Monday, April 4, 2011

Android Community

Android Community

Wysips Solar-Powered Screen Cover to Add $1 to Smartphone price [ALPHA]

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 10:20 AM PDT

There are more details coming out over the Wysips Solar Powered screen for smartphones we reported on last week. According to this hands on, done by Laptop Magazine, the photovoltaic screen will be included in new smartphones within a year and promises to only add about $1 to existing cellphone prices. The hands on shows a smartphone mockup with an amp-meter attached to it, showing the fluctuating voltage as the device moves in and out of exposed light. Wysips also says that the solar film isn’t only being developed for for smartphones, it’ll have applications for tablets and eBook readers as well.

As mentioned in our article last week, portable solar chargers are always a mixed bag since the sun moves in the sky and often you have to babysit your charger to keep it in the sunlight. However, the ability of this 100 micron film to leach power from sunlight and indoor lighting sources, makes it quite attractive. Also, the ability to lay it on top of the screen and still enjoy multi-touch is a breakthrough. And it’s encouraging that Wysips waited until they got it truly mature and functioning (note the ammeter jumping in the video) before bringing it out to the light of day.

And the notion of this technology being mature enough to get into the pipeline of most smartphones within a year is great news. But the promise of it only adding $1 to the price seems out of this world for such a cutting edge spin on the technology. Still, the price point may only be referring to the photovoltaic parts themselves and not the actual design R&D costs. But if this gets incorporated industry wide, it would still be an extremely small price to pay for it’s impact.

[via Gajitz]

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BlueStacks is Android on Windows PCs

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT

Well would you look at that? I suppose it had to happen eventually: a company by the name of BlueStacks has developed a software solution that works on Windows based PCs which allows users to utilize a full Android experience. As our sister-site SlashGear’s Ben Bajarin notes, several PC companies have shown interest in this odd solution already, OEMs thinking that it might not be a terrible idea to try out the ability to run this ever-growing mobile OS out on their not-so-mobile hardware. Why not?

If the rumors are true, developers may soon be smart to be considering developing apps that work not only in the mobile space, but also in the desktop, laptop, and Google TV space as well. What would BlueStacks mean for a game like, say, Vendetta Online, a MMORPG for outer-space-minded individuals? It’d mean a truly integrated ecosystem in which users would be able to access the same game, or more broadly, the same app anywhere they go, switching from desktop or TV mode to mobile mode without ever having to switch their way of thinking because it’s literally the same app.

Is there value in this sort of system? I don’t think that question even need be asked!

How it Works

BlueStacks has developed a way to virtualize a full Android OS on x86-based Windows PCs. What Ben saw this past weekend was a 28-inch HP TouchSmart all-in-one PC running Android 2.2 Froyo without a hitch. In fact, what he saw was a virtual OS on which he could be running a Windows app, minimize, open an Android app, minimize, and switch back and forth between at will. Is that called multi-tasking? You tell me.

What’s more impressive than being able to run several apps from different OS’ at the same time is the ability to use Windows utilities and drivers. That means that if you’re in an Android app and you’d like to print something – no problem, just go to the top of the menu bar and hit print and it’ll call on Windows’ printer drivers to do the job. Similarly, inside Android’s version of Skype, you’ll be using Windows drivers to get the audio and video job done.

Android Market Access

Nope! Because of the restrictions Google has in place around the Android Market, aka what’s called getting “licensed” by Google for Android, BlueStacks will not be allowed access to the official Android Marketplace. However, due to the rapidly growing popularity of the Amazon app market, there may well be a strong substitute for all those worried about not having access to their favorite hero apps.

Conclusions

BlueStacks is not publicly available at the moment, but will be released for anyone to download later this year. What does this mean for Microsoft, specifically? It means they may need to re-adjust their business model in order to compensate for the places where they’ve been getting ready to compete with Android. What if consumers begin to prefer using Android versions of apps on their PC instead of their Windows counterparts?

As Ben mentions also, Intel and AMD will certainly be happy if this situation takes off since “both of them have needed to offer a compelling reason to consider Android on X86.” As far as everyone in the PC manufacturing world, this may well have opened up a door they considered completely barred and cemented before, allowing them to go mobile without actually going mobile, if you know what I mean.

What do you think? Android on your gaming PC for superior Andy integration? I promise you we’ll be right on top of this all the way to release and beyond.

2-bluestacks-home 1-bluestacks-windows-desktop 6-bluestacks-word bluestacks-logo-3d-small

[via SlashGear]

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Eee Pad Transformer website launched

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 09:32 AM PDT

Asus has launched it’s web portal for their upcoming eeePC Transformer tablet. The site appears to be using the computer’s optional docking station as it’s centerpiece with the slogan “My Multiple Life, I decide.” The main image shows the Transformer sliding into the docking station with keyboard to become a complete laptop solution. The dock also provides for longer battery life, up to 16 hours, over the 9.5 hours just on the tablet battery.

The Transformer will come with Polaris Office 3.0, a suite of office programs for document creation, spreadsheets, and presentations. It’s also powered by Asus own Waveshare UI overlaying Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). And the Transformer is also embracing the cloud with applications such as MyCloud,MyNet, and MyLibrary to take advantage of the free year of Unlimited Asus WebStorage that is coming with the tablet. MyNet is Asus media streaming utility for home network applications, while MyCloud is linked for media storage and will allow for access from any PC or Mac.

The Transformer’s specs are pretty straight up, Tegra 2 Processor with 1GB RAM, 10.1 IPS capacitive touch screen, front and rear facing cameras, 5.1 surround sound stereo speakers, and HDMI port. And along with the optional dock comes two USB ports and SD and Micro SD card readers. The IPS touch screen also offers an ultra-wide 178⁰ viewing angle and is made from scratch resistant glass. You can check out SlashGear’s hands-on here.

[via SlashGear]

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Android Community 101: Android Licensing

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 08:57 AM PDT

There’s been a bit of confusion on the part of everyone from the highest ranked “who is not to be named” official working for a manufacturer to the lowliest developer of apps and writer of posts on what it means for a company to have their product “licensed” with Google. One of the more popular ideas is that for a manufacturer to release a product with Android mobile OS working on it, they MUST go through Google to have it licensed and approved. This thought process lead to a rather large firestorm of fear that Android was going “closed-source.” You can read all about that nightmare in a column called Android Remains Open, Android Remains Powerful, or you can continue on below to know the truth behind licensing.

What licensing means for manufacturers is gaining access to the Android Market, and nothing more. If a manufacturer wishes to create a product that works on Android but they do not want it to have the Android Marketplace as well, they’re free to do whatever they wish, no holds barred. This is why Android remains as open source as the day it was conceived.

That’s all I’ve really got to say, and I could end the article right here, but let’s explore this a bit further: why would a group want to go through Google to gain access to the Android Marketplace? Because up until now, when other app markets are springing up with heavy potential, (Amazon’s new app market rings a bell,) the Android Market was a HUGE selling point for this manufacturers trying to get carried by stores and mobile carriers. This is, as Ben Bajarin says in this article on SlashGear very possibly all about to change with the advent of this app market spread.

What’s happening now is that Google is thinking of ways to keep manufacturers interested in their app market, and are therefor tightening the reigns on what manufacturers are allowed to do with Android if they want access – is this the wrong direction? They’re Google, they might very well know what they’re doing, who knows?

Another note to keep in mind is that in the process of being approved for the Android Market, a manufacturer must join the OHA, aka the Open Handset Alliance. This is a group of technology and mobile companies “who have come together to accelerate innovation in mobile and offer consumers a richer, less expensive, and better mobile experience. Together we have developed Android™, the first complete, open, and free mobile platform.” You can find out more about them on their homepage or our dedicated forum.

You may be asking if there are hardware companies that don’t bother with the Android Market at all, skipping the Google approval process. There’s quite a few, actually, many of them sitting healthfully over in China and Taiwan. Take a peek around large areas in the “Eastern” part of the world and you’ll find a giant lack of Android Market going on, and cheap tablets and cellphones galore. Again, with the Amazon app market ramping up specifically, we’re banking on a changed game right quick.

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Verizon and Sprint Galaxy Tab now sub-$200 as homebrew Honeycomb attempts continue

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 07:35 AM PDT

Sprint and Verizon have slashed pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Tab, with both carriers now asking $199.99 for the 7-inch tablet. The extra discounting makes the CDMA networks the cheapest in the US for picking up the Galaxy Tab; T-Mobile USA is asking $249.99, while AT&T offers the Tab agreement-free for $549.99.

The move could well be a push to clear out Galaxy Tab stock ahead of the new range of Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets that are expected over the coming weeks and months. Samsung is yet to confirm whether the Galaxy Tab will get Honeycomb or remain on Android 2.2 Froyo as it launched with.

That hasn’t stopped the third-party hacking community from attempting to do what Samsung seems reluctant to attempt; xda-developers already have a rudimentary Honeycomb ROM for the CDMA version of the Galaxy Tab [via The Unlockr]. However it’s still lacking in most of the day-to-day functionality most users would require.

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Webroot Mobile Security for Android protects you from viruses and more

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 06:16 AM PDT

The number of threats for smartphone users with Android operating systems on their device is always growing. The best way to protect your device and the data you have is to install some sort of security software. Webroot recently unveiled a new security app for Android users.

The new app is called Webroot Mobile Security for Android. The app is available on a yearly subscription at $14.99 per year and protects you against malware, insecure apps, and dangerous websites. You can also use the app to block people from calling you if you don’t want to talk to them.

It offers on demand scanning and real-time protection and it has a few features that you might not find on other apps. It will check the android device for settings that might make it less secure and it checks website reputations to protect you. The app will also allow you to lock your phone and report its position if it is lost or stolen.

[via PCMag]

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Nexus S 4G smartphone for Sprint Ships April 6

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 06:05 AM PDT

We have already done the whole spy shot thing on the coming Sprint Nexus S 4G Android smartphone. We know just about all there is to know about the smartphone and now the launch date and price for the smartphone on Sprint have been offered. These are the last two details buyers really need to know.

Best Buy has noted on its website that the smartphone will ship April 6, only two days from now, at a price of $199.99. That price naturally includes a 2-year contract and a qualifying data plan purchase. You can buy the phone minus the contract for $699.99.

Best Buy will let you pre-order the smartphone right now. The device will operate on the Sprint WiMax network and has a big 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen. It also runs a 1GHz processor and has front and rear cameras along with 16GB of storage. Other features include Android 2.3 and NFC hardware tucked away inside.

[via MobileBurn]

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Retail box for T-Mobile G2X smartphone surfaces

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 04:44 AM PDT

We already know pretty much all there is to know about the LG G2X smartphone. We have even spent some hands on time with the smartphone and offered you all the details to peruse at your leisure. If you missed that hands on the smartphone, the device has Android 2.2 onboard and will land sometime this spring.

The device also runs an dual core processor of the Tegra type running 1GHz. It also has an 8MP on the back and it can play DIVX video as well. The smartphone will run on the T-Mobile 3G or 4G networks. We still have a few pertinent facts missing though like the official launch date and the price of the smartphone.

Today a shot of the retail box for the device has turned up. With the retail packaging in the wild for the smartphone the launch date has to be soon. Tmonews reports that it has been told that the device will support AT&Ts 3G network as well which is good news with AT&T buying T-Mobile. This should be a really nice smartphone when it lands.

lgg2x-1 lgg2x-2

[via Tmonews]

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Android ousts iPhone as most popular smartphone system in UK says latest survey

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 03:46 AM PDT

It’s not just in the US where Android devices are out-selling Apple’s iPhone. New research by Intelligent Environments, a digital banking provider, suggests that Android handsets in the UK are more popular than the iPhone, with 28-percent of the people they surveyed having a device running Google’s OS.

That’s compared to 26-percent with an iPhone, and 14-percent with a BlackBerry. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, given Google is currently keeping its more advanced mapping features to itself, navigation and route planning is the most common application Android UK device owners take advantage of.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the iPhone is just one device, of course, versus multiple OEMs offering handsets running Android. Still, unlike in the US, in the UK the iPhone is currently offered across all of the major carriers, rather than being limited to one network.

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Sony Honeycomb tablet to hit US by end of summer 2011

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 02:56 AM PDT

Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer has apparently confirmed that the company will launch an Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet later in 2011. Bloomberg quotes Japan’s Nikkei as saying Stringer confirmed the slate would drop at the end of the summer, with the US targeted first.

Last we heard, Sony was readying an S1 PlayStation tablet with a 9.4-inch display, Tegra 2 processor and a distinctive curved “wrap” chassis. Gaming, ereader, computing and media streaming is all expected to be included; we’d also expect Sony to do some UI work on top of Android 3.0, too.

We’re having trouble finding the exact Nikkei report, though back in January the paper claimed Stringer was aiming to take the number two spot in tablets, after Apple, by the end of 2012. The CEO suggested Sony’s lengthy development period was so that the slate could be sufficiently differentiated from other Android tablets, and hinted that 3D was a possibility.

[via Engadget]

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Acer’s Iconia Tab A100 7-inch Honeycomb tablet gets bargain pricing

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 01:37 AM PDT

Acer left the Iconia Tab A100 out of the loop when the company priced and dated the A500 and W500 last month, but we’re not sure why; the 7-inch Honeycomb slate is perhaps the best deal of them all. Fresh to Amazon UK, the Tegra 2 based A100 is expected to arrive on April 20, and is priced at just £299.99 ($485).

That’s the same price as Samsung asks for the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab, which only has a single-core processor, as well as the Dell Streak 7, which has 3G but a lower-resolution, WVGA touchscreen and doesn’t (yet) run Android 3.0. You’ll have to make do with just 8GB of internal storage and 512MB of RAM, but there’s a memory card slot to address one of those issues at least.

If the 8.9- and 10.1-inch tablets we’re seeing from Samsung, Motorola and others are simply too big for your bag or (oversized) pockets, then the 7-inch Iconia Tab A100 may fit the bill. No word on US pricing as yet, though we’re expecting it to be even cheaper than the $485 a direct conversion suggests.

[via NetbookNews]

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Google TV coming to Ice Cream [Rumor]

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 05:12 PM PDT

There’s yet another rumor flying around about Android’s Ice Cream flavor. Back at Mobile World Congress, Google’s outgoing CEO Eric Schmidt said Ice Cream would incorporate elements of both Gingerbread and Honeycomb for the smartphone platform. Now, it seems the rumor mill has thrown Google TV into the mix as well. The idea comes from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Code Branch and there’s talk that an announcement may come to Google IO this year.

There is also talk that this is why Google has refused to released Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) into the open source community. The drum beats of fragmentation plus the recent malware scares seem to be making Google gun shy, as they’re not only holding Honeycomb close to the vest, but there’s also talk that Google may be locking down Android altogether.

The idea is that with Google TV, Tablets and Smartphones having the same basic code, then it becomes far easier to update and hence, combat the fragmentation issue. It would also free up Google to focus on one product – the Android Open Source Project. But the real question is, will all of this put Google TV in the spotlight where Google intended it to be all along?

[via PhanDroid]

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Google Ice Cream Sundae Logo a new android flavor [RUMOR]

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 04:43 PM PDT

This weekend, Google celebrated the 119th anniversary of the creation of the Sundae, that yummy soda fountain confection of ice cream, fudge, nuts and whipped cream with a cherry on top. Yummy dessert to be sure. But blogs are ablaze that it’s something more than a delicious ice cream parfait. Some think it’s the new flavor of Android.

The rumor mill for Google is getting as contagious as the Cupertino variant. But with how often a new flavor of Android comes out, and considering that Android 2.4 was always rumored to be called “Ice Cream,” is Android (Sundae) that much of a stretch? And would it be vs. 4 or a dot upgrade of 3?

Seriously, a Google doodle logo as some sort of vague hint to the faithful? Seems like a stretch even for Google. So for the time being, we’re going to call this a wild rumor and nothing more. On the other hand, we like us some yummy ice cream sundaes. So if Google wants to treat everyone to some dessert, we’ll certainly be there. Can I have mine with Caramel instead of fudge please?

[via Metro]

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Xperia Play CDMA phone hits the FCC

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 04:29 PM PDT

The Sony Xperia Play made a repeat performance at the FCC this weekend, as it’s CDMA twin received Federal consideration. The inaugural Playstation certified handset, shows a SIM card slot that’s different from Verizon’s 4G LTE devices. This is leading some to speculate if this is a 3G only device, at least for testing purposes. We haven’t seen any 4G association with the phone’s advertizing with Verizon, and only rumors are circulating as to the Xperia Play launching later this month. But as we reported here, the Xperia Play is coming to 11 markets around the world, just not the US initially.

There’s a lot to be anxious for, as the Xperia Play will be stocked with a suite of Playstation One games, as well as access to N’Vidia’s Tegra Zone. There will also be about 60 titles available for download from such game developers as Game Loft and Electronic Arts. In Europe, the Play will also get unlimited music streaming for about £10 a month, with users being able to pay for the service through their Playstation ID and wallet. But no word if the service will be made available here in the US, and we also have to deal with what the definition of “unlimited” is.

The Xperia Play is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon II 8655 1GHz CPU and Adreno 205 processor. It has a 4″ capacitive multi-touch, 854 x 480 pixel WVGA display and a slide up game control pad with joystick and Playstation buttons. There's a front-facing VGA cam for video chat and rear-facing 5-megapixel camera but no HD video recording. It will be available with Verizon.

For more on the Xperia Play, check out Slash Gear's here.

[via Phandroid]

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Amazon launching Blaze Dual Core Phone

Posted: 03 Apr 2011 04:08 PM PDT

Photos and specs have been leaked on what looks to be Amazon’s entry into the Android smartphone market. The phone is known as the Blaze, and it looks stacked with a 1.2 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660 processor, 4.3-inch Mirasol display. Other specs include 512MB ram, 32GB of internal storage and a 5MP rear facing camera. The Blaze will also come with a front-facing camera for video chat, and have may also have a near field communications (NFC) chip for electronic point of purchase (ironic considering Amazon is an Internet based eCommerce site).

But what is really noteworthy is that it comes with an embedded solar panel on the back to recharge the battery throughout the day. And harkening back to it’s Kindle roots, the Mirasol display is supposed to be very stingy on battery life. It doesn’t rely on back-lighting like other Smartphones and it’s easy to read in direct sunlight. The Blaze will be powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), have HSPA+ data services, and will also have a custom Amazon Blaze UI which will offer integration of Amazon services and access to user accounts similar to Google’s accounts are on every other Android handset.

And the word is that Amazon has plans to put out regular software updates to address the issue of fragmentation. And by the looks of the advertising graphic below, the Blaze looks to be made available on AT&T and Verizon. No word on pricing just yet, but it looks to launch in early Fall, if at all. There some dispute as to if this is a real device (and we know that Amazon has been recruiting Android engineers) or just an April Fool’s joke. If it is, it’s a pretty elaborate one.

wm_amazonblaze-12 Amazon_Blaze_smartphone_2 wm_AmazonBlaze_MSM86601

[via Android Police]

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