/samurai

Motorola Mobility Inc: Unlock all smartphone bootloaders

2012-01-31T12:40:00.003-05:00

Why must Google buy Motorola? China!

2011-12-22T18:01:00.002-05:00

It's undeniable the biggest reason why Google must buy Motorola is the big telecommunication related patent portfolio owned by the mobile phone maker. However, there is another reason why this deal is important to the growth of Google.

Android is free, period. Google does not make a dime from Android when a smartphone maker adopts its mobile OS. Google has said many times that it intends to make money back from Android from increased web search activities, which in turn brings profit to its web advertising business. It sounds great, except that Google search is not available in Mainland China. Yes, even if every single smartphone sold in China is powered by Android, Google will not make a single penny there. At the same times, it does not look like Google plans to change its Do No Evil strategy and allow China to censor its web search.

So, how can Google profit from the mobile market in China? How about making smartphones? Motorola has been doing business in China for a long long times. It is a well-known brand among Chinese. By making smartphones through Motorola, Google can earn cash from Android through a totally different strategy.

The more we look at the deal, the more we can appreciate the smartness of Google ... let's hope that they really do not plan to be evil!

[Updated: Let's Talks is selling the Galaxy Nexus at $155 with the usage of a coupon] Galaxy Nexus is $199 at Amazon Wireless

2011-12-15T01:14:00.001-05:00

[Updated] Even better, Let's Talk is selling the Galaxy Nexus [Direct Link] for as low as $155, if you use the following code at checkout: $75VZN. Be sure to pick the "Keep your current data plan" option, otherwise you may lose your unlimited data plan. For upgrades, the same coupon code can be applied to bring the price down to $175.

The wait is over. The Galaxy Nexus is here. Amazon Wireless is selling it at $249 for people upgrading their phones. For new subscribers of Verizon? Only $199.

The wait is over: Galaxy Nexus is here

2011-10-19T00:49:00.001-04:00

The wait is over. The Galaxy Nexus finally arrives. The specs of the phone were leaked like crazy, so there really isn't that much of surprise here. However, the simple fact that it's here is enough to bring a new round of excitement to Android fans.

As noted by many people, Verizon is nowhere to be found in the release party. On one hand, I think it is because both Google and Samsung want to make this a global launch (Japan's NTT DoCoMo is the only mentioned carrier in the presentation.) On the other hand, I think the release of the Droid RAZR earlier today is another factor. I mean, the RAZR is basically DOA. Priced at $299, it's on the high-end of the Android family, but after seeing the Galaxy Nexus, I am really doubtful that any serious Android user would choose the Nexus over the RAZR. May be a law enforcement office should get the Kelvar coated RAZR :-)?

Steve Jobs was a great marketer

2011-10-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

There are going to be millions of people praising Jobs' achievement as an innovator, but in my opinion, he's an even greater marketer than an innovator. I am saying this without a tiny bit of negative meaning. Being an innovator doesn't bring a successful product. We've seen thousands of innovations failed miserably. Jobs, however, master the art of marketing. He not only know how to market, but what, and when to market.

When it comes to how to market, everyone already knows how good Steve Jobs was. The term "reality distortion field" was invented to describe him. But in the 80s, we didn't see the full effect of it because communication back then was mostly an one-way street. These days, the internet and social networking makes every followers of Steve Jobs an apostle for Apple. This can probably explain why the Macintosh failed the first computer war. Jobs full potential can only flourish with the presence of a way to quickly spread his gospel, and the 80's didn't have one.

As I mentioned earlier, just bringing an innovation to the consumers don't make it a successful product automatically. Knowing what to market is the key. As much as what Apple fanboys would like to insist, Apple has never been on the cutting edge of innovation. Apple almost always waits until a technology mature to a failsafe stage before it begins implementation/integration. Jobs knew that with Apple's strong brand, he could afford to wait. Wait until the point that he could bring his loyal customers a product that it's foolproof. We need not look any further than the new iPhone 4S. After the launch, many people, including some Apple fanboys, voiced their disappointment towards the evolutionary product upgrade. Some even went further to suggest that it's due to the lack of Jobs involvement in the development of the iPhone 4S. However, this is exactly the kind of decision Jobs would have made. Consider the lack of LTE in the new iPhone. Many Android fans quickly laughed at the missing of LTE. But let's face it, we Android users know that LTE eat battery life like no others. Contrary to what people thought, Apple couldn't make magic. If something is not possible to be done today, Apple couldn't make it happen, period. Other companies may have bowed to the pressure and throw LTE into the iPhone 4S. Not so for Jobs/Apple. Jobs would know that his customers would rather still have a phone working by the end of the day, instead of a phone that downloads faster. After all, many people just use the iPhone for the apps they already downloaded.

Knowing when to market is another thing that is important, and Jobs is a master of that also. People questioned the decision of an incremental upgrade of the iPhone 4S. But think about it, most people, at least in the US, signed on for a 2-year contract when they purchased the iPhone 4. How many of them will actually upgrade this year to an iPhone 5! On top of that, one of the iOS's strength is that there's little fragmentation. A radically different iPhone this year will create too much variations for the developers to support. By delaying the iPhone 5 for one year, the can phase out the iPhone 3GS, make the iPhone 4 a free phone, and still keep fragmentation under control. That's what Jobs would have done. We witnessed his DNA affecting Apple, and yet Apple fanboys felt disappointed -- I guess they actually don't understand their cult leader very much after all.

Steve Jobs, the great marketer of our times, rest in peace. My heart go out to his family.

Source: http://androidandme.com/2011/10/news/steve-jobs-1955-2011/

Apple's Rumored Voice Assistant Feature Gets a Convincing Preview Mock-up

2011-10-01T16:43:00.001-04:00

Oh-o, Apple is going to INVENT Voice Assistant in the coming release of iPhone 5.

Android users must be very scared. And, let's see how how far behind iPhone's competitor is:

Uploaded on Aug 11, 2010

See, it clearly demonstrates that Apple always invents everything, right? Apple fanboys, let's celebrate!

Apple's Rumored Voice Assistant Feature Gets a Convincing Preview Mock-up

Apple's Steve Jobs: 'no one's going to buy' a big phone -- Engadget

2011-09-29T21:16:00.001-04:00

Apple is prepared to eat their ex-CEO's words soon. It's funny that Apple fanboys listen to everything Steve Jobs/Apple says like they were gospel when Jobs and Apple treat them like sh*t. I still remembered the day Apple once suggested that UI functions should not be represented just by color alone. I forgot the exact reason behind that, but it's something like colors could have different meaning in different culture, and they are poor identifiers for colorblinds. Yet, when OS X comes out, the close/max/min buttons are colors only until you roll the mouse over the buttons. The thing is, their words only mean so much when it works for them. When they want it the other ways, they would pretend they never say it, or they will invent an excuse -- usually "because they've done it the right way." Apple's Steve Jobs: 'no one's going to buy' a big phone -- Engadget

UPDATE: Turns out that I am the one who needs to eat one's own words. Apple did not release a bigger iPhone. The iPhone 4S is almost identical to the iPhone 4.

Thinking About Rooting The Kindle Fire? Amazon Won't Put Up A Fight To Stop You!

2011-09-29T19:30:00.001-04:00

Finally, an affordable and quality tablet will be upon us: An ICS ROM will probably pop up within weeks after both the Kindle Fire and ICS sources are released. Thinking About Rooting The Kindle Fire? Amazon Won't Put Up A Fight To Stop You!

Amazon Kindle Fire, the 7-inch sub-$200 Android tablet (Update) | Android and Me

2011-09-28T18:54:00.000-04:00

So, what does that mean to the Android world in general? On the surface, probably nothing. Even though the Kindle Fire is based on Android, we probably shouldn't see it as a real Android device. Indeed, judging from the news, what Amazon seems to change the underlying Android OS a lot more than what B&N did on the Nook Color. That being said, in the long run, it probably will provide more incentive for developers to create Android apps. The fact is, the Kindle Fire is close enough to a generic Android tablet that it makes little sense for a developer not to develop for both platforms. If the Kindle Fire does well, what could happen is that developers might develop Android apps for it first (due to its relatively fixed hardware, it will be easier to target), then open the apps to other Android tablets. So, even though the Kindle Fire may not contribute directly to Android's growth, it could potentially help indirectly. Amazon Kindle Fire, the 7-inch sub-$200 Android tablet (Update) | Android and Me

Windows 8 and how it may affect the Android Tablet

2011-09-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

Today is Microsoft's big day. Windows 8 is revealed to a large number of people, and soon a developer build will be available for download. So, how does Windows 8 have anything to do with Anroid, or more specifically, Android tablets? To answer this question, we need to pay attention to a lesser-known Android related news today: All future Android builds will be optimized for Intel's Atom processor Still don't see the relation? Let me explain. First of all, Windows 8 will no doubt be run on tablet PCs powered by Atom. Secondly, some if not most of these PCs will be made and sold like any traditional PC, meaning that there won't be any locked bootloader. Now, stop for a moment and think about this: these PCs will all be capable of running Android! Imagine what will happen once CyanogenMod begins to support these PCs. We can just go out and buy a Windows 8 tablet PC and install Android onto it. We can even dual-boot between Windows 8 and Android! Windows 8 details: new features, UI enhancements and everything in between -- Engadget

Google to Acquire Motorola

2011-08-15T19:43:00.000-04:00

This piece of news will definitely be one of the top 10 news of the year in the technology industry. I can only say that it was a bombshell to me when I woke up reading it. For a moment, I thought I was seeing an April Fool joke. Then the news sank in and you know what, it's an Android fan's early Christmas gift. Needless to say, it shows again that Google is a company of calculation. Looking back to the whole Nortel saga now, it's hard not to see that the patent axis of evil led by Apple and Microsoft had just spent $4.5 billion hoping to use it against the Android platform, but ended up getting a overpriced portfolio. As everyone knows, Motorola, being the very first maker of a commercial cellular phone, has a jaw-dropping sized patent portfolio. Given that Motorola is one of the pioneer telecommunication company, it's not difficult to imagine that a large portion of its patent portfolio are closely related in making a smartphone. I recalled reading a comment from an user on a Technology Blog (sorry, I forgot which one) saying that Google can now sue Apple for ... making a call. It's a joke, but it highlight the deep root of Motorola -- it's simply one of the oldest telecommunication hardware maker in the world. As always, it's the math that counts. Official Google Blog: Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola ...: "Since its launch in November 2007, Android has not only dramatically increased consumer choice but also improved the entire mobile experien..."

(UPDATED) Sony Ericsson announces new generation of Xperia Mini and Mini Pro smartphones -- Engadget

2011-05-05T12:38:00.000-04:00

With all the bad press going around Sony's PlayStation Network security problems, I think we should re-direct our attention to one rare bright spot among Sony's products/services -- its 2011 Android smartphones. It's the only major Android smartphone maker that is capable of launching all its new headset in Android 2.3. Given how bad their first Android attempt was, I think Sony Ericsson deserves a lot of credits for their improvement. HTC, Samsung and Motorola, LISTEN, you guys were the market leader when it comes to Android smartphone, but it's unforgivable for you all to launch any Froyo phones today, almost 6 months after Gingerbread was released. The Thunderbolt, the Droid Incredible 2, and the Droid Charge should all be a Gingerbread phone when they are launched. Well, at least Motorola seems to be listening and hopefully, when the Bionic comes out, it's running Gingerbread. UPDATE: Yes, I didn't mention any examples from Motorola. That's not because they don't have any new non-Gingerbread phone launch. Quite the contrary, they dare to release a Eclair (Android 2.1) phone TODAY. I am not even going to name it here -- that would be free promotion for them. It's the new Sprint iDEN phone running Eclair, if you are curious. Sony Ericsson announces new generation of Xperia Mini and Mini Pro smartphones -- Engadget: "

[Android Troubleshooting] App cannot be installed

2011-04-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

Starting from today, I am going to write up troubleshooting post for Android from time to time. One reason why I want to do this is to to save myself another dozen of Google searches when the same issue comes up 6 months later. At the same time, I am hoping it could also help other Android users out there who suffer the same problem.

Enough talk. The first problem I will discuss is one that bother many users. Once in a while an app would fail to be updated (installed) no matter how hard you try. The Android Market may give you an unknown error of reason -18. Some people encountered this problem after Market tried to silently update their apps but failed. One common example is the popular game Angry Birds (and all its variants.)

AFAIK, the problem has something to do with your SD card. You might find many different ways to fix it online, but some of the solution may be too technical for some people. So, here's an easy fix.

Launch the Settings app
Click on Storage
Under SD Card, choose Unmount SD Card
Once the card is unmount, go back to your launcher and launch Market
Choose to re-install the app that's giving you the problem
Your app should be installed now

Once the app is installed, go back to Settings -> Storage and mount the SD card again. If you can't re-mount it, just power off your phone and turn it back on. From that point on, you can move your app to the SD card (if you want to do that.)

Nook Color becomes an unintentional rival of the iPad, with sales to match

2011-03-29T19:54:00.000-04:00

If Electonista's source is correct, then Apple may have find its unexpected rival in the form of an e-reader. According to the suppliers of Barnes & Noble, the book seller may have sold 3 millions Nook Color since it launched in the fall. To put the number in perspective, Apple sold about 15 millions iPad worldwide since its launch, with 7.5 millions sold in the fall. On the other hand, the Nook Color is only available in the US. No matter how you look at it, 3 millions of Nook Color in the US alone versus 7.5 millions of iPad worldwide is a sales number that Barnes & Noble should be very proud of.

Of course, one might argue that the Nook Color isn't even a tablet, but as demonstrated by numerous people, including myself, it can become a very capable tablet with very little effort:

Nook Color may have hit 3m units, 50% of tablets in US | Electronista: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Droid Samurai and the Android Army conquered the world in this Samsung Galaxy Player 70 promotional video

2011-03-28T10:03:00.000-04:00

Absolutely love this promotional video from Samsung for their Galaxy Player 70. Why? Because I am in the video :-D

You will find our beloved little green robot apparently conquered the whole world in this video! As I always say, watch out, evil Apple fanboys.

YouTube - Droid Samurai appears in Samsung Galaxy Player 70 Promotional Video!: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Porting honeycomb to the Galaxy Tab update 3/24/11 - xda-developers

2011-03-24T17:12:00.000-04:00

This Galaxy Tab Honeycomb port is going to be closely followed by me in the coming months. Yes, I am still a loyal Nook Color user, but consider that the price of the original Galaxy Tab will probably drop significantly after the two new Tabs release, the original will be a very attractive upgrade from my Nook Color if a full Honeycomb port is available. It has front & back camera, and a HDMI doc, and the size is about the same as the Nook Color.

Porting honeycomb to the Galaxy Tab *update 3/24/11* - xda-developers: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Motorola Considering its Own Smartphone OS, Android “Shooting itself in the foot”? - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

2011-03-23T13:02:00.000-04:00

Motorola is considering its own smartphone OS? While I am shocked to hear this, I am actually not that surprised they are that dumb. It really could happen. Look, they created the Droid, which is stock Android w/o a locked bootloader and this one small device literally brought Moto back to life single-handedly. A sane person would just keep what made the Droid so successful and added new things to it. Instead, they took away the stock OS, locked the bootloader -- they really DO think that the Droid's success is because of THEMSELVES, not Google, not Android.

Motorola Considering its Own Smartphone OS, Android “Shooting itself in the foot”? - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

'Hummer' handsets now account for 24 percent of US smartphone sales, prove Steve Jobs wrong -- Engadget

2011-03-22T10:54:00.000-04:00

These days, only the most brainless Apple fanboys would think that their phones are perfect. I am not surprised that Steve Jobs comment about the Hummer handsets are proven wrong. Look, people age. When people age, their visions worsen. At that stage, the size of a pixel is *more* important than the number of pixels. Therefore, higher pixel density is not the only thing that counts. Yes, Apple fanboys will say their ~~Rectal Display~~Retina Display is the greatest invention of the century, but if your eyes are not in the optimal condition, it only means you are looking at a smaller pixel. 'Hummer' handsets now account for 24 percent of US smartphone sales, prove Steve Jobs wrong -- Engadget: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

[UPDATE] Nook Color (Honeycomb) as a GPS Navigation Device - HD

2011-03-20T20:38:00.000-04:00

How to turn your Nook Color into a GPS

What do you need:

An Android phone that's capable of Wifi tethering
A rooted Nook Color that can make use of your wifi-tethering phone's network. The easiest way to achieve this is to get a custom ROM. CM7, Honeycomb, etc. I am using the Honeycomb Preview.
An app called TetherGPS

Prepare your Android phone

You must have an Android phone. An iPhone, or any other smartphone won't work. 3G modems won't work neither.
You *must* have a rooted phone (preferrably w/ a custom ROM. I use CyanogenMod 7 on my Droid Original.)
Install Wireless Tether for Root Users (FREE) to your phone.
Install TetherGPS to your phone.
It's not free. However, there's a free version that will work for 5 minutes. You can re-use it by turning it off and on again.
Add the TetherGPS Server widget to your home screen

Prepare your Nook Color

You *must* have a rooted Nook Color (preferrably w/ a custom ROM. I use the Honeycomb preview.)
Install Adhoc Wifi Support to your Nook Color.
Install TetherGPS on your Nook Color
Add the TetherGPS Client widget to your home screen

Tethering

Launch the Wireless Tether app on your phone. Then click the big icon to activate tethering
From your Nook Color's wireless setting, connect to the wireless network created by your phone
Turn on your Nook Color's TetherGPS Client widget
Turn on your phone's TetherGPS Server widget

NOTES

If the TetherGPS Server is serving location data, in the notification of your phone, you will see a status stating the data is being served on an IP address. If it's not serving location data, the status will be blank.
If the TetherGPS Client is receiving location data, you will find a notification stating so. Otherwise, it will say no location data is received.
You might want to wait until your phone receive a GPS signal before turning on the TetherGPS Server.

Small amount of radiation hits U.S.

2011-03-18T13:44:00.000-04:00

Breaking News: Small amount of radiation hits U.S.

Look, there will be people acting like crazy, but please don't act like the silly people in Hong Kong, or China -- don't rush to buy salt. To get enough iodine from salt, you need to intake 11 pounds of salt. You are more likely to be dead from taking so much salt than from the radiation.

Android browser beats iPhone in exhaustive head-to-head

2011-03-18T01:20:00.000-04:00

Speed is not everything, but if your enemy keeps saying that they are the best and everyone else sucks, it's always nice to prove them wrong. Apparently, the iPhone is not such a perfect phone that many Apple fanboys claim it to be ... at the very least, our Android phone beats the iPhone with a big hammer when it comes to browser load time. The Nexus S beat the iPhone 4 as if there's no tomorrow for the iOS.

Good work, green little robot!

iPhone vs. Android – 45,000 Tests Prove Whose Browser is Faster: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Motorola Droid 3 to feature OMAP4, Motorola Targa to be first phone with quad-core NVIDIA Kal-El? – Android and Me

2011-03-17T11:02:00.000-04:00

Oh, Moto, how much I hate you? Just when I am above to give up on you, and consider moving to HTC later this year, you make another attempt to lure me back.

The Droid 3

The Droid Targa

Now, I have no interest at the X2, but the Droid 3 and Droid Targa? The Targa is my favorite among the 3 phones (my contract is up for renewal mid-Nov, so it's perfect timing for me.) However, I need to wait and see if the bootloader is locked and/or encrypted.

Motorola Droid 3 to feature OMAP4, Motorola Targa to be first phone with quad-core NVIDIA Kal-El? – Android and Me: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

Giant Android in Amsterdam smites cars, promotes the Android OS | Android Central

2011-03-16T14:50:00.000-04:00

Besides Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Mondriaan, M.C. Escher, recreational drugs, prostitution, LGBT rights, euthanasia, and abortion (that should cover all art-loving liberals), our Dutch friends have yet another thing to be proud of. Yes, they have great taste! 34 perfect of Dutch smartphone users said they like Android, vs a mere 21% for the iPhone , and 17% for Windows Mobile.

Giant Android in Amsterdam smites cars, promotes the Android OS | Android Central: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

How to sideload app in Honeycomb powered Nook Color using ADB

2011-03-16T01:13:00.000-04:00

Sideloading app into a Honeycomb powered Nook Color using ADB is the same as any sideloading in any other Android devices. If you can't make it work, 99% of the times, it's because of a driver problem. In this case, you will need to install a Nook Color driver for ADB. What you need is the following:

Credits

thecubed: XDA member thecubed created the Easy USB ADB Installer for Windows. You can find the original post at: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=910008.

If you haven't done it already, download the Easy USB ADB Installer from the original XDA link above, or from my mirror at http://www.fileserve.com/file/rdx7UvM
Unrar the downloaded file nook-usb-installer.rar

Run install.exe in the extracted folder and follow the onscreen prompts.

Once the driver is installed, you should be able to use ADB command on your Nook Color. If your Nook Color isn't showing up, try unplugging it, then plug it back in and turn off the screen of the Nook Color (but DON'T TURN THE POWER OFF.) If it still doesn't show up, make sure USB debugging is checked (under Settings -> Applications -> Development.) After that, you can install any APK from your Windows PC by doing:

adb windows-path-to-your-apk

Motorola Xoom Flash Player: Game Playing Hand On -- Clear HD

2011-03-13T20:49:00.000-04:00

Playing a game using the leaked Flash Player on a Motorola Xoom.