Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Things We Missed, You Shouldn’t [March 16th]

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 04:16 PM PDT

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It’s been a bit quiet in the Android world today, but we managed to scrape some leftovers from the big green pot. The list is rather short so be sure to take a quick glance and let us know if you find something you like.

  • The LG Optimus Me P350 has launched in Germany, coming to the UK later this month.
  • Wallpapers and ringtones from the LG Revolution system dump are available for download. [AndroidSpin]
  • Google’s showing developers how to use hardware acceleration in Android 3.0 for their own apps. [Google]
  • SaskTel will release the HTC Incredible S [MobileSyrup]
  • FatBooth for Android is now available. [Market]
  • Just as we’ve heard before, Intel’s looking to create a stronghold in the Android sector. [BGR]

Verizon to Offer $50 Data-Only Plan for LTE Phones Bought Off Contract

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 03:52 PM PDT

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If you were planning on buying the HTC Thunderbolt off contract, you may want to take a look at a new plan option that Android Central has uncovered. Should you buy an LTE smartphone without a two-year contract and don’t want to use the phone part of the phone, you can get a data-only plan for $50 per month.

That money will net you 5GB of data, with each gigabyte after that costing $10 until the end of the month. The catch is that you’ll have to get a voice and data plan first, but a quick call to Verizon should get you on your way.

The plan is great for folks who would rather use VoIP clients to make their phone calls or for deaf people where voice plans are useless. We’re not sure how many people will actually spring for this, but it’s nice to know you have options. Are any of you thinking of going this route?

Rumor: Sprint to Execute “Project Leapfrog” to Begin LTE Migration

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 03:27 PM PDT

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Although Sprint never denied they’d be moving to an LTE network (they didn’t rule the move out, actually), we were victims of a quick scare when they stated their plans going forward would still involve Clearwire; they are maintainers of the WiMax network Sprint uses to deliver 4G speeds to their subscribers.

People seemed to finally write LTE off at that point, but Sprint never said anything about what changes they made, only about who they were making them with. Sources of GizmoFusion and consulting firm Gerson Lehrman Group has revealed that Sprint is flipping the switch on a move they’re calling “Project Leapfrog” which will see them taking the first steps to eventually deploy an LTE network.

The network is reportedly going to be constructed with Ericsson, Alcaltel-Lucent, and Samsung providing infrastructure and technology. As for that “moving forward with Clearwire” thing, Sprint is said to continue partnering with them where it makes sense, whatever that means.

If true, we likely won’t hear how any of it is going until late this year or early next as the carrier looks to get the new network rolled out in 2-3 years, according to the sources. The name “Leapfrog” is said to suggest that Sprint will be technologically ahead of its competition once it’s all said and done. [GizmoFusion via Engadget]

Sprint’s Final iDEN Dagger: Push-To-Talk Android Phones to Debut Using Current CDMA Network

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 02:21 PM PDT

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Sprint’s iDEN network is being shutdown by 2013 but the carrier won’t be leaving those customers in the dark. They have announced plans to debut new push-to-talk devices on their current CDMA network, a technology they will call Sprint Direct Connect. They’re touting faster and more reliable mobile internet, triple the square-mile reach of the current iDEN network, and more. Other new features include group PTT, availability notifications and – eventually – international PTT.

One of the first devices being launched for the new technology is an Android phone with a QWERTY keyboard and touch screen. Sprint says that this device may come from either Motorola or Kyocera, but there’s no way to be sure of which one at this time. (We’d put our money on Motorola, though, as they have a thing for keyboards.) Read on for full press details.

Sprint Unveils New Gold Standard in Push-to-Talk

Planned 4Q launch of Sprint Direct Connect will offer increased push-to-talk coverage, more broadband data capabilities, new features - and more enhancements to come as Sprint Network Vision deploys

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 16, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) today announced plans to expand its gold-standard push-to-talk leadership, unveiling fourth-quarter launch plans for next-generation push-to-talk capabilities powered by Sprint’s broadband CDMA network. As part of the launch, Sprint will offer an initial set of handsets packed with features designed for workgroups that rely on push-to-talk and establish a new push-to-talk brand - Sprint® Direct Connect®.

Sprint Direct Connect service is being built to deliver higher bandwidth capacity to keep up with customers’ demand for data. Sprint also is working to deliver enhanced applications on Sprint Direct Connect, best-ever in-building coverage and is planning to provide triple the square-mile reach of Sprint’s current push-to-talk service.

Sprint Direct Connect will launch with an initial portfolio of rugged devices from Motorola Mobility and Kyocera. The devices will feature most of the capabilities available on current Sprint push-to-talk phones, plus next-generation push-to-talk applications and functionality including high-speed data access, high-resolution cameras and Bluetooth®. The planned portfolio will include an ultra-rugged camera flip phone and an Android™ Smartphone with a touch screen and a QWERTY keyboard. In 2012, Sprint expects to deepen its push-to-talk portfolio, adding more devices with new form factors and features.

The devices are expected to enable group push-to-talk for up to 200 participants, Land Mobile Radio (LMR) interoperability, and availability notification. In early 2012, Sprint Direct Connect is expected to add more capabilities, including international push-to-talk.

Network Vision

Sprint Direct Connect service is a tangible benefit of Network Vision, Sprint’s blueprint to deploy a cost-effective and innovative network. Announced in December, Network Vision is expected to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network resulting in enhanced coverage, quality and speed; better network flexibility; reduced operating costs; and improved environmental sustainability. The plan includes a complete upgrade of Sprint’s current wireless networks accompanied by changes in device chipsets and network infrastructure.

The benefits of Network Vision to Sprint’s PTT customers will be wide-ranging:

Better coverage and capacity

  • Push-to-talk coverage footprint is planned to increase to nearly 2.7 million square miles and is expected to cover a population of 309 million (with the addition of 1xrtt and roaming coverage) - an increase from the iDEN network’s 908,370 square miles covering a population 278 million.
  • In-building coverage is expected to improve significantly through investment in the most advanced CDMA technology and radio equipment.
  • Voice and data capacity is expected to increase significantly as Sprint will be able to fully leverage its industry leading spectrum holdings in 800 MHz, 1.9 GHz, and - through its partnership with Clearwire - 2.5 GHz.

With Sprint Direct Connect, Sprint expects:

  • More push-to-talk enabled devices including handsets, rugged devices, and PDAs that combine industry leading push-to-talk and mobile broadband data services over a larger coverage area.
  • Enhanced features for push-to-talk users on the new CDMA platform.
  • Interoperability with all existing Sprint push-to-talk devices.

During the nationwide implementation of Network Vision, Sprint expects to continue operating the iDEN network at current best-ever performance levels. As the customer base shifts to more broadband-centric push-to-talk applications on the CDMA network and Sprint launches Sprint Direct Connect, iDEN cell sites are expected to be phased out in 2013.

"Our customers are asking for broadband push-to-talk now," said Paget Alves, president-Sprint Business. "We’ve seen steadily increasing demand for faster data speeds, better and broader coverage, and more applications on push-to-talk devices. Sprint Direct Connect is designed to solve for all three, and is expected to come with sub-second push-to-talk call set-up time initially in Sprint CDMA RevA coverage areas. Sub-second call set up is expected to expand across the U.S. with the implementation of Network Vision."

Alves added, "We believe the new push-to-talk service powered by a broadband network and featuring competitively priced rugged handsets and smart phones will represent an unmatched offering in the market."

Sprint plans to identify customers who require custom push-to-talk solutions and assist with their migration to the CDMA network. The company also plans to engage partners in developing a robust portfolio of push-to-talk accessories and involve developers in the creation of new applications through its Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program. The program will provide information, support and tools needed to port developers’ applications to Sprint Direct Connect devices. More information on the Sprint Gets Rugged application developers program can be found at http://developer.sprint.com/SprintGetsRugged. Sprint will hold a conference on March 22 at the International CTIA WIRELESS® meeting in Orlando for developers who are interested.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 49.9 million customers at the end of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding network performance, coverage and capabilities, business and network efficiencies, including expected financial savings, new technologies, products and services, and environmental sustainability, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words "estimate," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "believe," "target," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management’s judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, development and deployment of new technologies; operating costs; efficiencies and cost savings of multimode technologies; customer and network usage; customer growth and retention; pricing; service, coverage and quality; environmental sustainability; availability of devices; the timing of various events and the economic environment. Sprint Nextel believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Sprint Nextel is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. Sprint Nextel provides a detailed discussion of risk factors in periodic SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2010.

 

Sidekick 4G Will Have Support for Mobile Hotspot and Tethering [FYI]

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 01:15 PM PDT

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In case you were wondering, the new Sidekick 4G announced yesterday will launch with mobile Wi-Fi hotspot and USB tethering options. It wasn’t mentioned in the press release T-Mobile issued, but the folks at Samsung have confirmed with us that the phone would be launching with these features. We’re not totally surprised as most of their high-end devices support it, but there it is.

Angry Birds Rio Demo Pops Up at SXSW [Video]

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 12:32 PM PDT

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We haven’t seen a whole lot of what Rovio will have to offer with Angry Birds Rio, so we were pleased to see this video that came out of the South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas demoing the game on an Android tablet. Rovio’s boasting improved visuals, a change in premise to fit the Rio theme, and boss fights. It actually looks pretty nice and will be a refreshing change of pace from the usual Angry Birds gameplay when it comes out. Check the video out above. [via Android Police]

Android Returns From Space, Lands on Car in Process [Video]

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT

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Ever wondered what happened to those Androids that were launched into space? It seems one of them has returned, and by either sheer coincidence or on purpose, it landed on someone’s nice car. How rude, right? What really happened was retailer The Phone House in Amsterdam pulled off a pretty clever (and expensive) publicity stunt. They are loving the new business they’ve attracted thanks to Android and made this for commemoration. They conducted a survey recently that said 34% of smartphone users in the country use Android, which is a majority as iOS trailed at 21%. [via Android Central]

Android 2.2 Installed on 61% of All Android Devices, 2.1 Still Hanging in There

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 11:47 AM PDT

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It’s the middle of March and Google has updated their platform versions chart. First thing’s first: a majority of Android users are on Android 2.2 or higher. As more devices are upgraded and launched with Froyo, we expected this would happen eventually. We can’t help but think that number could be even higher if all of these Samsung Galaxy S phones in the US were given the upgrades they were promised. Most have gotten the upgrade (T-Mobile and some on Sprint), but even they have yet to launch a full-blown rollout. (T-Mobile didn’t go over-the-air and Sprint ended up pulling theirs.)

Android 2.1 is sitting at a cool 29%. We’re especially happy that Android 1.5 and 1.6 are almost ready to be completely obsoleted as they account for less than 8% of devices combined. Android 2.3 and 3.0 have both gotten off to slow starts, but that’s because there is only one device for each of the versions – the Motorola XOOM with Honeycomb and the Nexus S with Gingerbread – currently available. We expect that number to rise as more tablet manufacturers bring Honeycomb devices and as more handset manufacturers incorporate Gingerbread into their 2011 lineup. [Android Developers via IntoMobile]

[Update]: How could I forget that the Nexus One also received 2.3? Shame on me. The number is even more surprising now when you take that into consideration.

Samsung Galaxy Player 4″ and 5″ Confirmed to be Coming to America

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 11:07 AM PDT

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We’d long known of Samsung’s plans to introduce an iPod Touch competitor – the Samsung Galaxy Player – to market, but they didn’t have anything official to show until CES where the 4-inch version for Korea was on hand. At Mobile World Congress, we were treated to a look at a 5 inch version that had the same internals of a Samsung Galaxy S sans 3G radios.

At that time, they had nothing to announce as far as availability in other regions, but Electronista has heard that the device will be coming to the United States. The only timeframe Samsung had to offer was Spring, but no specifics as far as early, mid, or late season.

Both models of the Galaxy Player will only have 8GB of internal storage, but it can be expanded by up to 32GB thanks to the inclusion of microSD card support. Pricing has yet to be announced. Take a look at our hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy Player here.

HTC Flyer Now Available for Pre-Order in the UK for £500.00 [Clove]

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 10:18 AM PDT

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Retailer Clove has announced that the HTC Flyer is now available for pre-order over in the United Kingdom. The base price looks to be £600, but they’re offering it for £500 starting out. (It’s worthy to note that Clove could change the price as the launch date nears.) Speaking of that launch date, though, they’re confirming it’ll be out sometime in mid-April. Not an exact date, but what more can you ask for? Check this link out if you want to pre-order the tablet. [via Android Community] [Note]: This is not the WiFi only model. It has 3G/HSPA radios for use with most UK carriers.

Last Minute Update for HTC Thunderbolt Comes Online Before Launch Day

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 09:41 AM PDT

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Just a day shy of the official release of the HTC Thunderbolt and we have word that what should be a final updated version of the firmware for the phone has leaked onto the internet. It won’t do the everyday user much good but might come in handy for those hoping to make quick work of hacking the device.

Less than 24 hours separates us from one of the most highly anticipated phones in recent memory. Everyone excited enough?

[via DroidLife]

HTC Shooter: Could this Be the Next EVO for Sprint?

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 08:29 AM PDT

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At next week’s CTIA show in Orlando, Fl, Sprint is expected to unveil a brand new lineup of smartphones including the successor to the original HTC EVO 4G . Signs point to that handset being tagged the EVO 3D, and a new database entry on GLBenchmark, the site cataloging records of phones running instances of OpenGL, may be shedding some new light on what to expect.

The entry gives a code name of HTC Shooter and model number PG86100, and the specs suggest it will have a lot in common with the HTC Pyramid we have heard so much of as of late. We know for certain that the phone is running the 2.3.2 build of Android Gingerbread, has a 960×540 qHD display, and is destined for Sprint’s network. The Adreno 220 GPU suggests the handset will also receive the dual-core Qualcomm Sandragon associated with the graphics processor. If we had to guess, the main difference between the Pyramid and Shooter will be a GSM and CDMA radio, respectively. Of course, if this is the EVO 3D there is always that major differentiator to consider, but we have no way to confirm that from this listing.

It is most likely just a coincidence, but the Shooter codename does seem eerily similar to the name of the (from what we could tell) hoaxed HTC Revolver. Good thing we need only wait a week to see what Sprint and HTC have up their sleeves. On paper this is enough to make the anticipation a teensy bit more unbearable.

[via PocketNow]

Military Once Again Turning to Android for Battlefield Solutions

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 08:03 AM PDT

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The US military’s flirtations with Android date all the way back to 2009, so it should come as no surprise that the operating system originally intended for civilian mobile devices is once again being turned to for advanced battlefield technology. This time the military is contracting Harris and Intelligent Software Solutions (ISS) with the aim of developing apps for smartphones and tablets that can be used in critical mission situations.

ISS has been tasked with creating an interface that will quickly allow newly deployed soldiers to get a top down view of what fighting has already occurred through the combination of historical data, geo-location, and mapping capabilities. Harris is currently developing an application that will act as a remote display for images and video captured by flying drones.

The aim is to create sophisticated experiences tailored towards battlefield use without the need for expensive battlefield equipment. Instead of paying up front to ruggedize devices, the apps would function on off-the-shelf consumer products, which could be easily and cheaply replaced if broken. The fact that soldiers may already be familiar with the smartphone and tablet technology from their civilian lives doesn’t hurt either.

[via ComputerWorld]

Official: Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi Lands March 27th at Seven Retailers for $599

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 06:46 AM PDT

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Amazon.com, Best Buy, RadioShack, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Staples, and Costco. What do all seven of these retail chains have in common? They will be the places to be come March 27th for the launch of the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi only version of the world’s first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet will go on sale for the expected $599.99 price tag, according to a press release issued today by Motorola.

With 32GB of on-board storage, the price matches up competitively with the recently released iPad 2 and should give Android users not willing to purchase the 3G version through Verizon the viable alternative they have been waiting for. The vital stats remain the same minus a cellular radio, meaning you get the same Tegra 2-powered Honeycomb experience that is redefining Android for tablets.

March 27th is less than two weeks away, so the wait won’t be much longer. Crack open those piggy banks and get to counting your pennies now.

Motorola Mobility Brings MOTOROLA XOOM™ Wi-Fi To United States

Innovative new tablet experience to be available from more than seven leading retailers nationwide

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (MMI: 23.46 0.00 0.00%), today announced the upcoming availability of MOTOROLA XOOM™ Wi-Fi edition from leading retailers across the United States starting March 27. Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Sam’s Club (select locations), Staples and Walmart will be offering the 10.1-inch widescreen HD tablet with Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb) through both online and retail store channels. The MSRP for MOTOROLA XOOM Wi-Fi with 32 GB of memory will be $599.

"MOTOROLA XOOM is a truly innovative tablet - its design, coupled with being the first tablet to have Android 3.0, results in a user experience that is one-of-a-kind," said Dan Papalia, vice president of retail sales for Motorola Mobility. "We are now continuing to expand the choices available to consumers with the MOTOROLA XOOM Wi-Fi to be available soon from numerous leading retailers in the United States."

In addition, the MOTOROLA XOOM Wi-Fi will be available to commercial IT channels and regional retailers through a distribution agreement with Synnex Corporation, and regional carriers through Brightpoint, Inc.

MOTOROLA XOOM showcases the innovations of the Honeycomb user experience - including widgets, true multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization - on a 10.1-inch widescreen HD display, enabling video content that’s richer and clearer than ever before. With a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM, MOTOROLA XOOM delivers exceptionally fast web-browsing performance. The latest Google Mobile services include Google Maps 5.0™ with 3D interaction and access to more than 3 million Google eBooks and apps from Android Market™. MOTOROLA XOOM also supports a Beta of Adobe® Flash® Player 10.2 downloadable from Android Market, enabling the delivery of rich Flash based web content including videos, casual games and rich Internet applications.

As the first device running Android 3.0, MOTOROLA XOOM benefits from our aggressive work with developers across the ecosystem through MOTODEV, Motorola’s developer support program to enable world-class tablet and smartphone experiences. These devices will be able to access more than 150,000 applications within the Android Market as well as the rapidly increasing number of applications optimized directly for the Android 3.0 OS. In addition, thousands of Flash-based web applications and sites will become available for the MOTOROLA XOOM.

As a part of the company’s commitment and leadership -- along with Google’s -- to the Android ecosystem, Motorola announced a series of global developer events in 11 cities across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. These MOTODEV events give developers access to tools, support and Motorola’s team of Android experts. The first of these events was hosted in San Francisco on March 1 and had more than 665 developers in attendance.

MOTODEV also recently announced a new testing and certification program for Honeycomb applications, encouraging developers to submit their applications to get early feedback and support on MOTOROLA XOOM performance. This is a part of the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting the ecosystem in delivering high quality experiences to the consumer.

More information about MOTODEV tools, resources and events can be found at http://developer.motorola.com.

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (MMI: 23.46 0.00 0.00%) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Android, Google, Google Mobile and Google Maps are trademarks of Google Inc. All other product and service names are the property of their respective owners. © 2011 Motorola Mobility, Inc.

Benchmark Shows HTC Pyramid’s Dual-Core Snapdragon Can’t Best Tegra 2

Posted: 16 Mar 2011 06:24 AM PDT

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The HTC Pyramid (that we saw pictured yesterday) is rumored to be among the first devices to use Qualcomm’s dual-core Snapdragon chipset in a field of phones and tablets opting for NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 platform. Over the past year, the Snapdragon chip has set the standard for processing power in mobile devices, but supposed benchmark scores gathered by the folks at Smartphone Benchmarks tell a slightly different tale. Their tests confirm that the Pyramid indeed houses a dual-core chip, but the popular Smarbench 2011 shows a CPU and GPU that simply don’t hold up to the Tegra 2 chip found in the LG Optimus 2X and Motorola Atrix 4G

In the above graphic, “Productivity” speaks to the phones CPU processing power while “Games” refers to the GPU, the more disappointing of the two results.

Now there is no telling how accurate these scores will hold without a finalized version of the Pyramid on hand. There is a good chance the device is running an unoptimized build of Android or that hardware hasn’t quite been finalized, so results could change drastically in the future, but these initial benchmarks give us the feeling NVIDIA and their Tegra chips may become the new standard down the road.

[via SmartphoneBenchmarks]
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