Sunday, April 17, 2011

Android and Me

Android and Me

The dual-screen Kyocera Echo now available from Sprint

Posted: 17 Apr 2011 03:04 PM PDT

The Kyocera Echo is finally available from Sprint.  New customers can pick up the dual-display Android handset for $199.99 with a new two year contract, but you may need to save up for the $449.99 full retail price if you're looking to "upgrade" without proper eligibility.  The Echo runs on Android 2.2 and features a 1GHz first generation Snapdragon processor, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 720p video recording, 1GB of internal memory, and a 1340 mAh battery. 

Those specs may sound quite outdated, but the main selling point of the Kyocera Echo is the handset's two 3.5-inch WVGA (800 x 480) displays which can be used as a single 4.7-inch screen in certain situations.  Many within the Android community have already labeled the Kyocera Echo as a gimmicky device, but it is certainly refreshing to see manufacturer test out some new concept ideas and actually bring them to market. 

The Kyocera Echo won't be winning any prizes for its looks or performance, but we can guarantee that everyone who walks into a Sprint store any plays with the Echo will do a double take when they slide the handset open and are greeted by a second display rather than a keyboard. 

Would any of you be willing to trade a QWERTY keyboard for a slide out display?

Related content:

  1. Reserve your Kyocera Echo for the April 17th launch
  2. Sprint to unveil Kyocera Echo, world’s first dual-touchscreen smartphone
  3. Kyocera Echo big on combined display size, slow in graphics performance
  4. Sprint promises to reveal the latest wireless innovation at CTIA [EVO2?]


ROM Manager 4.0 released, now “unsuckified” and supporting comments and ratings

Posted: 17 Apr 2011 12:17 PM PDT

ROM Manager ClockworkMod MARKET QR

ROM Manager is a "must have" application for every root user out there. Of course, one of the most important benefits of rooting your device is the ability to flash custom ROMs onto it, and those that like playing around with them, will be happy to know that ClockworkMod has released ROM Manager version 4.0.

ROM Manager’s new features (as stated by Koushik Dutta from ClockworkMod):

  • ROM Manager now supports comments and ratings!
  • The service behind ROM Manager 4 is hosted on DeployFu.
  • Learned and wrote the service in ASP .NET MVC 3.
  • Finally got around to unsuckifying the ROM Manager UI.
  • WebConnect is no longer a useless chrome-to-phone downloader.
  • Paving the way for even bigger things to come… (hint: a website)

The major changes that the users will experience first-hand are the  UI improvements, and the ability to rate and comment on ROMs, but as Koushik Dutta mentions, there is much more than meets the eye, as well as more features in the works, which seem to include a website.

To check out the new version of ClockworkMod’s ROM Manager, head over to the Android Market to get in on the fun. This app is actually free, but there is also a Premium version for $4.99, giving you the option to turn off ads (for those that would like to support the developer). Please let us know your opinions on this app and its new changes, and happy flashing!

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