Android and Me |
- Samsung Mobile could offer the first Gingerbread updates to US carriers
- Google’s Samsung Nexus S 4G likely headed to Sprint next week
- One month after release, LG Optimus V still sold out everywhere
- AT&T cracks down on unauthorized iPhone tethering, Android could be next
- Asphalt 6 now available from Gameloft
- Sprint Xoom tablet spotted in the wild
- Sidekick 4G gets brief hands-on video
- Four Honeycomb tablets get priced, heading to Spain in April and May
| Samsung Mobile could offer the first Gingerbread updates to US carriers Posted: 18 Mar 2011 03:47 PM PDT Some would argue that Samsung and “timely software updates” should never be used in the same sentence, but we are starting to hear some rumblings that they could be the first handset maker to provide an over-the-air update to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) for US carriers. Samsung recently announced on their Romanian Facebook page that the international version of the Galaxy S would receive Gingerbread by the end of this month. This sounds believable because the Galaxy S uses essentially the same hardware as the Samsung Nexus S, which was the first device to ship with Android 2.3. So far only the Nexus One has been updated to Android 2.3, but that device was only sold online and marketed as a device for developers. Samsung is hoping provide the first Android 2.3 updates for phones sold by the US carriers. Ever since their first Android phone, Samsung has always had the reputation of slow software updates in the US. Some handset makers delivered Android 2.2 updates within six weeks of it becoming available, while Samsung took over six months to deliver their first Android 2.2 update. As of this post, Verizon has yet to release an Android 2.2 update for the Samsung Fascinate and Sprint had to pause their update on the Epic 4G when problems were reported. Last year I wrote that Samsung failed to upgrade their reputation when the first round of Android 2.2 updates were delayed, but it appears that the company learned from their mistakes and is looking to make software updates a priority (similar to LG’s commitment). Hopefully more details will be forthcoming next week at CTIA in Orlando. What better way to improve your standing in the Android community than to be the first with Android 2.3 updates? Do you think Samsung can pull it off or will Galaxy S customers be stuck waiting another year for the next round of updates?
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| Google’s Samsung Nexus S 4G likely headed to Sprint next week Posted: 18 Mar 2011 03:00 PM PDT It’s been rumored for awhile that Google and Samsung would bring their Nexus S to Sprint’s 4G network and the guys from Engadget just uncovered the supposed logo for the device. The Nexus S 4G is said to be exactly like the T-Mobile version of the Nexus S with the additional support for Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network. Sprint is holding their big CTIA press conference on Tuesday March 22nd, so that’s likely the big day when the Nexus S 4G will be announced. We are still waiting to learn if the Nexus S 4G might appear in Sprint stores, but it’s a good bet it will be on Best Buy shelves like the original Nexus S. The first Nexus S arrived in stores just days after Google officially announced it, so there’s a good chance that Sprint customers should be able to purchase the Nexus S 4G later this month. I still use the Nexus S as my daily phone and it’s the only device to ship with the latest Android 2.3, so I would recommend it to any Sprint user who is looking for a pure Google experience. However, Sprint is also expected to announce multiple dual-core phones (EVO 3D, Atrix 4G, and maybe Galaxy S II) so it might be best to wait if you want to get a more future-proof device. How many Sprint users are interested in picking up the Nexus S 4G?
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| One month after release, LG Optimus V still sold out everywhere Posted: 18 Mar 2011 02:16 PM PDT The LG Optimus V is the most affordable smartphone on the market. It is such a good deal that it is nearly impossible to find one for purchase. Virgin Mobile started selling the Optimus V for only $149 back in February, which is half the $299 asking price that Sprint charges for the same phone. Customers can purchase the Optimus V without a contract and “unlimited” data plans start at just $25 per month, so this is one of the first Android phones that just about anyone can afford.  Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk Plans. For the past couple of weeks I have been trying to purchase several Optimus V phones, but they are back-ordered online and sold out at every store I have been to. Best Buy, Target, and WalMart recently had the LG Optimus V on sale for only $129, so the remaining inventory was cleared out and we are waiting to see when their stock levels will be replenished. The funny thing is Virgin Mobile is actually owned by Sprint, so they deliver the same 3G coverage areas. I checked with Sprint and they have plenty of their Optimus S in stock, but their cheapest monthly plan runs $79 per month ($69 Everything Data with 450 mins + $10 premium data add-on). This means that customers could have the same phone and same coverage area on both carriers, but the Sprint version of the phone costs twice as much and they charge three times more for monthly service. I absolutely despise the 24-month contracts that most carriers require, so it’s nice to see a pre-paid option like Virgin Mobile start to embrace Android. Hopefully we will see them expand their Android lineup now that the Optimus V has become a huge success.
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| AT&T cracks down on unauthorized iPhone tethering, Android could be next Posted: 18 Mar 2011 01:43 PM PDT This week AT&T began informing iPhone customers that they would start cracking down on unauthorized tethering. No Android customers have received the warning yet, but this is a sign of what is likely to come. AT&T currently charges $25 per month for 2 GB of data, but users who wish to tether must subscribe to the DataPro 4GB plan which runs $45 per month. In an email to the offending customers, AT&T warned that users would be automatically enrolled in the $45 tethering plan if they did not contact the carrier to resolve the issue. As one of the few carriers that offers tiered data, I’m a little disappointed that AT&T requires you to purchase their 4GB plan for $45 in order to tether. It would be nice if customers could tether with the 2GB plan for $25 and then just pay the usual $10-per-GB overage fee if they use up more data than their plan allows. I would love for a carrier to offer mobile data by the GB and let me use it however I choose, but it looks like that won’t be happening anytime soon. In a perfect world, what types of data plans would you like to see from the carriers?
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| Asphalt 6 now available from Gameloft Posted: 18 Mar 2011 01:09 PM PDT One year ago I declared that Gameloft had pulled into the lead as the top Android game developer when they published Asphalt 5 and they have maintained their leading position ever since. This week Gameloft finally made Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD available for Android devices. Asphalt 6 will set you back $4.99 and it can only be purchased through Gameloft’s web store, but this is easily the best racing game I’ve played on Android and it’s worth the price of admission. To purchase Asphalt 6, visit Gameloft.com on your mobile device or order it from their official product page. We have been pretty critical of Gameloft’s web store, but the overall level of service is improving. It now allows multiple payment methods including credit card, PayPal, and Amazon payments. We would still like to see these games published in the official Android Market, but Gameloft says it doesn’t meet their needs so don’t expect that to happen anytime soon. I’m only about 10% finished with the game, but it looks to offer almost endless amounts of gameplay. There are 12 detailed tracks and 42 vehicles to unlock, so you will stay busy trying to conquer the 11 different leagues and 55 challenges offered in the game. When you want to take a break from career mode, there is also an online multiplayer mode that allows up to 6 players. Performance wise, Asphalt 6 runs pretty smooth, but it is also one of the first games to stutter at times on my Nexus S. It’s not enough to affect the gameplay, but I would love to see how Asphalt 6 runs on one of the faster dual-core phones. Gameloft optimizes each game for individual phones, so performance may vary depending on your device. Check out the trailer below for an idea of what to expect in Asphalt 6. Highlights of Asphalt 6 include:
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| Sprint Xoom tablet spotted in the wild Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:24 AM PDT Yesterday we reported that the Motorola Atrix and Xoom were headed to Sprint and now we have an image to back up half of that claim. This morning an image of a Sprint-branded Xoom appeared on the fan site SprintUsers. It came from well known forums member r0fl who leaked previous unreleased Sprint devices (like the EVO Shift), so we have every reason to believe this is the real deal. No hard evidence was provided about the Xoom’s network support, but we heard it will operate on Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network. The Verizon Xoom will eventually support 4G LTE, but we have no idea when that upgrade will happen so there is a chance that Sprint could have the first Xoom tablet with 4G speeds. Now that the Xoom has been confirmed, I expect we will see Sprint’s version of the Atrix 4G leak out next. There is a small chance that these devices might be announced next week at CTIA in Orlando, but our original tipster said that Sprint was waiting until next month to make the announcement.
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| Sidekick 4G gets brief hands-on video Posted: 18 Mar 2011 10:11 AM PDT The Sidekick 4G was just announced this week and T-Mobile already has a quick hands-on video to show off the device. Expected to be available later this spring, the Sidekick 4G is designed for “social mavens and texting addicts”. Staying true to Sidekick brand, the updated model will feature a five-row QWERTY keyboard and come in two stylish colors (matte black or pearl magenta). Some may label the Sidekick 4G as a mid-range Android phone because of its single-core CPU, but the 1 GHz Hummingbird processor is one of the fastest around and can run just about every game with ease. Other features like a front-facing camera and support for HSPA+ 21 Mbps downloads make the Sidekick 4G one of the best “mid-range” phones we have seen. Exact pricing and availability is still unavailable, but T-Mobile is expected to announce more details in the coming weeks. Hopefully that information will come out next week at CTIA in Orlando. Check out the video below and let us know what you think of the Sidekick’s design and unique pop-tilt hinge. Is the Sidekick 4G a worthy upgrade for this storied franchise? Additional features to enhance messaging include:
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| Four Honeycomb tablets get priced, heading to Spain in April and May Posted: 18 Mar 2011 09:31 AM PDT Honeycomb tablets are still quite sparse, but things look to be a lot different in April and May. The latest online catalog from The Phone House features an an entire page dedicated to Android 3.0 tablets and their respective prices. The catalog shows the Motorola XOOM, ASUS EEEPAD, LG Optimus Pad, and the Acer Iconia A100. Exact launch dates for the four Android 3.0 tablets is not given, but the top of the page does indicate that the tablets will be available starting in April and/or May. We know many of you are excited for the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi which will be selling for $599 in just a few weeks. But once you see the prices of some of these Honeycomb tablets below, you might want to hold back on purchasing a tablet for a bit.
LG and T-Mobile have not yet unveiled the pricing of the T-Mobile G-Slate (LG Optimus Pad) for the U.S. market, but the prices from The Phone House indicates that LG will be imposing a premium charge for the tablet due to its 3D capabilities. That may be disheartening, but if you are simply looking for a Honeycomb tablet at a fair price, ACER and ASUS may be the best options once they arrive.
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