Looks like the ‘confirmed‘ release date of the Google Phone aka Nexus One is really January 5. The news just got in that T-Mobile has confirmed of a Google Phone next month.

A T-Mobile spokesperson was heard reporting about an Android phone which they are planning to release, but they won’t provide any support for it, other than

billing, coverage, features and rate plans, as we have previously stated. All troubleshooting and exchanges will be managed by Google and HTC. Launch is ‘early January.’

Again, the date is not really confirmed of the Nexus One release but all we could see is that the rumours are adding up to the previous release date.

We’ll find out about it more next week!

[Via Techie-Buzz]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Google Nexus One Confirmed by T-Mobile

The highly anticipated phone by Google is expected to release next month and looks like a Nexus One dump is already leaked in the wild.

Nexus one will be released for $199 on January 5th. These are just the rumoured prices, but somehow Retuers confirms it.

Someone has extracted the Genie widget and app and posted online. All users on Android 1.6, or higher could install and try it out.This is the news and weather application included in the Nexus One.

This is basically from the Android 2.1 on Nexus One, though I haven’t tried it on my HTC Hero (Android 1.5) yet, but hopefully it should work.

Download Genie Widget

You can download this widget from here: Download Genie Widget

Post from: Sizzled Core

Genie Widget from Nexus One for Android Phones

In my ongoing ROM exploration, yesterday I found another ROM for the HTC Hero. So far, MoDaCo 3.0 is the only ROM that I have found stable and worth using. Infact, I’m using it as my primary ROM.

A developer at XDA Developers, AychTeeSee, has modified the MoDaCo 3.0 ROM and released a Vanilla version of it. This ROM is a modified version of Paul’s (mostly) without HTC features/bloat.

The developer has made sure to let the HTC features stay on the ROM without which the firmware would become unstable. As the developer has mentioned:

What Works:
-Everything in the MoDaCo custom rom. After installation, everything is shockingly stable.
-Unlike AOSP roms, all the hardware works properly and you get to experience vanilla Android.

What DOESN’T Work:
-Occasionally, you will get a force close issue for acore. Usually you can continue your work. But, it’s quite rare and for most people only occurs once.

Parts of Sense UI that haven’t been removed:
-Messaging: Although the Android SMS app works, you get force closes when you first start Android, and checking for messages doesn’t work.
-Toolbar and some sense menus: I’m in the process of fixing this now.
-Call dialogs still are in HTC Sense.

I’m going to give it a try now and hope it is functional as the developer as said. AychTeeSee’s Vanilla MoDaCo 3.0 ROM is said to run lightning fast, and saves a lot of memory.

Download AychTeeSee’s Vanilla MoDaCo 3.0 ROM

You can download the latest version of the ROM from the official post: Download AychTeeSee’s Vanilla MoDaCo 3.0 ROM

Post from: Sizzled Core

AychTeeSee’s Vanilla MoDaCo 3.0 ROM

Not many services offer free backup solutions, and that too for mobile phones. Here’s one service that looks promising and worth trying.

BackupandShare Mobile Solution is a backup and restore service that safeguards all data of your mobile phone including Contacts, Documents, Photos, Videos and Music.

This application copies your mobile phone’s data in a secure manner to BackupandShare secure data servers, and also lets you to restore the saved data on your phone later on when needed. Their free account gives your 1GB of space to backup your data.

If you lose your phone, suffer hardware failure, or upgrade your device, how much of that data would you be able to get back? This is where Backup an Share comes in handy!

BackupandShare Mobile Solution currently supports iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile phones. BlackBerry support will soon be added.

SignUp for BackupandShare Mobile Solution!

Post from: Sizzled Core

Backup and Share: Mobile Backup Solution

This is one desktop application that I wanted to have for my Android phone and I’m glad I finally found it today.

Android Screencast is a small application that lets you control your Android phone from a PC using mouse and keyboard.

Not just it lets you use your phone from PC, you can also create screencasts using this application of your Android phone. It is very easy to use. Download and extra the Android SDK. Connect your phone to the PC with a USB cable and launch the application!

Android Screencast Features

• Control wit mouse and keyboard
• Landscape mode
• Video recording
• File browser

Download Android Screencast

You can download Android Screencast from here: Download Android Screencast

[Via WebDevOnLinux]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Android Screencast – Control Android Phone from PC

Google has been working on a lot of things and we just can’t wait to know what exactly it is and when it is coming out. First, we have the Nexus One being rumoured to be released for $199 next month.

Now, we also have some details of the Chrome OS Netbook leaked out, thanks to IBTimes. Not sure, how reliable these ‘leaked’ details are, but according to them the Chrome OS netbook release date, specifications and price is out.

Chrome OS Netbook Release Date

The rumoured time period for Chrome OS release is somewhere by the end of 2010. I know this is not a confirmed release date, but we could only hope for sooner.

Chrome OS Netbook Specifications

The specifications of this netbook powered by Chrome OS are as follows:

• 10.1-inch HD-ready, multitouch screen (1280×720 resolution)
• ARM Processor (probably 1.6 GHz)
• 64GB SSD (No HDD!)
• NVIDIA Tegra Chipset
• 2GB RAM
• Multi-card reader

Other features include WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G, webcam, USB ports and 3.5mm audio jack.

Chrome OS netbook will reportedly also come with pre-installed Google apps such as Google Map, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calender and Google Search by Voice.

Chrome OS Netbook Price

The rumoured price for the Chrome OS Netbook is around $300. Seriously, if this netbook is launched at this price, I’m sure it will easily take out other netbooks in the market. $300 is pretty cheap when compared to the networks available now.

[Via TechPP]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Chrome OS Netbook Release Date, Specifications & Price Leaked

Yesterday I wrote a tutorial about how you can install Android 2.1 on your HTC Hero. I used Lox’s HERO21 ROM in that tutorial that ROM was slow and quite buggy, so here’s another ROM I tried by Hik@Ri.

This ROM looks much more stable and faster than the previous one I shared. Here’s the tutorial so you can also give it a try.

If you remember my previous tutorial on how to install a custom ROM on your HTC Hero, I’ll be following the same steps and guide lines in this tutorial too.

How to Install Hik@Ri 2.0.1.4 ROM on HTC Hero

Things You Should Know:

1. I’m using an unlocked HTC Hero running on MoDaCo 2.9 ROM and I rooted and installed a new recovery image using this tutorial.
2. Create a Nandroid backup of your phone before proceeding. This is will help you revert back to your old ROM when you want or if anything goes wrong.
3. A wipe has to be done while loading a new ROM, so again, backup your phone i.e contacts, apps, settings, messages etc. [How to Backup SMS on Android]
4. This tutorial is ONLY for GSM HTC Hero.

The Tutorial

Before you proceed, I hope you read the above lines that I wrote carefully and have rooted (and flashed a new recovery image on) your phone using this tutorial: How to Root HTC Hero and Install RA Recovery Image.

1. Download Hik@Ri 2.0.1.4 ROM from here.

2. Rename the ROM you just downloaded as update.zip

3. Now plug in your Hero to the computer and from the notifications, mount the SD card.

4. Copy the ROM file (update.zip) to your SD card. DON’T copy it into any folder.

5. Unplug the phone and turn it off.

6. Now turn on the phone into Recovery Mode by holding down Home and Power buttons to turn it on. Keep holding them until you see some text written in green.

7. In the Recovery Mode, select “Wipe” and then select Wipe data partition.

8. Once the wipe is completed, go to “Flash update image” and select Apply sdcard:update.zip

9. Confirm the installation and then sit back and watch while the ROM is being installed/loaded.

10. When completed, reboot the phone. Your new ROM should be up and running now!

NOTE: The first reboot may take time, so wait with patience. Even the first startup and the phone will be a bit slow, but should get normal in a few minutes.

Disclaimer: I’m not responsible for any damage you do to your phone. Please modify it on your own risk.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Install Hik@Ri 2.0.1.4 ROM on HTC Hero

A few days ago, I shared how you can get the Nexus One bootscreen on your HTC Hero. I’m glad many users have tried and liked the bootscreen.

In case you want the old, original HTC Hero bootscreen, I’m sharing the links to it in this post below.

It doesn’t make much of a difference what bootscreen you have in your phone, unless you switch it on and off a lot in public.

Download Original HTC Hero Bootscreen

You can download the bootscreen in two versions: with sound and without sound. Links below.

Download Original HTC Hero Bootscreen (with sound)

Download Original HTC Hero Bootscreen (without sound)

How to Install Bootscreen on HTC Hero

• Download the bootscreen file from the links below.
• Extract the files in a folder on your SD card.
• Now use a file manager such as Root Manager or SUFBS to copy all the files (except the one called “by-shenshang”) to /system/media/bootscreen/.

[Via XDA]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Original HTC Hero Bootscreen

Now this is something all music lovers are going to enjoy! If you have a huge music collection in your iTunes at home and you want to access that music from the office, at a friend’s party, or let other people hear it from anywhere in the world, then this is the app you’ve been looking for!

pulpTunes is a free application that lets you access your entire iTunes music collection from anywhere you want, through any web browser!

After started, a little orange will appear in your tray, and you’ll be given your machine’s IP address. To access your music from outside your home network, just point any browser to that address.

pulpTunes Features

• Supports MP3 and AAC (M4A) files
• Download songs with a right-click
• Displays cover art if found
• Generate direct links to songs or playlists to send to your friends
• iTunes DJ integration (formerly called Party Shuffle)
• Adjustable buffer level: useful for slow connections
• 100% Open Source: malware-free guaranteed

Download pulpTunes

You can download pulpTunes from here: Download pulpTunes

Post from: Sizzled Core

Access iTunes Music From Anywhere with pulpTunes

JetAudio is integrated multimedia software made up of a single compact rack.It used to be my favourite music player till 2003.

Not only does it play various music and video files, it also has features such as CD burning, recording, and conversion to other file formats.

You can create your own Internet broadcast by using JetCast, provided with JetAudio, and you can play all major file formats, including WAV, MP3, MP3Pro, OGG, WMA, MPEG, AVI, WMV, MIDI, RM, and video and audio CD tracks.

The latest jetAudio 8.0 brings several changes. You can read some of them below:

• New video window display modes:Show always/Show only when playing
• Album art / Spectrum display in Video window when playing music
• Spectrum display in Lyric window
• New file association method for Windows Vista/7
• Supports subtitle with DXVA decoding
• Enhanced skins
• Supports FLV/MKV formats for video conversion

Download jetAudio 8.0 Basic

You can download jetAudio 8.0 from here: Download jetAudio 8.0

Post from: Sizzled Core

jetAudio 8.0 Released

All Nokia S60 users use Nokia PC Suite or the upcoming Nokia Ovi Suite Beta for managing their Nokia phones on PC.

One of the best features I like in them is the feature to create backups of our calendar and bookmarks. Nokia PC Suite creates a backup of your data in your phone and stores it as a NBU file which can’t be viewed.

NbuExplorer is a free tool that allows you to view a Nokia NBU, NFB and NFC backup file (produced by Nokia Content Copier). It is basically a NBU file parser, extractor and viewer.

It can help you to check content of backup or extract files from it. NbuExplorer requires Microsoft .NET Framwork 2.0 or later to work.

Download NbuExplorer

You can download this free application from here: Download NbuExplorer

Post from: Sizzled Core

Nokia NBU Backup File Explorer

Lately, I’ve been playing with various ROMs and mods available for the HTC Hero and Droid. The latest Community Release 1.8 of Android 2.1 is quite stable faster than previous releases so I thought of giving it a try.

Installation required a wipe and it went really smooth without any issues. This tutorial will help you try out the Android 2.1 OS and retain your current ROM so you can revert back anytime you want.

If you remember my previous tutorial on how to install a custom ROM on your HTC Hero, I’ll be following the same steps and guide lines in this tutorial too.

How to Install Android 2.1 (HERO21) on HTC Hero

Things You Should Know:

1. I’m using an unlocked HTC Hero running on MoDaCo 2.8 ROM and I rooted and installed a new recovery image using this tutorial.
2. Create a Nandroid backup of your phone before proceeding. This is will help you revert back to your old ROM when you want or if anything goes wrong.
3. A wipe has to be done while loading a new ROM, so again, backup your phone i.e contacts, apps, settings, messages etc. [How to Backup SMS on Android]
4. This tutorial is ONLY for GSM HTC Hero.

The Tutorial

Before you proceed, I hope you read the above lines that I wrote carefullyand have rooted (and flashed a new recovery image on) your phone using this tutorial: How to Root HTC Hero and Install RA Recovery Image.

1. Download Hero21 Community Signed v1.8 ROM from here.

2. Rename the ROM you just downloaded as update.zip

3. Now plug in your Hero to the computer and from the notifications, mount the SD card.

4. Copy the ROM file (update.zip) to your SD card. DON’T copy it into any folder.

5. Unplug the phone and turn it off.

6. Now turn on the phone into Recovery Mode by holding down Home and Power buttons to turn it on. Keep holding them until you see some text written in green.

7. In the Recovery Mode, select “Wipe” and then select Wipe data partition.

8. Once the wipe is completed, go to “Flash update image” and select Apply sdcard:update.zip

9. Confirm the installation and then sit back and watch while the ROM is being installed/loaded.

10. When completed, reboot the phone. Your new ROM should be up and running now!

NOTE: The first reboot may take time, so wait with patience. Even the first startup and the phone will be a bit slow, but should get normal in a few minutes.

Disclaimer: I’m not responsible for any damage you do to your phone. Please modify it on your own risk.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Install Android 2.1 on HTC Hero

HTC Expresso is the next update to the HTC’s Sense UI which will make its way to HTC phones like Hero and Droid Eris somewhere around the first half of 2010.

A system dump of HTC Expresso for HTC Hero with Android 2.1 has been leaked out in the wild and is available for download for developers.

This is not a phone ROM or firmware so please don’t try flashing it on your phone. We’ll have to wait for developers to come out with a HTC Expresso ROM for Hero. And like always, before doing anything, always have a Nandroid backup.

Download HTC Expresso for HTC Hero Android 2.1

This system dump is only for GSM-based HTC Hero. Developers can grab it from here: Download HTC Expresso

[Via Redmond Pie]

Post from: Sizzled Core

HTC Expresso for HTC Hero Android 2.1 Leaked

One issue that all Android users are facing is that once you set up your Google account on an Android phone, there is no option to clear/remove the account.

You can’t change the Google Account in case you want to use another account on your phone. Yes, it’s kinda annoying and surprisingly, no one has added that option till now.

I faced a similar issue and after Googling for some tricks and playing with the options myself, I have come up with the following methods to clear your Google account from your phone.

How to Clear Google Account from Android Phone

One easy way that I have tested on my HTC Hero is to clear the data of the Google Apps app on your phone. It works, but remember, your contacts also gets removed. So make sure you create a backup somewhere.

Note: This is not a factory reset because this method does NOT clear your call log.

• Open Menu, and go to Settings.
• Select Applications and then go to Manage Applications.
• Look for the app “Google Apps” and tap it.
• Now tap the “Clear data” button.
• Now, in the Notifications (top of the screen) you will see a new notification.
• Tap “Your account must be updated”.
• Now enter your new Google account info.
• Reboot your phone and you’re all done!

Your new Google account should be up and running now. Now you just need to get your contacts back and your phone will be just like it was before.

Method 2

Another way to clear/change your Google Account is by changing your password from a computer and then reboot the phone. When the phone starts again, you will be prompted for the correct Google Accounts info. Change the info there.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Remove Google Account from Android Phone

Free Process Freezer is an easy to use free program for suspending (freezing) and resuming processes.

It works Similar to Windows Task Manager, but instead of terminating the process, the program allows you to suspend the problematic process and resume it later.

When you see an application/process consuming most of your system resources, you can use this freeware to freeze it for a while so you can continue working on other applications. It won’t terminate the entire process.

You won’t even lose any data and can resume working later whenever you want.

Download Free Process Freezer

You can download this free application from here: Download Free Process Freezer 1.0

Post from: Sizzled Core

Free Process Freezer 1.0

Yesterday, I shared a web app that could help you fix dead pixels in your iPhone and iPod Touch screen. The good news is, you can use the same app on your Android phone i.e HTC Hero, Morotola Droid etc as well.

But we also have an application for Android phones to do the job and won’t require any web app. The app is available for free in the Android Market.

JScreenFix is a software solution that can fix most stuck pixels and improve the quality of images displayed on a screen.

If you have any annoying, brightly colored dots on your screen, run this application for 10 minutes and, in most cases, they will disappear! This application has got many positive reviews fixing most of the dead pixels people have.

Download JScreenFix

You can download this free application from the Android Market.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Fix Dead Pixels in HTC Hero

The PC Suite software that comes for Nokia, Sony Ericsson etc phones, they all have the option to let you send SMS from your desktop, but unfortunately, there haven’t been any such proper app to let you SMS from desktop for Android phones.

DesktopSMS is an application for Android that allows you sending text messages (SMS) from your computer through your Android phone.

Basically, this app is composed of applications. One is the client for the computer and a server app for your Android phone. You can easily access all your phone contacts on your computer and send SMS quickly and easily as it’s always easier to type with a computer keyboard.

Since this is a Java application, you can use it on any platform i.e Windows, Mac and Linux.

Related: Another application you can use for sending SMS through computer is Droid Explorer.

Download DesktopSMS

The server file should have been available in the market, but due to some reasons, it is not.

You can download the files for DesktopSMS from here: Download DesktopSMS

Post from: Sizzled Core

Send SMS from Desktop in Android

Noticing any dots on your iPhone’s screen that won’t go away even after switching the iPhone on and off? Well those are the dead pixels.

No, that doesn’t mean your iPhone is going dead. There is always a workaround for things and so is this dead pixels issue.

iPhone Pixel App is a web app intended to aid us in correcting stuck/dead pixels in your iPhone screen. This app uses a javascript to rotate colors by actual hex# at a high frequency to excite pixels and hopefully release their stuck state. Animated images are not used to fix dead/stuck pixels in this app.

The developer recommends that while testing, keep your screen resolution to high and rotate your screen to check in normal and horizontal view.

There is no guarantee that it would really fix all the dead pixels, but it’s worth a shot!

iPhone Pixel App

Post from: Sizzled Core

Remove Dead Pixels from iPhone Screen

A2SD2 aka Apps2SD2 is an addon/tool for Android phones that allow you to install apps in your SD card. Unfortunately, by default there is no option in HTC Hero and (probably) other Android phones to install apps in your SD card.

The apps you install are stored in your phone memory and once it gets full, you can’t install any more applications.

MoDaCo ROM and some other custom ROMs available already have A2SD2 and all you have to do is enable and get it working. You can get the MoDaCo ROM on your HTC Hero by first rooting and then installing it.

How to Get A2SD2 Working in HTC Hero

Just follow the simple steps to get A2SD2 working on your phone.

• Backup your SD card on your PC.
• Boot your phone into recovery mode.
• Now depending on whatever recovery image you’re using, choose Partition SD (ext2)
• Reboot the phone now and transfer all your SD card files back to it.

Pretty easy, eh? This is one of the main advantages I found after installing a custom ROM on my phone.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Install A2SD2 in HTC Hero with MoDaCo ROM

The UI modifications done by HTC for their Android phones is by far the best one available till now.

Motorola Droid users who have been drooling over the powerful HTC Sense UI and wished to have it on their phones can now have it on their Droid.

This is not really the exact port of the Sense UI, but basically a theme that will skin your interface and as well as your widgets to match with that of the HTC Hero’s Sense UI.

Get HTC Sense UI Theme on Motorola Droid

Note: This method to get Sense UI on your Droid only works on ROOTED phones. tested with Android 2.0 and 2.01.

1. Download and install MetaMorph from the Android Market. It’s a free app!

2. Download HTC Sense UI like theme.

3. Copy the downloaded files to ‘AndroidThemes’ folder on your SD card.

4. Launch MetaMorph and select the HTC Sense UI theme.

5. Apply all the .APK files and enjoy the theme!

[Via AllDroid & Redmond Pie]

Post from: Sizzled Core

HTC Sense UI Theme for Motorola Droid

My friend bought the Sony Ericsson Satio yesterday, so we thought of taking it for a spin and see how powerful this beauty is with its 12.1 megapixels camera.

I’ll be doing a complete hands-on review later. For now, I’ve got some beautiful photos of this phone that you might want to check out.

Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) Specifications

• 3.5 inches TFT touchscreen (360 x 640 pixels)
• 12.1 megapxels camera
• ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz processor
• 256MB RAM with 128MB internal memory
• 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0
• Video recording at VGA (30 FPS)
• Accelerometer
• 8GB microSD card included. Supports up to 32GB.
• Symbian Series 60 5th edition

Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) Photos

You can check out the gallery of Satio below.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) – Photoshoot

CCleaner is a free system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It helps you to delete unused files from your system making your Windows run faster and removes free hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history.

It allows you to remove unused temporary files from your Internet browsers and other supported applications with browsing history, cookies, recycle bin, and AutoComplete form history.

CCleaner support the following programs :

• Firefox
• Opera
• Internet Explorer
• Safari
• Google Chrome
• Foxit Reader
• Microsoft Office (97, XP, 2003, 2007)
• Nero Burning ROM
• Java
• Windows Live Messenger
• ZoneAlarm
• Flash Player
• QuickTime
• VirtualDub
• Windows Media Player
• 7-Zip
• Avira AntiVir
• Spybot – Search & Destroy
• Windows Registry Editor
• eMule
• KaZaA
• Google Toolbar
• Netscape
• Adobe Acrobat
• WinRAR
• WinAce
• WinZip
• and many other applications.

Download CCleaner

Post from: Sizzled Core

Remove Unused Files with CCleaner

Motorola Droid, the phone to grab 25% of Android US Internet traffic, is currently only available to Verizon for $199. And all those around the world waiting for the phone are still left out.

But not for too long now. Today, through an internal (reliable) source at Motorola, I came to know that Motorola would be launching the unlocked version of Droid worldwide in the next couple of months.

Motorola would launch the Motorola Droid (unlocked) in February and as well as announce the Droid 2 aka Sholes. No news if it will have the final release of Android 2.0 because the current Verizon Droid runs on the pre-release Android 2.0.

Droid runs on the powerful ARM-based 550MHz processor and boasts of a 3.7-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen with 480×854 pixel resolution display. It also includes a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus, 4x digital zoom, LED flash, video recording at 24 FPS, image stabilization and night shot support, 1GB internal memory etc.

Now the question is, will the Droid stand against all the other Android phones releasing by February which boasts the 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Google Nexus One, HTC Bravo, XPERIA X10 etc are all in the Android phone war!

Post from: Sizzled Core

Motorola Droid Worldwide Launch in February 2010

Nokia Ovi Suite is still in beta stages but continues to improve and get more powerful with every release. New features and enhancements are being added in every new update.

If your Nokia phone has received a software update and you would like to update it, you can follow the following guide and steps to do so. This is for newbies who have just moved to Ovi Suite and find it complicated.

How to Update Phone Firmware in Nokia Ovi Suite

Folow the steps below to update your Nokia phone’s firmware to the latest one available. Here in this tutorial I’ll be using my Nokia E71 to update to the latest firmware v400.

NOTE: Make sure you have created a backup of your device using Ovi Suite or directly on the phone.

1. Connect the phone to your PC in PC Suite mode.

2. Start Ovi Suite (if not already on) and go to Tools > Software Updates.

3. Now wait till Ovi Suite checks for updates for the application and your phone. Once done, click on the Install button under “Update available”.

4. Check the firmware version and make sure you have created a backup of your phone.

5. Read and follow more on-screen instructions.

6. Create a backup of your current state of the phone which you would be able to restore later.

7. Select the contents you want to backup.

8. Watch the backup process.

9. Once it completes, click on Install to download and install the firmware.

10. Now restart the phone to finish the update process.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Update Phone Firmware in Ovi Suite

Syncing your contacts between the HTC Hero and Google Contacts is a piece of work in Android.

I never realized how useful it was until now when I have started using Google Contacts as my only contacts manager. It’s now way easier for me to sync my contacts in whatever cell phones I try and use.

Users who have their phone contacts in Google Contacts separated in a group called as My Contacts have some syncing issues with the HTC Hero and HTC Droid Eris. When you try to sync, instead of just syncing with My Contacts group, it also downloads all your Gmail contacts and all the other your account has.

Instead of a few hundred, I had more than two thousand contacts in my phone – which was quite annoying. After a couple of hours of messing up with the OS settings and Google Contacts, I was finally able to find a solution to this problem.

How to Sync Only My Contacts in HTC Hero

To sync only My Contacts group from your Google Contacts, follow the simple steps below:

• Open the People app in your HTC Hero.
• Go to the Groups section.
• Now press the Menu button and select Sync Contacts from the menu.
• Uncheck “Sync all contacts” and press the save button.

You should now only have your My Contacts group’s contacts in your phone.

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Sync Only My Contacts in HTC Hero

There are still around two weeks before the Google Nexus One makes its way to the public. It has been announced for 5th January 2010 and will be available for $199.

The original bootscreen of Nexus One has been extracted from it’s ROM and is now available to be used on the HTC Hero.

This bootscreen can be installed on the HTC Hero using the following method. You see a preview of the bootscreen here.

How to Install Nexus One Bootscreen on HTC Hero

• Download the bootscreen file from the links below.
• Extract the files in a folder on your SD card.
• Now use a file manager such as Root Manager or SUFBS to copy all the files (except the one called “by-shenshang”) to /system/media/bootscreen/.

Download Nexus One Bootscreen

You can download the Nexus One bootscreen in two versions, with sound and without sound.

• Download Nexus One Bootscreen (with sound)
• Download Nexus One Bootscreen (without sound)

[Via xda-developers]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Nexus One Bootscreen for HTC Hero

I’ve always been in search of small and useful applications that could replace the use of big and heavy applications. For instance, simple photo editing can also be done with lighter tools rather than having Adobe Photoshop.

InstantMask is a free tool to remove background from images. It provides an easy way to crop out the foreground elements and use them with another background.

This free application comes in hardly 5MB of size, much smaller than professional tools Adobe Photoshop.

Download InstantMask

You can download this app for free from here: Download InstantMask

Post from: Sizzled Core

Remove Backgrounds from Images with InstantMask

Taking screenshots using an app is always easier than connecting the phone to a computer and then capturing a screenshot.

In the past, I have posted about the Screenshot app for Android which allowed you to capture screenshots, but it hs been reported that the app is out-dated and doesn’t work on new Android phones.

ShootMe is a free Android app that allows you to take screenshots of your phone. Just fire up ShootMe and give a good sustained shake or shout to take a screenshot.

It is a screen grabber for Android phones, basically only for rooted devices for now. It has been tested on HTC Hero, Dream, Magic and Samsung Galaxy.

I use this app to take screesnhots of apps that I review. Or it’s useful in taking quick screenshots when you want to upload it online.

Download ShootMe

There is no direct APK link to download from, but you can grab it for free from the Android Market.

Post from: Sizzled Core

ShootMe: Android Screenshot App

Many links to streaming audio and video that you come across on the web are hidden behind Javascript or ActiveX scripts. Because of this, it is sometimes very difficult to figure out the actual URLs that correspond to the streams being played.

URL Snooper was written to help users locate the URLs of audio and video files so that they can be recorded.

This freeware provides an easy solution to finding the URLs for all streams by by watching network traffic and identifying potential URLs, especially streaming media.

URL Snooper Features

• Totally revamped and cleaner user interface.
• Smart packet spanning – rebuilds packet streams to eliminate split-urls.
• Improved identification of protocols, duplicates, and url arguments.
• New dynamic url filtering keywords.
• Improved context menu support, drag and drop file searching.
• Includes recording hints and website links.
• User customizable browser selection and favorites menu.

Download URL Snooper

You can download this freeware from here: Download URL Snooper

Post from: Sizzled Core

Find Direct URLs to Streaming Audio Files

iPhone can be easily put into disk mode and used as a USB drive without the need of SSH with this freeware I have come across today.

iPhone Explorer is an iPhone browser for Windows and Mac that lets you browse the files and folders on your iPhone as if it were a normal USB flash drive or pen drive.

The usage is very simple. You can use the very easy drag-and-drop methods to add or remove files and folders from the iPhone. Other feature includes:

• 100% Free iPhone browser for Mac and Windows
• 100% Drag-and-drop interface for easily copying files to and from your iPhone
• Create, delete and rename files and folders on your iPhone or iPod Touch
• Works with all iPhones and iPod Touches including the iPhone 3G and iPod Touch 2G
• Allows you to use your iPhone as a flash drive / pen drive or put your iPhone into disk mode
• Tiny download size
• (Optional) If you jailbreak your iPhone you can access the real root of your iPhone and recover your address book, SMS, e-mails and more.

Download iPhone Explorer

You can download this application for free from here: Download iPhone Explorer

Post from: Sizzled Core

Explore iPhone like a USB Flash Drive

Facebook introduced new and much improved Privacy settings page and gave more control on what content is seen by public and friends.

Almost six months ago, Facebook allowed indexing of profiles in Google which included private profiles as well. Many users with publicly hidden profiles raised questions about this feature, but no positive reply was given by Facebook.

How to Remove Facebook Profile from Google

The new Facebook privacy options also lets you allow or disallow indexing of your profile in Google search results. Follow the steps below to set this option:

• Go to Privacy Settings in Facebook
• Click on Search section link.
• Uncheck the Allow box for Public Search Results option.
• Confirm the selection and you’re all done!

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Remove Facebook Profile from Google

HTC has launched four of its widgets in the Android Market and you can download them for free.

These free widgets are available for the HTC Hero and HTC Eris and might run on all Android phones with Sense UI.

HTC Widgets in Android Market

Today in History: In this widget, learn about significant events and famous people who were born or who died on this day in history. Tap a link to view the corresponding article on Wikipedia.

Tip Calculator: You can adjust the tip percentage and the number of people in the group before calculating.

Dice: Tap the dice first, and then simply shake (do not throw!) your phone to “throw” the dice. This widget is only for HTC Hero & Droid Eris

Battery: Tap the widget to see more battery information.

These widgets don’t work on my HTC Hero for some reason, Let me know if they work fine you all.

Post from: Sizzled Core

HTC Widgets in Android Market

After T-Mobile and Verizon, it’s AT&T turn to get on the Android bandwagon.

AT&T’s first Android phone has been spotted in the wild and it’s rumoured to be Motorola Backflip. The phone has been codenamed as Motorola Enzo for now.

Motorola Backflip Specifications

The expected specifications of this Motorola phone are as follows:

• 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A
• 512 MB ROM
• 256 MB RAM
• 3.1 inch display 320 x 480 (HVGA)
• 5 megapixel camera with LED flash
• WiFi / Bluetooth 2.0 / GPS
• OS Android 1.5 with Motoblur
• GSM 850/900/1800/1900 W-CDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100
• Reverse flip keyboard
• Rear directional touchpad

The physical QWERTY keyboard you see in the photos does not slide, rather folds backwards.

[More info and via Phandroid]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Motorola Backflip: AT&T’s Android Phone Spotted

Google Nexus One news is everywhere. First it was the announcement, then came its pictures and later on yesterday the price and release date was confirmed.

Today, the folks over at The Nexus One ave got their hands on the Google Nexus One and have posted a video of the phone.

You can see the pre-release packaging of the Nexus One in the video below the handset.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Google Nexus One Video

We just got the announcement of Google Nexus One confirmed release date and pricing. Nexus One is releasing on January 5, 2010 for just $199.

Sony Ericsson is yet to make an official announcement on when the XPERIA X10 will be out in the stores, but some unconfirmed sources suggest it will be out on January 18.

We all knew XPERIA X10 was scheduled for a Q1 2010 (February) release, but Play.com has the phone available for pre-order and says it is due release on January 18?

There is a possibility of XPERIA X10 releasing because Google Nexus One is coming out 5th January 2010.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Coming on January 18th?

Prince of Persia is back with the next game in its franchise, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.

The first trailer has been released which shows the upcoming PoP to be a promising one. I have never been a fan of prince of Persia games, but the teaser looks interesting to me.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Trailer

Post from: Sizzled Core

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Trailer

The Facebook app for Android got an update today which brings new functionalities and better photos browsing.

This is the same Facebook app that came with the Motorola Droid and, the same one which was leaked and ported for other Android devices.

Facebook 1.1.2 for Android is now a lot more like you’d expect it to be. The first version was nothing more than the basic app that allowed you to see news feed and status updates.

You can now easily navigate though your and your friends’ photos, share them and even comment on them. The interface is still nothing like the iPhone Facebook app, but as time goes on and Android matures, so are the apps also.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Facebook for Android 1.1.2

After all the Google Nexus One hype going on around, one questions that was in everyone’s mind was when will this phone actually be released and how much will it cost when compared to the iPhone.

The wait is finally over! Nexus One will be coming to the public in just three weeks from now on. For pictures, click here.

Google Nexus One Release Date

According to Reuters, Nexus One aka Google Phone will be released on Januaray 5, 2010 for a reduced price for T-mobile customers!

Google Nexus One Pricing

Pricing is something that really got me amazed. Nexus One will be priced at just $199 unlocked in stores. And about the pricing, Android Guys have to say:

Here’s the price: $199 unlocked in stores. $100 rebate online if you have an active and old Google account. That $100 rebate is either to buy it $99 online from Google’s online phone store, for using on Android Marketplace or for using on any Google Checkout stores. Can also be used for T-Mobile or AT&T pre-paid Data SIM card service at $29 per month, no contracts required.

Google will push full VOIP usage on these, meaning no voice/sms plans needed at any carrier. Voice calls will go through Google Voice on Data SIM cards and will provide unlimited free voice calling. And SMS is replaced by unlimited free Gtalk.

Finally, Google will provide easy roaming data services in other countries. For example, if you go to Europe, you can roam on HSDPA data networks for the same price of 20€ per month, and if you only stay in Europe for a few days you won’t need to pay for the whole month. You may not even need to change the SIM card.

[Via AndroidGuys]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Nexus One Release Date and Price Announced

It’s just been a couple of months since Batman: Arkham Asylum was released and changed the way how Batman games used to be like and guess what, Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 has been announced at the 2009 VGA’s on December 12.

Along with the announcement, only a teaser trailer was released. The stunning announcement came before Arkham Asylum’s developers, Rocksteady Studios.

The trailer shows that the game will now be even more darker with all hell broken lose. You watch the trailer below and gues swhat more we could get in the next installment of Batman.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 Announced

As more people get their hands on the Google Nexus One, the Internet is getting filled with Nexus One photos. Even I’ve been trying to get my hands on the device, but looks like Google has not send any in my country.

Thanks to Engadget, we now have some really cool eye-candy photos of the Google Nexus One.

You can check out the photos below. You will notice some great changes in the Android 2.1 homescreen.

[Via Engadget]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Google Nexus One Photos

In my previous post, I mentioned about the existence of iPhone 4.0 firmware. It was discovered by BGR, when they were going through their server logs and found iPhone 4.0 and iPhone 3.1.3 in it.

This shows that someone has been using these firmwares, probably in the Apple testing labs, to browse the web and test.

iPhone 3.1.3 is going to be a minor update which will only bring bug fixes whereas, iPhone 4.0 will be a major update with lots of new features expected like we it was in the case of iPhone 3.0 firmware release.

Above is the screenshot of what BGR found in its logs. Not sure how legitimate they are, but it certainly is some news for iPhone users who are expecting iPhone 4G this summer with the iPhone 4.0 firmware update.

The excitement continues to build up with Google Nexus One and XPERIA X10, both Android-based devices, coming out in February 2010. Even the next Android based device by Motorola, Droid 2, is slated for a February 2010 release.

Post from: Sizzled Core

iPhone 4.0, Next Major Firmware Update

Boy Genius Report has found something really interesting while going through their website logs – iPhone 3.1.3 and iPhone 4.0 firmware.

The server logs show that someone has been browsing the site using iPhone 3.1.3 OS.

The bits also show existence of iPhone 4.0 firmware, but no more details are known at this time. On the other hand, iPhone 3.1.3 looks more like a small update which will include bug fixes and minor app patches.

iPhone 4.0 will be released, probably, next summer along with the iPhone 4G that has been spotted in the wild a few days ago. As per our expectations, the update is going to be a major one with lots of new features added.

[Via BGR]

Post from: Sizzled Core

iPhone 3.1.3 Firmware Update Coming Soon

Ever seen a mobile OS running on a gaming console? Well, Android can do it!

Odroid is the first gaming device that runs on Android, specially for games that are available in the Android Market for Android phones.

It is based on a Samsung-manufactured application processor called S5PC100 833MHz. The system-on-chip(SoC) uses the latest ARM’s Cortex-A8 with NEON multimedia accelerator. The chip’s 3D OpenGl ES capability enables high speed 3D games such as Speed Forge 3D.

Odroid Specifications

The Odroid specifications are as follows:

• a 3.5-inch 320×480 capacitive touch screen
• Wi-Fi,
• Bluetooth
• a microSD slot
• HDMI output

The developer edition of Odroid will cost around $349 (£210).

I would go for this device only if Android offers some decent games. I don’t want to get this console just for playing Snakes.

Post from: Sizzled Core

Odroid – Android Game Console

A few weeks ago, a rumour broke out of HTC working on a flagship product which will be powered by Android. Later it was confirmed that, yes indeed, HTC is working on something with 1GHz SnapDragon processor.

HTC Bravo will have a 1GHz CPU and will be powered by Android. The same phone will go in the UK by the name of HTC Passion.

As we all have seen the leaked photo of Google Nexus One, if you check out the leaked photo of HTC Bravo/Passion, you will notice they’are exactly the same! Ofcourse, the Nexus One won’t have the HTC branding while the Bravo/Passion has it. Compare the two photos below.

Google Nexus One

HTC Bravo/Passion

Post from: Sizzled Core

Google Nexus One – HTC Bravo/Passion

Every tech and gadget blog you see now has news and photos of the upcoming Google Phone that Google announced a couple of days ago.

We even got a leaked photo of the Google Phone aka Nexus One. And here we have another one by a San Francisco based blogger, Cory O’Brien.

According to Cory, Google Nexus One is “Google Phone = iPhone + a little extra screen and a scroll wheel. Great touch screen, and Android.”

Post from: Sizzled Core

Google Nexus One Leaked Photo

For God knows, how many years this rumour has been going on of Google working on its own phone. Even when the rumours were high at peak last year, Google announced G1.

Today they confirmed, that Google is indeed working on a new Google Phone and well, according to the specifications known so far, is a very cool phone!

The phone hasn’t been labeled as Google Phone, but it is for us since the phone runs on Android and have far more higher capabilities and features than G1. Other details gathered by various sources online are as follows.

Google Phone Specifications

Some specifications revealed so far are:

• Snapdragon Processor
• Capacitive multi-touch OLED screen
• GSM network
• On-screen keyboard only
• Runs on Android 2.1

This phone is manufactured by HTC and resembles a lot like the HTC Hero. It even has a scroll ball like the Hero. And similar to the T-mobile G1, it will be Google branded.

Some people who have got their hands on the phone have to say that it literally looks like an iPhone on a double dose of steroids.

Google Phone Photos

[Photos via The Unlockr]

This new Google Phone is expected to launch in February 2010 with the other powered-by-Snapdragon phones will be coming out i.e Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10, HTC Dragon etc.

Post from: Sizzled Core

The New “Google Phone” Confirmed

I have previously shared and gave away free license keys of SocialSafe, a tool to backup your Facebook account.

Well, since that was a paid app and people mostly prefer free tools and applications, I’ve found a free method to backup your Facebook profile.

ArchiveFacebook is a free tool that allows you to save content from your Facebook account directly to your hard drive. Archive your photos, messages, activity stream, friends list, notes, events and groups.

It is a Firefox extension, which helps you to save web pages from Facebook and easily manage them. Save content from Facebook directly to your hard drive and view them exactly the same way you currently view them on Facebook.

The addon is still in experimental stage, so you will need to create an account at the Firefox addon website.

Download ArchiveFacebook

You can download it from here: Download ArchiveFacebook

Post from: Sizzled Core

Backup Facebook with Archive Facebook

PS3 3.15 firmware will be bring some new features to the console and for PSP owners. You will be able to transfer data between two consoles (not wireless connection) and play PSP Minis on the PS3.

This PlayStation 3 update is the next in line after the previous PS3 firmware 3.10 which brought Facebook integration to the console.

PSP Minis are small downloadable games originally designed for the PSP, which now you will be able to enjoy it on your large screen through the PS3. Other feature is that you will be able to transfer data between two PS3 consoles with a LAN cable connected.

To update, go to System Update under the Settings option in your Ps3 dashboard main screen.

Post from: Sizzled Core

PS3 Firmware 3.15 Brings Data Transfer, PSP Minis

The Windows Live team is back on work and yes, the Windows Live Messenger 2010 is coming out soon and is in works too.

Neowin has posted some screenshots of the upcoming Windows Live Messenger 2010. They are the first ones to appear online.

It looks like the 2010 version will bring some nice features that IM addicts and average users have been requesting for years. According to the screenshot, tabbed-browsing will be finally coming to WLM.

And for social network junkies, Windows Live Messenger will have in-built features and support for Twitter and Facebook – cool, isn’t it?

Now I can’t wait for the first beta version to come out and give it  a spin!

[Via Neowin]

Post from: Sizzled Core

Windows Live Messenger 2010 Screenshots

First I shared you the entire step-by-step tutorial on how you can root HTC Hero and install custom ROM on it.

Now I’m sharing this tutorial on how you can root Motorola Droid Android 2.0 (and also works with Android 2.0.1).

If you’re still unsure what rooting does, it’s just like jaibreaking your iPhone or iPod Touch, or hacking your Nokia S60 hone to get access to the firmware files and modify them as you like.

Android 2.0.1 OTA software update was recently released for the Droid, so that’s the firmware used in this tutorial by AllDroid.

How to Root Motorola Droid (Android 2.0.1)

Just follow the steps below to root your Droid running on Android 2.0. It is recommended though to update to the latest Android 2.0.1 software update.

1. Download the Android 2.0.1 ROM OTA update for Droid from the discussion thread here.

2. Now rename this ROM file to update.zip (recommended) or choose.zip depending on the recovery image you are using.

3. Transfer the file to the root of your SD card. Remember, NOT in any folders.

4. Power off the phone and then turn back on while holding the X key.

5. When you see a “/!\” symbol, press both the Vol+ and Camera keys together.

6. Rest is simple. Just follow the onscreen instructions.

7. Reboot the Droid and you’re done!

I think rooting the Droid is way simpler than doing it on HTC Hero. You can now run “su” commands from the adb shell.

[Via AllDroid]

Post from: Sizzled Core

How to Root Motorola Droid (Android 2.0.1)