Android Phone Fans |
- Things We Missed, You Shouldn’t [March 14th]
- Verizon’s HTC Thunderbolt Equipment Guide Confirms March 17th Release Date [Update: Wirefly Pre-Order Begins Tonight]
- Cardkey Security Systems Rendered Useless by an Android App
- Android App Count Rapidly Gaining on iOS [Chart]
- Official: Kyocera Echo to Launch April 17 at Sprint, $199 with 2-Year Contract
- Verizon Waving $35 Activation Fee on Android Tablets
- Europe to See Android 2.3 Gingerbread Update for Samsung Galaxy S by End of March?
- Google Maps Sees 40% of Traffic from Mobile, Navigation Expected to Log 2 Billion Miles this Year
- Samsung Infuse 4G Hits the FCC
- Verizon Offering Free Calls and Messages to Japan Until April 10th [PR Scuffle]
- Staples to Carry Honeycomb Tablet Offerings from Motorola, Samsung, Dell, HTC & Toshiba
- Thunderbolt’s March 17th Launch Date All But Confirmed?
- Angry Birds Rio to Be Offered Exclusively Through Amazon’s App Store; Ad-Free Versions of Original, Seasons Too
- Sprint Offering $125 Credit to Those Who Port Their Numbers
- Traffic Control Lets You Direct Highway Traffic [Games]
| Things We Missed, You Shouldn’t [March 14th] Posted: 14 Mar 2011 03:51 PM PDT
There you have it folks. The new week comes along with what amounts to the best bet for a HTC Thunderbolt release date we have seen yet, nearly a month after initial rumors placed the phone with a mid-February launch. Of course, plenty more has been happening around the tech world, like the discontinuation of the Microsoft Zune well after everyone assumed it was already put to rest. But you want the Android news, so check it below.
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| Posted: 14 Mar 2011 01:57 PM PDT
If you still refuse to believe the HTC Thunderbolt will actually be available this Thursday, March 17th, I don’t blame you. If you are a bit more optimistic, I implore you to see the above snippet from Verizon’s Equipment Guide for the Thunderbolt, which confirms the very same St. Patrick’s Day release date we first heard of last week. Add this to the various tweets confirming the 17th, news that the phone’s status has changed from “quantity on order” to “quantity on stock,” and a pretty convincing voicemail that one reader shared with us stating the date and I say this is all about settled. Let the Droid Bionic release date rumors commence! [Update]: Wirefly will begin a pre-order for the Thunderbolt tonight/tomorrow morning at 3:00 AM EST with orders shipping March 17th. [via DroidLife]
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| Cardkey Security Systems Rendered Useless by an Android App Posted: 14 Mar 2011 01:48 PM PDT
For the past several weeks we have heard a lot of chatter about how vulnerable the Android operating system is when it comes to protecting users from viruses and malware, but Ian Robertson has turned the tables by developing an Android app to expose a completely different type of security risk. The app, called Caribou, can render door locks using an IP-based cardkey system (the type used at many office buildings, apartment complexes, and hotels) useless in one click and a matter of seconds. The user need only obtain the IP address of the network the security system is operating on and Caribou brute-forces the rest. Once the PIN is cracked, doors are unlocked in sequence and remain unlocked for 30 seconds. No, it might not be as scary at first glance as a virus infecting your smartphone, stealing your data, and running up your bill, but in the wrong hands the technology could give crooks a one up on physical security systems. This is exactly the point Mr. Robertson wants to get across: Shore up those home and business security systems, because the next person using this technology might not have such a benevolent reason to do so. [via AndroidCentral]
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| Android App Count Rapidly Gaining on iOS [Chart] Posted: 14 Mar 2011 01:09 PM PDT
With the amount of figures thrown around in the battle for smartphone supremacy, it is sometimes hard to keep up with the latest fact. Thankfully, Business Insider has whipped up a nice little chart to show us exactly how Android and iOS stack up in the apps category. As it stands, the number of apps in the Android Market has grown from a measly 5,000 applications in summer of 2009 to the over 250,000 apps we see less than two years later. The number of apps apple has added in that time period is nothing to scoff at, either, and Android’s biggest rival currently has claims to 350,000 applications in their own app store. The key difference is the rate of growth Android has seen compared to iOS. While Apple’s platform continues to grow at a rather steady rate, Android has been gaining apps in exponential numbers. Business Insider had predicted Android would have overtaken Apple by now, but they still remain confident it is only a matter of months until the deed is done. With figures like these we say it is very likely, too. [via Android Police]
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| Official: Kyocera Echo to Launch April 17 at Sprint, $199 with 2-Year Contract Posted: 14 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT
It was just last week we saw the Kyocera Echo grace the FCC, but Sprint already has a date lined up for the release of the dual-screened Android smartphone debuted backed in February. The Echo will launch on April 17th, but beginning March 26th customers can pre-order the device that takes an innovative approach to Android, if one that doesn’t quite seem fully baked. Sprint is also hosting a “Duel for Dual” contest giving everyone a chance to win an Echo of their own. If you don’t happen to win an Echo free of charge, Sprint will gladly accept $199.99 and an agreement to a new two-year contract for the handset when it lands in stores on April 17th.
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| Verizon Waving $35 Activation Fee on Android Tablets Posted: 14 Mar 2011 11:53 AM PDT
With the iPad 2 on sale through Verizon minus any sort of activation fee, it sure seems like Android users were destined to get the short end of the stick. Lest the wrong message gets across, Big Red has gone ahead and decided to waive said $35 activation with the purchase of the Motorola XOOM and Samsung Galaxy Tab, as well. A small gesture, but one of good intent. This should do just about nothing to sway buyers towards an Android alternative, but at least those set on picking up the new XOOM can have one less complaint about its already high price tag. [via DroidLife]
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| Europe to See Android 2.3 Gingerbread Update for Samsung Galaxy S by End of March? Posted: 14 Mar 2011 11:37 AM PDT
Along with word of an Android 2.2 update for the Samsung Galaxy i5500 and i5800, the Samsung Romania Facebook page is pegging another Galaxy handset for an update at the end of March. The handset? The Samsung Galaxy S The update? Android 2.3 Gingerbread. In other news: We will believe it when we see it. Skepticism here might be well placed, if not a bit unfair. Samsung did manage to get the Android 2.2 update out to the European Galaxy S in a much timelier manner than it has for its US equivalents. This is, however, the first mention we have seen of any timeframe associated with the Gingerbread update for Sammy’s flagship Android device. I suppose we won’t have to wait much longer to find out, in any case. [via AndroidCentral]
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| Google Maps Sees 40% of Traffic from Mobile, Navigation Expected to Log 2 Billion Miles this Year Posted: 14 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PDT
While SXSW isn’t a tech show in any traditional sense, the convergence of art, media, and technology invites a wide range of folk to attend the event in Austin, TX every year. Of course, Google was on hand and their very own Marissa Mayer offered some insight into the current state of Google Maps and where it might be headed in the future. Mayer revealed that 40 percent of Google Map’s traffic comes from mobile devices. This number shouldn’t be too surprising considering the availability of Maps on the Android and iOS, the two platforms currently dominating the smartphone market. Perhaps more interesting is the projection that Navigation within Google Maps will rack up 2 billion user miles by the end of 2011. That’s a whole lot of driving and a whole lot of directions. However, Mayer admits that Maps isn’t a perfect product. Out of those 2 billion miles, there are certainly some instances of misdirection on Google’s behalf, something Mayer stressed could be solved through better customer support. Another area Mayer sees needing improvement is the consolidation of many services and brands into more complete products. This includes things like Google Places and Google HotPot, two things that she would like to see merged into a single entity. You could add in Google Latitude and roll them all into Google Maps, for that matter. Mayer will be a leading force in Google’s new ventures into location-based technologies, an area Google has admitted needs improvement in the past. We’d agree. Google has been a bit behind on location services, but things look brighter for the future. [via IntoMobile]
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| Samsung Infuse 4G Hits the FCC Posted: 14 Mar 2011 09:28 AM PDT
The Samsung Infuse 4G – a Galaxy S variant headed to AT&T – has just hit the FCC for approval. The device was introduced at CES this year and impressed the hat off us. It was a 4.5 inch capacitive Super AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz Samsung Hummingbird prcessor (not dual-core) Android 2.2 with TouchWiz, and the rest of the usual gang. It’s no Galaxy S II, but if you’re looking for a good 4G phone in AT&T’s lineup I advise you not to pass on at least checking it out. [via PocketNow]
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| Verizon Offering Free Calls and Messages to Japan Until April 10th [PR Scuffle] Posted: 14 Mar 2011 09:08 AM PDT
Following in AT&T’s footsteps, Verizon’s gone ahead and one-upped Ma Bell’s plans to allow their customers to call Japanese residents for free. The deal lasts until April 10th while AT&T’s program ends at the end of this month. It’s easy to look at this as a public relations race to the finish, but we don’t want to be too insensitive to what’s going on in that part of the world. Still, the timing is interesting and we wouldn’t be surprised if both T-Mobile and Sprint are next in line. Read on for the full press details.
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| Staples to Carry Honeycomb Tablet Offerings from Motorola, Samsung, Dell, HTC & Toshiba Posted: 14 Mar 2011 09:00 AM PDT
A document from within Staples has revealed the retailer’s tablet plans for the coming year. Outlook? A whole lot of Honeycomb. Motorola’s WiFi-only XOOM is up there slated for April – something we’ve heard before – and a bunch from other manufacturers are present as well. HTC, Samsung, Dell, and Toshiba are all said to be sending their wares to Staples, but those only have dates of “coming soon”. We already know of Samsung’s 8.9 inch offering set to be announced next week at CTIA, and Toshiba’s tablet has also been confirmed. Dell and HTC are new, though, so we’ll be on the lookout for information regarding those. [via Droid-Life]
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| Thunderbolt’s March 17th Launch Date All But Confirmed? Posted: 14 Mar 2011 08:30 AM PDT
After the handful of dates we’ve thrown at the wall to see whether or not they stick, March 17th looks to be the most sticky. Following evidence from Android Central late last week that it could launch this Thursday, an HTC rep posted on Twitter that it definitely would be here by then. That tweet has since been deleted, but HTC has posted an update on Facebook notifying everyone that the launch date will be announced soon. New evidence today has come together to help give us even more hope of a March 17th date. For starters, a Twitter account supposedly belonging to the folks at the new Verizon store in Fishers, Indiana has tweeted that they’ll definitely have the Thunderbolt on sale this Thursday. Secondly, Droid-Life is hearing from their sources that the device has gone from “quantity on order” to “quantity in stock” in their warehouse inventory system. Looks like they’re ready to ship, if that’s the case. Finally, reports are swarming from pre-orderers saying Best Buy has called them to notify them of the March 17th date. Those pre-orderers were urged to set up an appointment for that day. We know many of you have moved on, but it may finally soon be over. [Thanks, Ankit!]
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| Posted: 14 Mar 2011 07:06 AM PDT It’s begun, folks. Amazon’s app store is starting to gain traction and now they’re attracting one of the biggest game developers in the mobile market – Rovio. They’ve announced that their Angry Birds Rio title – a companion game to the animated movie – will launch exclusively in their app store. This isn’t a move that’s new to Rovio as they launched the original Angry Birds for Android title exclusively in GetJar’s store. The difference between that launch and this one is they did not specify whether or not this exclusivity is timed. We don’t know if we’ll ever see Angry Birds Rio in the Android market.
It’s not so bad if you don’t mind playing with ads, though, as this game will be just as free as the rest of them. If you’d rather pay to get rid of those ads, though, you’ll need to bypass the Android market to do so – something we know many of you are not particular fans of. And if you want to get rid of the ads on those other titles, then you’ll need to go through Amazon for that too. Bummer, right? We thought Rovio would be extending that option to those of us who prefer to stick to Google’s official marketplace, but assumptions can only get us so far – they still kept their promise of offering ad-free versions. Read on for full press details. [EuroDroid]
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| Sprint Offering $125 Credit to Those Who Port Their Numbers Posted: 14 Mar 2011 06:57 AM PDT
Sprint’s offering a pretty decent deal for those who want to switch to their network by porting their number. If you do so, you’ll get a $125 credit after 60 days (which – depending on your plan – could cover you for about a month in a half). If you haven’t been able to justify paying that hefty early termination fee to switch, then perhaps this’ll help make the transition smoother. Note that you must request the credit after you’ve subscribed. The deal lasts until April 16th so get on it soon if you’re interested. [via Engadget]
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| Traffic Control Lets You Direct Highway Traffic [Games] Posted: 14 Mar 2011 06:29 AM PDT
So I’m taking a look at the Android market and I run across a game called Traffic Control: Car Conductor. It was published by the folks who created the highly popular City Jump, so I downloaded it without question. Long story short: if you’re a fan of air traffic control games, you’ll want to give this one a shot. Traffic Control is a lot like similar games in the aeroplanes genre: you have a slate of incoming vehicles and you have to make sure they pass the freeway in their designated lanes. A number will succeed each vehicle letting you now where they need to be. As you progressthings will get a bit tougher. You’ll have more lanes to control, bigger vehicles to manage, and road blocks to avoid.
The game is a bit forgiving if you allow a vehicle to pass in the wrong lane, but you risk losing a perfect score. It’s not forgiving at all if you allow a crash to take place, though, which is understandable. The gameplay mechanics themselves are easy: simply swipe your finger from the car you want over to the lane you want them in. Touching a car will bring them to a complete stop. (Helpful if you have two cars going the same pace and one needs to switch over.) It’s a free, ad-supported title so give it a shot and see if you like it. [Android market]
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