the a 1.0 version- the G1.

The HTC Sapphire 2.0 sports a similar look the the G1. A trackball and “chin” are shared with T-Mobile’s first Android handset. No keyboard is visible, possibly utilizing the on-screen version included in the forthcoming “Cupcake” update.

There have been rumors of T-Mobile releasing the G2 as early as January 26th. Meanwhile, the Android “Cupcake” branch is expected in the same timeframe. Could these two events coincide? Only time will tell.
[via TmoNews]

In a discussion with Johnny Shih, CEO of Asus, Techradar has learned that the company is looking at creating an Eee-branded phone. More importantly, it may be running Android. In addition, the CEO indicated that Android may be used on more than just handsets. Leading us to beleive that Android powered Eee PCs may be on the horizon.

Asus recently joined the Open Handset Alliance, a good sign of the company’s interest in the OS. Making note of other companies’ interest in porting Android to Asus hardware, Shih commended google on the “momentum” it has already created.

[via techradar]

Specs:

• 4.3-inch, 480 x 272 resistive touchscreen
• Soft keyboard for text entry
• Front-facing Mic and Camera
• Bluetooth
• Speaker
• 256MB internal storage
• MicroSD expansion slot

No pricing information is available, but “less than an iPod touch is the word.” The Movit Mini should be available mid-year.

[Read More]

Hello,


Thank you for your participation in Android Market!

Since we launched a couple months ago, the team has been working on
several significant updates to Android Market. I’d like to let you know
about these upcoming changes and what they will mean to you and other
members of our developer community.

Many of you have asked about international expansion plans. I’m happy to
inform you that Android Market will become available to users to download
apps in additional European countries starting early Q1 2009. Some of the
countries we will initially support are Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
and the Netherlands. As we add support for additional countries in Europe
and Asia, we will send out subsequent notifications to you. In
mid-January, we will update the Android Market publisher website to enable
country targeting. Please start thinking about which countries you want to
target and begin preparing your products accordingly (e.g.,
localization). Note that your apps will not become available in these new
countries unless you specifically select them in the publisher website,
after we update it.

Additionally, I would like to confirm that Android Market will support
priced applications starting early Q1 2009, as we’d originally stated last
fall. Given the country-by-country work required to set up payment support
for developers in different countries, we will enable priced app support
in Q1 for developers operating in these countries in the following order:
(1) United States and UK; (2) Germany, Austria and Netherlands; (3)
France, Italy and Spain. By the end of Q1 2009, we will announce support
for developers operating in additional countries. Developers operating in
the above listed countries should begin finalizing their priced
applications, including determining the appropriate pricing strategy. 

Finally, please note that our team may need to occasionally contact you
via email or the publisher website to collect necessary product
information (such as screenshots and descriptions). This information would
be used for the Android Market website, found at
http://market.android.com, which gives applications a second channel of
exposure via the web in addition to the normal on-device access.

We will send out additional details on all these items in the coming
weeks. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to continue working
with you on Android Market.

Eric Chu,
Android Market

Google, Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Email preferences: You are receiving this email to notify you of
important changes to Android Market.

[via GPS Tracklog]

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The software updates look similar to the “Cupcake”  OS update that has been making the rounds. The hardware looks like a decent upgrade, with 5MP camera and front-facing camera for video calling.

Full spec list:

• Android OS
• 3G, EDGE, GPRS and WiFi
• Stereo Bluetooth
• Touchscreen
• Enterprise Capable
• 5 Megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash
• Secondary front-facing VGA camera
• Memory card Slot (up to 16GB)
• Mobile Backup
• Music and Video Player
• Picture Messaging
• Real web browsing
• Speakerphone
• PC sync
• USB interface
• Video capture and playback
• Video Messaging
• Voice Dialing
• myFaves capable and T-Zones (web2go)

We’ll only have to wait until next month to see if these rumors pan out.