Android and Me |
- Gameloft in search of solution for AT&T’s blocking of non-Market apps
- HTC Thunderbolt ready to strike Verizon stores on March 17 for $249
- HTC Pyramid revealed in leaked renders
- T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung expected to be available this spring
| Gameloft in search of solution for AT&T’s blocking of non-Market apps Posted: 15 Mar 2011 05:04 PM PDT Gameloft has already ported several of their Android titles to the Tegra 2 platform, but customers with a Motorola Atrix 4G are unable to purchase them because AT&T blocks the installation of non-Market applications. The only way to get Gameloft’s new games is through their online web store, so none of AT&T’s Android phones can access them. We were keeping an eye on Gameloft’s mobile site to see if they would come up with a workaround and today we noticed a new survey for Atrix 4G users. The poll says, “AT&T has blocked their Android devices from allowing 3rd party downloads for security purposes. If this policy were changed would you download HD games from Gameloft to your mobile?”. AT&T is unlikely to change their policy because they are trying to protect their users from installing potential malicious apps from unknown sources. Earlier this year the policy was defended and I somewhat agree with them. ”AT&T selected Android Market as the exclusive source for applications because it forces developers to be accountable for the apps they submit. If the Android community has issues with an app, the app can be flagged and removed.” A quick Google search provides easy instructions for installing non-Market apps on AT&T devices (without the need to hack them), so I see it as a non-issue for most Android users. Gameloft’s problem with the official Android Market is the lack of support for targeting specific devices. The Android Market only allows developers to upload one installable file per application, but Gameloft has versions of their games for each graphics platform (PowerVR, Adreno, GeForce) and wants to provide an optimized install file for each device. Other developers have been able to support multiple types of devices with a single installable file, so I’m not sure why Gameloft hasn’t been able to figure this out. It doesn’t appear that Google has any plans to change their policy, so I don’t expect new Gameloft games to appear on the Android Market anytime soon. What do you think Gameloft should do? If AT&T changed their policy to allow non-Market apps, would you download HD games from Gameloft to your mobile? Or would you only purchase games from the Android Market?
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| HTC Thunderbolt ready to strike Verizon stores on March 17 for $249 Posted: 15 Mar 2011 01:27 PM PDT Verizon has officially announced that their first 4G LTE handset, the HTC Thunderbolt, will be available in stores on March 17th for $249 with a 2-year contract. Some hardcore Android fans might be let down by the lack of a dual-core CPU, but the Thunderbolt should offer some of the fastest real-world broadband speeds of any Android phone. Verizon is claiming that their 4G LTE network will deliver download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps. Potential customers will also be happy to know that Verizon’s unlimited 4G LTE data plan is only $29.99 per month. Verizon’s Mobile Hotspot service will run you an additional $20 per month. Customers who pick up the Thunderbolt early can try out the Mobile Hotspot service for free until May 15th. Check out the officialHTC product page for a complete overview and device specs. For those of you who are thinking about upgrading to the Thunderbolt, Verizon has already uploaded the user manual (.pdf) on their site. Additional features of the HTC Thunderbolt from Verizon include:
If you are currently a Verizon customer, let me know what you think about owning the Thunderbolt. Is being the first 4G LTE phone on Verizon enough to pull the trigger or will you wait on the faster dual-core Motorola Droid Bionic?
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| HTC Pyramid revealed in leaked renders Posted: 15 Mar 2011 12:49 PM PDT New images have surfaced of the HTC Pyramid, which is expected to be the first Android phone with a dual-core Snapdragon CPU by Qualcomm. The Pyramid codename first surfaced in a rumor report last month, where we said it was likely headed to T-Mobile in May. Along with the leaked pictures were also some specs which included “Android 3.0, 1.2 GHz processor, 4.3-inch SuperLCD display with qHD resolution (960 x 540), 8 megapixel primary camera and 1.3 megapixel front-facing cameras, and 768MB of RAM”. All of these specs match what we reported last month except for Android 3.0, which we expect to be a miscommunication. It is more likely the HTC Pyramid will launch with Android 2.3. Qualcomm might end up having the fastest mobile CPU with their dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon (MSM8x60), but they have yet to release performance numbers and we have been unable to benchmark a device yet. Sprint customers should also pay attention because the rumored EVO 3D might be very similar in hardware specs with the addition of a 3D display. Several testers in the US already have access to the HTC Pyramid, so we expect an official announcement is coming soon. Hopefully we will learn more in a couple of weeks at CTIA in Orlando.
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| T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung expected to be available this spring Posted: 15 Mar 2011 12:22 PM PDT Today Samsung and T-Mobile announced the new Sidekick 4G, which is expected to be available this spring. The popular messaging phone debuted back in 2002 and was originally produced by Danger Incorporated, which was co-founded by Andy Rubin who also co-founded Android and now oversees the development of Google’s mobile platform. The Sidekick brand took a major beating with a nasty data outage in 2009 and was discontinued in 2010, but now T-Mobile has decided to revive the series by going with Android and giving it the 4G treatment. “Backed by the faster speeds on T-Mobile's 4G network, the new Sidekick 4G offers customers both speed and style,” said Andrew Sherrard, SVP product management, T-Mobile USA. “We've reinvented the messaging experience that made the Sidekick such an iconic device, and supercharged it with communication and entertainment experiences that take full advantage of our 4G network.” A quick look at the Sidekick 4G specs shows us this device has the same interal hardware as the Galaxy S 4G. That means it has Samsung’s 1 GHz Hummingbird CPU, which is one of the fastest single-core mobile processors available. However, it loses the Super AMOLED display in order to reduce costs. Highlights of the Sidekick 4G include:
Staying true to the brand, the Sidekick 4G features a QWERTY keyboard with a full five rows. It also includes the customary four Android buttons along with an optical trackball and a jump key for multitasking. Gone is the Sidekick’s swivel display, which has been replaced with a unique pop-tilt hinge. T-Mobile wants to redefine the messaging experience with Sidekick Group Text and Cloud Text. Group Text is an app that provides reply-all group text conversations (similar to free apps like Beluga or GroupMe) and Cloud Text allows you to text with your friends while on the PC. Several weeks ago I got to fondle a Sidekick 4G and I was impressed with both the hardware and software. It’s obvious that T-Mobile is targeting the mainstream audience who enjoys social messaging, but it was nice to see them include the 1 GHz Hummingbird CPU and support 4G speeds up to 21 Mbps. The pop-tilt hinge was very sturdy and it took some extra force to get it open. It felt a little stiff, but I’m sure that will smooth out once you become familiar with opening and closing the keyboard. Overall I thought the hinge design was pretty cool and I like that it tilted the screen up to provide a better viewing angle. Samsung’s TouchWiz UI has been replaced with a special Sidekick skin that comes with its own theme manager. As with most custom UIs you will either love it or hate it, but thankfully Android allows the user to easily replace the pre-loaded launcher and customize the phone to their liking. It was already announced that T-Mobile would shut-off current Sidekick data services by May 31st, so we expect the Sidekick 4G to be available for pre-order by then. Customers will be able to choose from two colors, matte black or pearl magenta, and we expect the Sidekick 4G to be priced around $149 with contract. To sign up for more updates, please visit the official Sidekick 4G mini site. If you owned a previous model Sidekick, please sound off and let us know what you think about the updated Samsung version. Does T-Mobile have a winner with the Sidekick 4G? Gallery    
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