News about Android:
Motorola mini Droid slider caught by Mr. Blurrycam
Okay, this one’s a complete and very welcome surprise — some extremely blurry pictures and a quick video of what appears to be a smaller Motorola portrait QWERTY Android slider for Verizon just popped up on the Chinese Hiapk forums — and yes, it’s got the glowing red Droid eye. We’re not sure if that means the Droid line is about to get a smaller midrange sibling or what, but Motorola’s definitely pushing out some of the more interesting Android form factors lately, and this mini Droid certainly fits right in with the Flipout and the Charm. A couple more shots and the video after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola’s rugged i1 coming to Sprint: July 25 for $150 on contract
A solid four months after first seeing thing plastered across half of Las Vegas, Motorola’s i1 finally has a date with Sprint. The planet’s first Android-equipped smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect will go nationwide on July 25th (via telesales and websites; all other Sprint channels will see it on August 8th), bringing military spec ruggedness, push-to-talk capabilities and a certain ability to withstand all sorts of death grips. Unfortunately, Android 1.5 is a bit of a dinosaur at this point, but it’s still a heck of a lot better than that G’zOne Rock you’re currently toting. Get ready — you’ve got just under a week to scrounge up $149.99 and the nerve to sign another two-year contract. Read the rest of this entry »
With ‘Unrevoked 3′ you can get Android 2.2 on HTC Desire now.
Were you one of those children who opened their presents before Christmas? Have you got a HTC phone? Then you will love to get your hands on Android 2.2 a month before the official HTC update.
Android versus iPhone live multiplayer gaming made possible in SGN’s Skies of Glory
Shocking as this might sound, there are no only a few games in which iPhone and Android users could go at each in live multiplayer mode. Exploiting this vast void is Social Gaming Network, whose Skies of Glory aerial dogfighting title has been ported to Android (2.0 and above) while retaining the ability to communicate with iOS devices over WiFi, 3G or Bluetooth connections. Frankly, we can’t think of a better game to get the cross-platform multiplayer movement going: fAndroids and iPhoneys gunning each other down while talking smack to themselves should prove therapeutic for both parties. On a more serious note, given the tireless growth that both platforms are showing, this kind of thing should hopefully tend toward being the rule rather than the exception.
HTC Desire’s Top 5 Features: Better Than the iPhone 4 or Droid X?
You probably all already know the reasons to get (or not to get) an iPhone 4 or a Motorola Droid X, but what about the often forgotten HTC Desire?
Verizon leaks another Droid 2, getting BlackBerry Storm 3, Curve 3, 10.1-inch tablet later this year?
Now that the Droid 2 has officially reached “leaking like a sieve” status, we thought we’d toss you another couple shots of the Droid X’s QWERTY-equipped cousin, which we’re being told is locked for an August release on Verizon. If you’re more of the BlackBerry type, though, we’ve got some news for you, too: our source is telling us that both a Curve 3 and Storm 3 are “possible” for the holidays this year. If we had to guess, the Curve 3 is likely a variant of this 9300 we’ve been seeing lately, whereas the Storm 3 could be a version of the 9800 slider or an entirely new keyboardless slate. There’s also a 10.1-inch tablet on the docket; the carrier has already confirmed that Android tablets are in the pipeline, but this could also be a version of the rumored BlackBerry beast. More on this noise as soon as we get it; in the meantime, follow the break for another shot of that Droid 2, won’t you?
Samsung Captivate now shipping from AT&T, right on cue
Sure, the Samsung Vibrant came out three days earlier, but you don’t care if T-Mobile customers beat you to the Galaxy S punch — you’re on AT&T, and it’s about time you had (another) high-end Android smartphone to call your own. Our recent hands-on showed it was a bit sluggish, so you might want to wait for our full review, but if your heart’s set on that 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and 1GHz Hummingbird core, you’re only two clicks away from adding the Android 2.1 handset to your virtual shopping cart. Click one is our source link, immediately below.
How would you change LG’s Ally?
LG didn’t hold back when it came time to market its Ally, but was a tie-in with one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters really enough? We found some rather unforgivable flaws during our testing, but that’s honestly beside the point — we’re here to hear about your thoughts on the device. Priced initially at just $100 on contract, it was (and still is, to an extent) one of the best deals going for an Android-based smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, but has it really lived up to your expectations? Are you wishing you had held out a bit longer? Is the keyboard really a winner? How do you like / dislike the UI overlay? How’s it handle when held left-handed? Go on, get really real in comments below. We’re all ears. Read the rest of this entry »
Google halting Nexus One sales through official store after current inventory depleted
We knew this was eventually coming, and here it is: Google is giving everyone the heads-up that it just got a fresh batch of Nexus Ones in stock, and once they’ve been sold through, they’ll no longer be offered directly through the company’s online store. For what it’s worth, the customer service lines will stay open even after that happens — and you’ll still be able to buy a phone through KT in South Korea, Vodafone in Europe, and “possibly other [retailers] based on local market conditions” — but by and large, your average American is going to have a hard time getting one pretty shortly. If you’re a registered Android developer, though, Google’s looking at continuing to offer the device through some sort of sales partner — a wise move considering it’ll be just about the only thing you can buy unlocked running a clean-slate latest build. Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola deny eFuse Android bricking intent
After speculation earlier this week that the eFuse technology used in their Android handsets could lead to bricked phones, Motorola has spoken out to clarify the purpose – and behavior – of the system. eFuse, the company says, “is not loaded with the purpose of preventing a consumer device from functioning, but rather ensuring for the user that the device only runs on updated and tested versions of software.” To that end, if a third-party ROM is installed the phone will only boot into recovery mode, but original functionality can be restored by replacing it with “approved software”.
AT&T execs get a better Captivate unboxing experience than you do
We don’t know how often this happens, but it seems that AT&T brass are being provided with these ridiculously over-the-top packages for the Samsung Captivate that’s officially launching this weekend, including bundled accessories that us unwashed masses aren’t offered. As they say, membership has its privileges.
Motorola responds to Droid X bootloader controversy, says eFuse isn’t there to break the phone
There’s been a lot of chatter going around the interwebs in the past 24 hours about the Droid X’s exceptionally well-locked bootloader — a situation that is going to make running custom ROMs considerably more difficult (bordering on impossible) compared to your average HTC. Specifically, the culprit is said to be a technology known as eFuse — developed by IBM several years ago — which allows circuits to be physically altered at the silicon level on demand. Thing is, the term “eFuse” has taken on an unrelated meaning this week, with My Droid World claiming that some chip inside the Droid X is commanded to “blow the fuse” if it’s unable to verify the stock bootloader, which permanently bricks the phone. It amounts to a really, really hard slap on the wrist for anyone trying to hack, say, Sense or stock Froyo onto it.
Motorola XT720 tipped for July 19th UK launch
Motorola’s Milestone XT720, the 3.7-inch keyboard-free sequel to the European Motorola Milestone, is set to hit the UK on Monday July 19th according to retailer Clove. The Android 2.1 smartphone packs an 8-megapixel camera with autofocus and a Xenon flash, together with 720p HD video recording and a mini-HDMI port for hooking up your nearest HDTV.
Graffiti for Android scribbles Palm OS memories all over Google’s platform
Gather around the campfire, children, as we tell you a story from or youth. You see, back in our day, we carried around PDAs driven by Palm‘s operating system (no, not that one). Primitive and bulky by modern standards, sure, but if there’s one aspect we remember most fondly — or at least most vividly — it’d be Graffiti, the shorthand writing system for your stylus-based text entry. And guess what? You can now bring that same frustration enjoyment to Google Android. Available now via Market, the free, OS-wide keyboard alternative comes care of Access, who gained the rights to Graffiti following the Palm / Xerox settlement from way back in 2006. The future is the past as remembered by the present, or something like that — download away. Read the rest of this entry »
Ceiva Snap now supports Android
Digital picture frames are fantastic devices. They make it easy to show off all of those images that you take with your digital camera and camera phone. If you use a connected from that is online like the Ceiva frames they are even more useful.
SLCD-equipped HTC Desire ‘coming soon’ to Telus
Android Market now has 100,000 apps, passes 1 billion download mark
Well, it may not come as a huge surprise considering all the steam Android‘s picked up over the past few years, but it’s a landmark nonetheless: according to AndroLib’s data, the Market now has 100,000 apps available for download. It’s also interesting to note that it took just under three months to get from 50,000 to the 100,000 mark. An even more impressive number, however, is the fact that over one billion applications have been downloaded. While it’s not clear if this number includes app updates or not, the number is massive either way, and they’re growing pretty steeply each month. AndroLib’s data also notes that over 14,000 applications became available during the month of June, and over 10,000 have appeared already in July. Hit up the source links for more stats, and a chance to see the numbers update in real time.
Dell Streak very likely coming to AT&T any day now
You may have heard chatter recently that Dell’s Streak is destined for AT&T as soon as July 19 — and now, with a little dot-connecting, we’re pretty much on board with that theory. We’ve just been tipped with some images of a corporate-owned AT&T store where contractors are in the process of installing new kiosks in the “Smartphones” area of the floor under tight security; they’ve apparently been made to sign NDAs and a number of employees “are already on the chopping block” for trying to figure out what it is. We suppose it could be something Captivate-related, but considering the level of security here, we think it’s something much bigger. Like 5 inches or so, if you catch our drift. Catch another shot after the break. Read the rest of this entry »
HTC Desire HD gets rumored specs ahead of Q4 debut?
Rumored specifications for the so-called HTC Desire HD, formerly tipped as the HTC Ace, have emerged, with one UK retailer suggesting the handset will arrive in October 2010. According to SuperEtrader, the Desire HD will have a 4.3-inch WVGA touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon processor and 8-megapixel camera; in other words, it’s a European version (and presumably 3G-only) of the HTC EVO 4G.
DROID X bootloader block bricks phones on Motorola’s orders
ROM-fondlers beware; Motorola aren’t just frowning on unofficial firmware being loaded on devices like the DROID X, DROID 2 and future Android smartphones, they’re actively making sure the end result is a bricked handset. According to MyDroidWorld, attempts to install alternative ROMs, kernels or bootloaders will trip the Motorola eFuse, bricking the phone in the process; to return the smartphone to a functional state will require attention from Motorola themselves, and owners testing quite how flexible their warranty policies are.
AT&T Dell Streak due Monday July 19th?
According to the latest rumors leaking out to BGR, AT&T are planning to launch the US-spec version of the Dell Streak on Monday July 19th. The 5-inch Android tablet has been on sale in the UK since early June, with no official word on a US launch at the time aside from the promise that it would drop “later this summer”.
HP delays Android tablet plans
We all know with the success of the iPad that hoards of other tablet computers are coming to market. HP is working on several tablets that run different operating systems including Windows 7 and with the purchase of Palm a webOS tablet is coming. One of the tablets was expected to run Android.
HP Android tablet coming later than you think, or not at all
Although nothing official has come from HP on this front, we got some pretty solid word back in April that the American giant was mulling an Android tablet. As it turns out, what with the WebOS acquisition that followed and HP’s dogged commitment to Windows 7, that Googly project has apparently slipped out of the limelight in HP HQ. Word from All Things Digital is that there’ll be nothing forthcoming this year (as was tentatively expected) and if an HP Android tablet is to materialize, it’ll have to come in 2011. The company seems to be in the midst of reallocating resources to its higher priority projects, and who knows, should that rumored Hurricane tablet blow us all away, Android might never gets its chance to shine at all. Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola Droid X Launched and Available to Buy on Verizon
For those of you that have been anticipating the release of the Motorola Droid X, the waiting can now stop…well at least for the folks in the US as the Droid X is now officially available to buy from on Verizon Wireless through their online … [visit site to read more]
Samsung Vibrant hits T-Mobile USA for $200
It’s not just the DROID X bringing some big-screen Android action to store shelves today. T-Mobile USA has pushed the Samsung Vibrant – their version of the Samsung Galaxy S – out the door, with the 4-inch Super AMOLED smartphone priced at $199.99 after various online and mail-in rebates and presuming a new, two-year agreement.
Verizon DROID X hits virtual shelves for $200
CDMA Android lovers, prepare your credit cards. Motorola’s marvellous DROID X smartphone – which we reviewed last week and gave a pretty much glowing report – has gone up for sale on Verizon Wireless’ site. $199.99 gets you a 4.3-inch touchscreen, slender body, 8-megapixel camera and Android 2.1 with the latest iteration of MOTOBLUR.
Samsung Vibrant launching… today!
A tiny bit of uncertainty has been cleared away thanks to good old Twitter, where T-Mobile has made July 15 (aka, today!) the official launch date for its Galaxy S derivative, the Vibrant. The original Tweet seems to have disappeared into the ether apart from that screenshot above, but T-Mo has reiterated the statement in subsequent missives, telling its followers that the Vibrant will be on sale today. We imagine the typical $199.99 price point will remain unaltered, so all you’ll really need to do now is decide whether this is the Super AMOLED handset for you, or whether you can wait the extra few days until Sprint et al intro their offerings. Decisions, decisions.
Motorola Droid X gets cinematic ‘See You Tomorrow’ trailer (video)
Yeah, we said trailer. The Droid family has seen its fair share of atypical ads, and while this one won’t tug on your heartstrings, it’ll definitely captivate. Unless you’re already three sheets to the wind and well on your way into an early weekend. Either way, you should really have a look after the break.
SanDisk’s elusive 32GB microSDHC card on sale tomorrow at Verizon: $100 with a Droid X, $150 without
Oh, sure — SanDisk‘s 32GB microSDHC card has been “shipping” since late March, but have you actually tried to find one? It’s been a lesson in frustration for many, and while a few e-tailers have shown stock off and on, the card has generally evaded archivists who simply need an insane amount of available storage on their handset. Starting tomorrow, however, that should change. Verizon Wireless — of all companies — has somehow managed to become the “only retailer that offers customers the 32GB SanDisk microSDHC card.” We’re assuming it’s referring to brick and mortar retailers, but at any rate, the gem will be on sale tomorrow at VZW outlets for $149.99, or just $99.99 if you purchase one alongside Motorola’s Droid X. The only trouble with that? You’re stuck figuring out what to do with the 16GB microSDHC card that ships inside of the phone. Thank heavens for the Bay, right? Read the rest of this entry »
Acer said to be launching 7-, 10-inch Android tablets before the end of the year
Bing to bring full-featured client to Android ‘within next six weeks’
Microsoft’s Bing and Google’s Android aren’t exactly complete strangers (hello, Moto), but now the company is saying it’ll bring a full-featured client to the platform sometime within the next six weeks. Not much is known, but according to PC World (via Yahoo! News), it’ll at least include desktop-parity with features such as web, image, and news search (in addition to maps, of course). ¿Está tu Nexus One listo para los links? Read the rest of this entry »
With Android floodgates wide open, HTC HD2 gets Froyo and Sense with 2.1
It’s been a long, ugly road, but HD2 owners and hackers alike can finally bask in the glory of an open device with top-notch hardware and specs that still give mid 2010′s best phones a run for their money. We’d already seen a stock Android 2.1-based ROM, but now we’ve got your choice of stock Android 2.2 or Android 2.1 with Sense, too — seriously, pick your poison. Though HTC clearly never intended to get this kind of Sense on the HD2, there’s something that just feels right about it, isn’t there? Follow the break for videos of both firmwares in action. Read the rest of this entry »
Apple acquire Poly9 3D mapping experts
Apple has quietly acquired a Canadian mapping company, Poly9, in a move that some are suggesting marks the next step in the Cupertino firms plans to replace Google Maps in products like the iPhone and iPad. Poly9’s official site has been taken down and there’s no official announcement from Apple or the company; their most notable product is a “cross-browser, cross-platform 3D globe” that can be manipulated without any installation and with minimal data downloads.
Bing to Launch App on Android
We already know that Microsoft’s search engine is available on iOS, however it has been revealed that Microsoft is also working on a Bing app for the Android operating system.
SmartQ T7 and T7-3G Android 2.1 tablets announced and priced in China
Don’t worry, it’s not déjà vu — these SmartQ T7 tablets may appear just like their Ubuntu-riding R7 sibling, but they offer Android 2.1, an integrated 3G option, a speedier 720MHz CPU, and a colossal 4,700mAh battery — 1,400mAh more than before! If that’s woken you from the slumber brought on by yet another boilerplate tablet, SmartQ’s also boasting support for a similarly impressive range of video codecs, meaning you can grab any RMVB, AVI, MKV and WMV files (even at 1080p) from your various, ahem, sources, and just play them back on the 7-inch LCD (probably at 800 x 600 like the R7) as they are. If you’re cool with just WiFi connectivity, then go for the ¥1,480 ($219) T7; if 3G is a must, be prepared to dole out ¥1,880 ($278) and ¥1,980 ($292) for the EVDO and WCDMA flavors of the T7-3G, respectively. And if you’re hanging out with China Mobile, price for the TD-SCDMA version’s to be confirmed later. Read the rest of this entry »
Motorola confirm locked DROID 2 and DROID X bootloaders
Hacking the Motorola DROID X and DROID 2 may be a significantly tougher prospect, thanks to the confirmation that the company will be locking the bootloaders of their future Android handsets. The bootloader – which is used to install custom ROMs that add new, unofficial functionality or streamline the Android user-experience – will be secured so as to prevent non-Motorola ROMs being loaded, the company says, explaining that the open bootloader on the DROID was the exception rather than the rule.
Android 2.2 and 2.1 Sense for HTC HD2 released [Video]
Getting Android running smoothly on the HTC HD2 has been a reasonably long project, but the xda-developers teams working on the port are getting close to perfect releases. There are now two almost complete builds available for download, one offering Android 2.2 Froyo for the HD2, and the other taken from an HTC Desire and promising Android 2.1 with HTC’s Sense UI and accompanying widgets.
DROID 2 summer release confirmed in leaked Verizon catalog
Verizon’s summer catalog has leaked to BGR, and what should be sat next to the DROID X but its QWERTY-sibling the Motorola DROID 2. Successor to the original DROID, the DROID 2 is listed as “coming soon” and gets a few confirmed specs, too; there’s obviously the Android OS, together with both WiFi and EVDO Rev.A, and a 1GHz processor keeping things running.
Android App: Save Your Fingers with Swiftkey
If you’re tempted by Droid X or one of the other Android handsets which are (or soon will be) floating around the market then you’ll want any idea of the type of apps you … [visit site to read more]
Motorola Droid X: Top Smartphone Contender This Summer?
Remember the days when Blackberrys were the only smartphones and they were used by businessmen on trains? Well now with the iPhone 4, HTC, Samsung Galaxy etc, the smartphone is everywhere. Maybe we should ask someone if the concept of a ‘mobile’ phone even exists anymore.
Opera Mini 5.1 for Android releases
Opera has announced that Opera Mini 5.1 for Android smartphones is now available for download. The new browser will work on all Android devices, promises better browsing performance, and a better user experience.
Swiftkey beta brings new keyboard, world class predictive text to Android
The software and language engineers at Swiftkey have been toiling on this app for the past two years, and at long last, it’s being made available for precisely nothing to anxious Android users. Hot on the heels of Swype’s own beta, the Swiftkey beta is now available to download directly from the App Market, and once installed (along with language packs of your choice), it can be used in place of your stock Android soft keyboard. We’ve never been the biggest fan of Google’s factory keys, and while we still feel that Swiftkey’s letters are a tad on the skinny side, it’s definitely an improvement. But that’s not where the magic’s at — this software has an uncanny ability to guess what your next word will be, and it actually looks at your prior SMS list (if allowed) in order to “learn” how you converse. In our early tests, we’re pretty darn impressed, and yes, it’s definitely worth the $0.00 price tag. Get your download on right now, or hop past the break for a video demonstration if you still need convincing.
The Daily Slash: July 13th 2010
Can you believe that it’s already (pretty much) the middle of July? It just feels like time’s flying by, doesn’t it? Guess that’s what happens when you’re having fun — and we have plenty of that around here. That’s why we’re happy you can join us. So, welcome to tonight’s edition of The Daily Slash. First up, in the Best of R3 Media, we’ve got 100,000 apps for the Android Market, and is an iPhone 4 recall coming soon? And then in the Dredge ‘Net, it looks like Stanford is going digital, we’ve got some big speakers, and it looks like Destination Arcade is just a limited run.
Verizon catalog reveals Motorola Droid 2, new dumbphones
We knew the original Droid’s replacement was coming, but we were never able to nail down the market name with confidence — until now, it seems. The Droid 2 makes a prominent appearance in an official catalog of Verizon devices leaked to BGR, talking up its 5 megapixel cam, 8GB of onboard storage, and 1GHz processor, positioning it just ever so slightly below the mighty Droid X. Also finding their way into the catalog are the recently-launched Pantech Jest, the self-branded Verizon Salute, and the Intensity II and Gusto both from Samsung, all dumbphones that just add more evidence to the theory that all the good names for mobile devices have already been taken. No date’s given for the Droid 2, but we imagine it can’t be long now that they’re openly talking about it, right? Read the rest of this entry »
Nexus One now a step closer to FM radio support, thanks to modified kernel
As you may or may not be already aware, the Nexus One and HTC Desire have the same Broadcom chip. Seems trivial at cursory glance until you realize the Desire has a FM radio app, which should ergo be just as feasible on the Google-branded device. Cut to xda-developers’ intersectRaven, who’s released a custom N1 kernel that theoretically brings life to the FM receptor. It’s available to download, but as for when you’ll get a chance to really use this yourself, that’s entirely up to the custom ROM developers updating their respective wares. For his part, Paul O’Brien said today he’s already got it working on an upcoming Froyo Sense build for the device — hang tight, folks, it’s coming.
