Monday, March 28, 2011

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Things We Missed, You Shouldn’t [March 28th]

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 04:02 PM PDT

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Got a case of the Mondays? Nothing like a good bit of Android news to distract you from another week of the daily grind. The good news is it’s almost Tuesday, spring is warming up, and we are nearing the release of handsets and tablets ranging from the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play to the LG Optimus Pad. More info on that and more below.

 

HTC France Confirms EVO 3D Will Come to Europe

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 01:17 PM PDT

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Last week we saw the freshly announced HTC EVO 3D for Sprint’s CDMA network show up on HTC’s website with unannounced GSM radios, suggesting a European release could be in its future. Today, HTC France is confirming the phone will make its way to Europe, though no release date has been decided.

It seems the dual-core Android handset with a 4.3-inch qHD glasses-less 3D display will retain its EVO 3D name when it lands in France, making it the first device to use the name outside of the US. We recently saw a similar move with the HTC Incredible S

[via Frandroid]

Sprint Makes Opposition of AT&T Buyout of T-Mobile Official

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 12:59 PM PDT

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Last week Sprint CEO Dan Hesses let it be known that his company plans to challenge the sale of T-Mobile to AT&T for some $39 billion dollars, a deal that could take the greater part of a year to reach final approval. Sprint today issued a formal release detailing their disagreement with the proposed deal.

The reasoning is the same: the deal will reduce competition, limit innovation, and end up hurting consumers. All of these reasons seem pretty legitimate to us, and as Sprint points out, would go against movements throughout the past three decades to remove large monopolies such as Bell from the communications market. The final outcome will be unknown for quite some time, but you can read Sprint’s thoughts below.

Sprint Opposes Proposed AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile USA

Transaction would reduce competition and harm consumers

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), March 28, 2011 - Sprint Nextel [NYSE:S], the nation’s third largest wireless provider and a leader in advanced wireless broadband technologies, announced today its opposition to AT&T’s proposed $39 billion takeover of T-Mobile USA.

The transaction, which requires the approval of the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission, and will likely spark a host of hearings in the U.S. Congress, would reverse nearly three decades of actions by the U.S. government and the courts that modernized and opened U.S. communications markets to competition. The wireless industry has sparked unprecedented levels of competition, innovation, job creation and investment for the American economy, all of which could be undone by this transaction.

AT&T and Verizon are already by far the largest wireless providers. If approved, the proposed acquisition would create a combined company that would be almost three times the size of Sprint in terms of wireless revenue and would entrench AT&T’s and Verizon’s duopoly control over the wireless market. The wireless industry moving forward would be dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically integrated companies with unprecedented control over the U.S. wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs, such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete.

"Sprint urges the United States government to block this anti-competitive acquisition," said Vonya McCann, senior vice president, Government Affairs. "This transaction will harm consumers and harm competition at a time when this country can least afford it. As the first national carrier to roll out 4G services and handsets and the carrier that brought simple unlimited pricing to the marketplace, Sprint stands ready to compete in a truly dynamic marketplace. So on behalf of our customers, our industry and our country, Sprint will fight this attempt by AT&T to undo the progress of the past 25 years and create a new Ma Bell duopoly."

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 atwww.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

 

American Express Issues Challenge to PayPal with Serve, Android App Now Available

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:57 AM PDT

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For years, the world of personal payments via electronic means has be dominated by one company and one company alone: PayPal. Enter Serve, an American Express answer to the market begging for some competition. Just like PayPal, users with Serve accounts can send each other money, but that ain’t all. Money can be transferred to a pre-paid debit card for purchases in the real world and sub-accounts allow for money to be allotted to others (such as a spouse or kids) for spending. Don’t worry, spending can be monitored and limits enforced to prevent your cash line from running into the ground.

Of course, the new service comes with the no pre-requisite mobile apps. Serve is available for Android with features such as sending and requesting money, adding funds and managing your account, and split-the-bill for group purchases. Find it now in the Android Market.

Android Market Link: Serve

[via MobileCrunch]

Father of Java James Gosling Joins Google

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:36 AM PDT

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Though he has been a rather vocal critic of Google and their handling of the Android OS in the past, James Gosling, otherwise known as the father of Java, has taken a job with the company. To be clear, it is not certain if his work will focus on Google’s mobile OS or if his attention will be needed elsewhere. His feeling is he will be working on ”a bit of everything.”

Gosling is formerly of Sun Microsystems, though he left the company after their acquisition by Oracle, the company currently suing Google over claims of stolen code within the Android source. He said it was apparent from early stages of the merger that Oracle wanted to pursue legal action against Google, but for this and other reasons he parted ways with the software company. That is not to say he hasn’t had a few words to say of Google in the past. Speaking about Android, Gosling once said the OS “has pretty much played out the way that we feared: there is enough fragmentation among Android handsets to significantly restrict the freedom of software developers.”

Past feelings aside, Gosling brings years of knowledge and innovation to a company that sees no short supply of the two. Even if Gosling never sees any work on Android, it is a major win for all.

[via The Register]

1000 FB Likes = 4 Random Winners [CONTEST]

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:18 AM PDT

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We’re always busy, busy, busy at Phandroid writing up the latest breaking Android-related stories to fulfill your robotic cravings. We figured it’s time to be a little social and share our favorite stories with our friends. We’ll start regularly sharing our best content on our Facebook Page and as if to say, “Hello again, world!” we’re bringing in our Facebook renaissance with a contest.

All you have to do is Like the Phandroid Facebook page between now and Friday and at 12 noon Eastern time on April 1st, 2011  - as long as we have 1,000 people who “Like” Phandroid – we’ll randomly select 4 “followers” who will each receive $50 Amazon Gift Cards. Three things you should know:

  • We’ve already got 564 “Likes” so we only need 436 to make it official!
  • No… this is not a shameful publicity stunt of an April Fools Joke – we’re really giving stuff away!
  • With the new Amazon App Store for Android those gift cards could come in handy!

So head on over to the Phandroid Facebook Page and and like the heck out of it… then keep your fingers crossed you’re one of the Fantastic Four on Friday!

NOOKcolor an Unintentional Tablet Success, But Does it Make Up 50% of US Market?

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:02 AM PDT

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The sometimes reliable Digitimes has a new report on the unintentional success of the NOOKcolor from Barnes & Noble as a competitor in the tablet market. According to sources, B&N has already ordered up nearly 3 million units from their suppliers. Furthermore, it is being said that the NOOKcolor now accounts for over 50 percent of the iPad-like tablet market in the United States. Whether “iPad-like” includes the iPad itself or if it simply refers to all tablets that aren’t the iPad is unclear, but either way you look at it it equates to huge gains for B&N.

The fourth quarter of 2010 saw sales of over one million units of the e-reader, while January and February each saw shipments in the range of 600,000 to 700,000. Barnes & Noble has not commented on these sales figures, but seems to be taking strides to improve the tablet-like experience of their device. A planned update should bring in even more features normally associated with more full-fledged tablets rather than cheaper e-readers.

[via Electronista]

How Much Are You Willing to Pay for Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Games? [POLL]

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 10:40 AM PDT

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A recent interview with David Hilton, head of marketing for Sony Ericsson UK, says we can expect games for the soon to be launched Sony Ericsson Xperia Play to top $16 on the high end. While low-end prices bottom out at a very reasonable $1.50, it is safe to say that the newest and most advanced games (the ones you will actually want to play) will cost be in the crop with the bigger price tag. It raises an interesting question: how much are you willing to pay for a game on the Xperia Play?

The Xperia Play hopes to meet gamers at the convergence point of what we normally expect form mobile app stores and what we expect from dedicated handheld gaming devices. This means users will expect lower prices but higher quality games at the same time. Is $16 dollars a reasonable price? Would you pay more, even? Let us know in the poll below.

[via Joystiq]

Get the Samsung Galaxy Tab or Fascinate on Verizon for $100 Less By “Liking” Samsung

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 09:52 AM PDT

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Samsung and Wirefly have just announced a quick deal that you’ll need to hurry to get in on. If you are one of the first 500 fans to “like” Samsung on Facebook you can get $100 off of a Samsung Fascinate or Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Tab on a two-year contract. The Galaxy Tab was recently brought down to $200 with a contract so that means you’d be pocketing (if your pockets are big enough) this thing for $100. The Fascinate is free after this deal as it’s normally $100 these days.

Upon liking their page you should be presented with a link to be taken to Wirefly’s website to take advantage of the offer but I’m having difficulties loading the page as of the time of this writing. Be sure to give it a spin yourself and see if you can get it working. [Facebook via AC]

LG Optimus Big Stretches the Optimus Black Into a 4.3 Inch Form Factor

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 09:34 AM PDT

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Whoa, look at this beast. LG’s apprently joining the likes of HTC, Motorola, and Samsung by bringing a 4.3 inch Android device. It’ll reportedly have the same NOVA display as its smaller cousin that was introduced at CES two months ago – the LG Optimus Black The only other detail revealed specs-wise is that it’ll have a 1GHz single-core chip inside. (It’ll likely be something from Qualcomm’s lineup.) It remains to be seen if this will be launched for regions outside of Korea, but at first glance I can tell you I wouldn’t mind seeing this in America at all. [via PhoneScoop]

HTC Incredible S Spotted in Virgin Canada’s Inventory for $499.99

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 08:49 AM PDT

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Looks like more folks in Canada will be enjoying a new HTC Sense 2.1 device soon if this shot of Virgin’s inventory system is to be believed. They’ll reportedly be stocking the HTC Incredible S for $499.99 off-contract. No word on a date yet, but rumor has it that Bell’s version is coming April 4th. They have an exclusivity deal with HTC so we don’t expect to see Virgin carrying it around the same time. Hopefully the wait isn’t too much longer after that. [via MobileSyrup]

Did You Get a WiFi-Only Motorola XOOM?

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 08:25 AM PDT

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The Motorola XOOM has been out for over a month on Verizon, but many of you vowed not to buy a tablet on contract and vowed not to pay $800 for it off-contract. The 3G-less version of the device is now out, though, and can be had from several major retailers for $600. So did you end up grabbing one or have different offerings from Motorola’s competitors compelled you to wait?

If you did buy it, what accessories did you pick up with it? What are some of the first Honeycomb apps you’ll be checking out? One great thing about the Wi-Fi’s delayed launch is that a community has already come together for this exciting piece of hardware. There are hundreds of threads and thousands of posts dedicated to the tablet. Here are just a few of them that you’ll want to take a look at:

  • Let folks know you’ve picked up your XOOM here.
  • Proceed to the accessories section for some suggestions on a good case or two to pick up for your new tablet.
  • If there’s something you need help with, chances are you’ll find an answer in the support sub-section for the Motorola XOOM section.

As always, be sure to let us know how you’re liking the XOOM. We’re always eager to hear users’ opinions on new devices. Happy XOOMing/Tableting/Honeycombing/Whatevering! [Note: Picture is of Verizon's Motorola XOOM.]

Work-Around Discovered for Amazon Appstore Users Outside of US

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 07:54 AM PDT

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Those of us in the United States have been enjoying the Amazon Appstore for close to a week now. Unfortunately, our friends in places such as the United Kingdom and Canada have not been able to download free paid apps daily or grab exclusive titles such as Angry Birds Rio as their region is not yet supported.

Thankfully a work around has been found. It’s been discovered that Amazon doesn’t use your internet connection to determine where in the world you are, but rather your credit card information and the address tied to your account. This means that you can plug in fake information and trick the app into thinking you’re in the US.

The only downside (and it’s sort of a big one if you were planning on picking up some of the paid apps) is that you can only download free apps. I’m sure many of you just want in on the daily free paid apps anyway, though. You can find what you need to do below courtesy of About Everything. [via Androinica]

1. Register for an e-mail address or use a throw-away account. DO NOT USE your current email address tied to Amazon because entering fake information is grounds to have your account suspended.

2. Register for a new account on Amazon using the disposable email address. Again, DO NOT use your regular Amazon account or email address.

3. Enter information as if you were based in the U.S. Go to www.fakenamegenerator.com for help in this regard. Enter the name, address, phone number, and credit card number (Amex, Mastercard, Visa ).

4. Download the Amazon App Store apk to your phone. Follow this tutorial for help in getting it on your phone.

5. Browse the Amazon App Store from your phone! You will not be able to access paid apps, but you can at least get the free apps that are exclusive to Amazon.I’ve double-checked with a staff member based in Europe and it worked, so good luck.

 

Motorola Gives More Details About Forthcoming ATRIX 4G Upgrade

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 07:21 AM PDT

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We learned Motorola would be bringing an upgrade for the Motorola Atrix 4G soon but weren’t tipped off to what exactly it’d include. (We did learn that it wouldn’t include a fix for call quality issues or to uncap that HSUPA functionality.) Here is a list of changes you can expect in 4.1.57:

It’ll be a quick 17MB update coming over the air so be sure to have your Wi-Fi on once you’re notified that it’s ready to install. [Motorola via Android Central]

LauncherPro 0.8.4 Brings Gmail Widget, New Homescreen Transitions

Posted: 28 Mar 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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We’ve just been tipped to the release of LauncherPro 0.8.4. Federico explicitly states that this isn’t the rewrite we’re all waiting for but it’s still a pretty good update. New features include a scrollable Gmail widget for Plus users, while everyone else will be getting two new screen transitions called “flip” and “rotate 2″. (The old “flip” has been renamed to “flip 2″, FYI.) Other changes include enhancements to the login process for the Facebook widget and other bug fixes and performance improvements. You can find the update in the Android market now. (You can also download the .APK directly from his servers.) [Launcher Pro, Thanks, Karl!]
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