News about Android:
Commumication between Android and Arduino, NFC on the cheap
Near field communication aka NFC is a technology that will allow you to exchange data between devices. If you don’t have the ‘Pure Google’ phone, Nexus S you probably don’t have NFC capabilities with that Android device you have in your hand. Yea, look at it. Nope! And you know you wish you had the capability after reading all about the latest service to come from the search giant, Google Wallet.
Microsoft gets paid, Android brings in more dough than Windows Phone
This morning a report was released stating that Android puts more money in Microsoft’s bank than Windows phone. HTC, which runs Android on a number of its devices is required to pay Microsoft, $5 per unit sold. That being said, if HTC sells around 30 million devices, that would mean they would be paying Microsoft a grand total of (I’m sure our reader can do the math) $150 million. Now that’s a good chunk of cash just from HTC that’s going straight to company that owns the mobile platform, Windows Phone.
RIP Credit Cards: Google Wallet To Change Mobile Payments
Google Wallet is a free mobile app that stores virtual versions of your credit cards, debit cards and coupons, eliminating the need for plastic and replacing your wallet with your phone. It will be compatible with none other than the Nexus S 4G, on Sprint. The app will launch “soon” but we’ve learned a great deal about it in the meantime.
8pen Android App helps you text really fast, with just one hand
Some of you might remember when we reported on Swype, a very fast way to do one-handed texting. Swype works by putting out the QWERTY symbols on the touchscreen, and then connecting the dots to spell out what you mean.
Very real-looking Android, the Actroid-F
So who is this woman in this picture? A better question is: what is this woman in the photo?
This is the Actroid-F. I realize that sounds like title for the theme of Beverly Hills Cop by Harold Faltermeyer, but according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Actroid-F is “the first true android”.
Sprint aims to change things with Samsung Transform
The Android operating system has really taken off in a big way, and it has clearly proved to the world that not everyone wants a closed system like Apple’s iOS platform, where an open-ended one like Android will still be able to do well. The deluge and phenomenal growth of Android-powered smartphones has certainly been something that nobody (except maybe for Google) expected, but we’re all the happier since stiff competition does benefit consumers in the end most of the time as companies will have to be on their toes to deliver the best. Sprint has sided with the Android platform yet again with their latest smartphone, the Samsung Transform. This is one of the higher end Android powered devices that will work with Sprint ID, a user-friendly method of personalizing Android phones.
Droid 2 Release Date, Specs and More Leaked by Verizon
For those of you itching to get your hands on the Motorola Droid 2, it would appear that leaked pictures of Verizons inventory have surfaced showing that the stock for the up and coming Motorola Droid 2 has begun to arrive at stores.
Android Rumoured to Get Netflix App Coming Soon
It has been rumoured that Netflix is working on an official app that will allow users to stream movies and TV shows directly to Android devices. The rumour came after a recent job listing for an visit site to read more]
Sharp 3D smartphone with 3D camera on its way
Sharp are hoping to release a 3D smartphone by the end of the year. The device will feature a 3D camera, but that is about all that is known at the moment. Any further details on the device E.g. name, size, spec, OS, are a mystery, though chances are OS wise Android will be a firm … [visit site to read more]
Free books for your Kindle – and you can read them on the PC, Android phones and iPod/iPhone/iPad too with the free Kindle app
Avid reader? Want some freebies to burn through on the train such as Dracula and Alice in Wonderland? If you own a Kindel, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android phone or even just a PC then read on… … [visit site to read more]
Vonage And Facebook Join Forces to Offer Free Calls
Vonage announced today that it has developed a new app for iPhone and Android to allow users to make free mobile calls to all their Facebook friends that have the app too.
Android 2.2 Froyo Update for Droid X Confirmed for September
It was reported just over a week ago that the Motorola Droid X would be getting some sweet TLC from the Android 2.2 … [visit site to read more]
Android global sales rise 886%
Last year Android was still finding its feet and was making a sluggish entrance to the smartphone industry, which makes Google’s current OS success all the more impressive.
Viewsonic Rumoured to be Releasing Andoid 2.2 Tablet Device
Projectors and monitors manufacturers, Viewsonic are rumoured to be joining Windows and almost everybody else in developing an ipad rivalling tablet device. Following recent announcements by Window’s regarding the release times of the ‘masterpad’, Android are now in the picture with … [visit site to read more]
Mystery HTC Android Device Hits Verizon’s Inventory System: Could it be the HTC Scorpion?
A brand new and what appears to be a HTC device, has just appeared in Verizon’s inventory system in the last day or two.
The device does not have a name but it has been listed under the code of ADR6325VW. The reason why many believe it to be an Android device over a Windows 7 phone is due to the prefix at the start of the code, ADR, which hints an Android.
Android 2.2 Froyo HTC EVO 4G Official Update Released
August 3rd is the date that has been pencilled into our diaries as the official release date of the HTC EVO 4G Android 2.2 … [visit site to read more]
Carphone Warehouse unveils My Hub: Music Anywhere – Pirates Beware
The Carphone Warehouse have launched an innovative way to stream your music files on the go, called My Hub.
HTC Hero users on 3 want Android 2.1
As everyone else gets excited about Froyo, HTC Hero owners have been left in the dust, waiting for an update to Android 2.1.
Android Security Attacked: Hacking Tool Released Which Exploits Google Android Security
Google must feel on top of the world at the moment with Froyo exploding onto all the latest handsets and taking the smartphone industry by storm. But like everything thing else, something was bound to come along and knock Android of its perch.
HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z Android Smartphones Spotted on Vodafone Germany
The German site, BestBoyz have acquired screenshots of a database from Vodafone Germany’s systems revealing that HTC’s latest Android smartphones maybe fast approaching.
Leaked Verizon ‘Roadmap’ Shows Plans for 4G LTE Network and New BlackBerry Smartphones
A leaked Verizon roadmap shows the company’s plans to offer several new 3G and 4G phones as well as upcoming 3G data plans, focusing on the upcoming 4G LTE network.
Motorola Droid Android 2.2 Froyo Update Expected This Week?
Android is spreading like a virus at the moment and it seems like every smartphone company in the world is shifting to 2.2 (aka Froyo.) HTC EVO 4G receives the … [visit site to read more]
Android 2.2 HTC Desire Update Pushed for Disappointed Vodafone Customers
It’s Android 2.2 time and as the firmware starts to spring up on handsets, those still waiting must be feeling impatient. Excitement has been building over Google’s latest achievement for months now and finally we are getting the first glimpses of what it can do.
Android 2.2 Froyo Hack Gets Taken Down by HTC
When a new smartphone is released into the marketplace, it is almost certain that hackers are hot on the trail to hack into the phone’s latest OS. We have seen it with the latest iPhone 4 … [visit site to read more]
Droid X can now be counted among the rooted
Droid X users gobbling up 5x the data of other Verizon smartphones
Been wondering why Verizon would seek to curb its unlimited data plans with bogus restrictions? Wonder no more. Jennifer Byrne, a business development executive director at Big Red, has shared with us the shocking stat that early data usage from Droid X owners is five times what other smartphones are suckling down. Clearly, the jumbo screen is being used to the fullest by those lucky enough to get an X when they wanted one, and Verizon is (outwardly, at least) really, really excited to see such keen use of its network. Enjoy it while it lasts, Droidsters! Read the rest of this entry »
Nexus One Andorid 2.2 Update Now Available for Vodafone UK Users
Nexus One can all jump for joy as it has just been announced that Vodafone UK network are now starting to get the Android 2.2 update over the air.
BlindType vows to autocorrect all wrongs with your iPhone or Android virtual keyboard (video)
Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer gets too fat to be able to dial a number? Well, he wouldn’t have had that problem had BlindType been around. This soft keyboard is described by its makers as being extremely resilient to inaccurate input and looking at the demo video after the break, you kinda have to agree — it seems to have a pretty kickass predictive algorithm. Aside from that, the keyboard also dynamically adjusts to wherever and however you choose to type, meaning its size and orientation track along to your input, which goes some way to justifying the somewhat odd name (it’s meant for blind operation, not blind people). Text can be inserted without the keyboard even being on screen, while spaces are automatically added at pauses in your typing. BlindType should be coming to Android and iOS devices some time in the near future.
Google: Eclair is on more than half of all Android phones, Froyo bursts onto the scene
Android 1.5 and 1.6 are still major players in the field, together accounting for some 41 percent of all Google-powered phones in use as of July 15 — but for the first time, Android 2.1 is on significantly more than half of the phones out there, up from an even 50 percent in mid-June. 55.5 percent of devices are running Eclair to be exact, and Froyo also makes an appearance with a little sliver of 3.3 percent — an anemic figure obviously hampered by the fact that no one outside Google itself (on the now nearly-defunct Nexus One) has deployed the latest version yet. It’s fascinating to see the change in the version mix over time get visualized like this — now all we need is that dark green line at the very bottom to shoot upwards and obliterate everything else on the graph. Let’s make it happen, guys. Read the rest of this entry »
Nexus One is sold out in Google’s store — forever
Google warned us that the Nexus One was approaching the end of its days, but we’ve gotta admit, we didn’t realize just how quickly that moment would come. Sure enough, Google’s official online store for the phone now just shows an ominous message that “the Nexus One is no longer available for purchase directly” from the company, which means you’re going to have to go through Vodafone, KT in South Korea, or hold out for the units that they plan on selling directly to registered developers. Needless to say, for the bulk of potential customers, the phone is all but history. So, on that note, Nexus One: for your straight-shooting stock Android ways and your unlocked radio, you’ll be dearly missed — and we hope your legacy lives on, even though your retail model does not.
Droid 2 and Android 2.2 fated to be together from the start, according to latest leaks
You know, some people get married with less information about their partner than we already have about the Droid 2. Today, we have a pair of independent leaks seemingly confirming that the second coming of Moto’s QWERTY-sportin’ Doer will be running Android 2.2 right out of the gate. Droid Life has a tipster that’s apparently spent some quality time with the device, describing its keyboard as “phenomenal” and pointing out that it feels notably snappier than the original. The Froyo connection is reiterated by Phandroid‘s sources, which provide images of Verizon’s device database indicating once again that Android 2.2 and Droid 2 will be an appropriately matched pair when the launch codes get entered (last mooted for August 12) and this thing finally hits retail. Read the rest of this entry »
Droid 2 launching as soon as August 12, embraces Star Wars roots with R2-D2 edition
Ready to have your mind blown? Good, then sit down for a moment: we’re hearing from a trusted source that the thoroughly-leaked Motorola Droid 2 for Verizon will be launching on August 12 — although it seems to be something of a soft launch, because marketing efforts aren’t scheduled to kick in until a week and a half later on the 23rd. What’s even more interesting, though, is that there’ll be a Star Wars edition of the phone launching with a white R2-D2 on the back. For the record, this isn’t the first time Verizon has toyed with the Droid line’s Star Wars origins; Motorola actually had to license the name from Lucasfilms, and to promote the original phone, Big Red sent around remote-control Artoos last year to various media outlets. What we don’t know is whether the special edition will be launching at the same time as the stock version — so if the plain-vanilla Droid 2 comes out first, that might automatically make the decision of which to buy for some folks. What about you?
Adobe FlashTime to bring peer-to-peer video calls to Android (video)
With tongue wedged firmly in cheek, Adobe has named its latest little bit of demo software FlashTime and given it a quick spin to whet our appetites. Built using the forthcoming Air 2.5, this peer-to-peer video chat client harnesses your smartphone’s camera to get some direct visual communication going with your fellow Android lovers. Okay, so Android users already have other options for doing just this very thing, but the point being made here is that you can do just about anything with Flash, and since it’s Flash it’ll be easy to port around to other platforms. Skip past the break to see the demo, which has a multipeer chat session with a desktop Mac thrown in for good measure.
Dell Streak review redux: thoughts from the New World
If you’ve been following the ongoing saga of Dell’s Streak, you’ve probably already read our review of O2 UK’s version — thing is, the British perspective can be very different from the Yankee one (we didn’t see eye-to-eye during the War of 1812, for instance). To that end, we wanted to circle back now that the gargantuan Android beast is finally coming close to a US release and get another quick take.
MOG arrives on iPhone, Android with 7.8 million songs but no multitasking mode
The name may sound like something out of a Final Fantasy game, but we hear it stands for Music On the Go, and today MO is doing the name proud by bringing a wide swath of streaming music to Android and iPhone. $10 a month gives you access to 7.8 million songs, and during a completely unscientific impromptu testing session, that number actually included a reasonable amount of most everything we’d want. Of course, you don’t get to keep any of the 320Kbps MP3 files, merely store local copies on your phone for as long as you pony up, and even on Android (where we take task switching for granted) the merest jump to web browser stops those tracks cold. (MOG says it’s working on it, at least for the iOS 4 version.) We were also disappointed to find out the MOG Radio feature is nothing like we were told — rather than a Pandora you can tune to specific artists, the feature just seems to filter your existing queue. Playback options were also lacking in this early version (like volume and jog sliders) but at least MOG’s got a slick, robust discovery mode, and with this many songs to choose from that’s a very good thing. Both versions should be live immediately with three-day, no commitment trials, and there’s a press release after the break if you still need more info. Read the rest of this entry »
ASUS Eee Pad EP101TC opts for Android, dumps Windows Embedded Compact 7
The lesser of ASUS’ two Eee Pad tablets announced at Computex this year, the EP101TC, is getting itself a software rejig ahead of its planned early 2011 launch. Originally slated to run on Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Compact 7 — a wordy OS, if nothing else — the Pad will now entrust its operational infrastructure to Google’s Android. ASUS is currently working on prototypes with Froyo on board, but Gingerbread (or Android 3.0) has not been ruled out as a possible final OS choice. We’re told to expect the first public demos at CES 2011, with retail units likely following on from there at a relatively brisk pace. Read the rest of this entry »
Lenovo promises LePad Android tablet for the end of the year
Liu Jun, Senior VP and President of Lenovo’s Consumer Business Group, has revealed his company’s intention to deliver an Android tablet by the end of this year. To be known as LePad, this apparent resurrection of the Skylight / U1 Hybrid R&D effort seems destined to follow LePhone in seeking its fortunes in China first before expanding out to the rest of the world. Lenovo’s chairman did recently note that Apple’s relative inaction toward mainland China creates opportunities for others, so this may well represent the IdeaPad maker’s play for that burgeoning market. Of course, we’d love to be wrong and see a simultaneous release around the world — it’s about time the iPad got some legitimate competition in the slate realm. Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola i1 is new Nextel Direct Connect Smartphone
Fancy an Android-powered Nextel Direct Connect Smartphone? Well, you can get your digs with the Motorola i1, a spanking new Android-powered smartphone which won’t cost you more than $150, albeit coming with a 2-year contract. This is a world’s first just in case you were wondering, where it will hit the market in the US this coming July 25th. The Motorola i1 is no pushover when it comes to smartphones in terms of ruggedness, as you can tell by its solid body construction that adheres to military specifications when it comes to protection against dust, shock, vibration and blowing rain, making the Motorola i1 an ideal smartphone for folks who work and play hard. There is one downside to all of this though – the Motorola i1 runs on Android 1.5 which frankly, is old hat and won’t even support most of the more modern apps available these days, making us wonder just what Sprint is up to.
Milestone XT720 Released in the UK
Motorola has announced launching its Milestone XT720 handset in the UK. The Android based smartphone is available unlocked 
since the company has yet to finalize a carrier partner in the country. This gorgeous Android … [visit site to read more]
