Saturday, April 9, 2011

Android Community

Android Community

Most Students suffer from Smartphone Withdrawl Study Finds

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 06:31 PM PDT

According to a recent study, students who have had their smartphones taken away from them for even a few hours will begin to suffer from withdrawal symptoms that may rival those of smokers or even drug addicts. The study, which focused on young people aged 17-23 in ten countries around the world found that 79 per cent of students who volunteered for a complete media blackout from cellphones, computers and the internet, social networks and even television experienced reactions ranging from distress to confusion and isolation. Students were allowed to use the phone, read, and even have one on one conversations, but found it difficult initially due to feelings of withdrawal.

“I am an addict. I don't need alcohol, cocaine or any other derailing form of social depravity,” said one British participant, “Media is my drug; without it I was lost.”

Researchers say the result of the symptoms could be due to the fact that the principal subjects of the study, 17-23 year-olds, have grown up wired and live their lives more online than they do interacting in the real world. So the real world applications of interacting face to face is more foreign to them than engaging online. Many students experienced feelings of confusion, being isolated, and even felt like a failure without their gadgets keeping them plugged in. And many, who have wanted to disengaged from the gadgets that control their lives, fear to do so because of peer pressure, worrying that disconnecting will lead to ostracizing from friends.

But the good news is that students in the study who engaged in one on one conversations during the studies found them to be far more in depth and fulfilling than the chats provided by social media threads. And it’s not surprising considering regular conversations don’t have a 140 character limit and talking face to face actually requires a person to stay attentive. But if one isn’t used to personal interaction, such face to face attention may initially cause insecure feelings. Additionally, personal interaction means a person is far less likely to be blunt or even rude in their reactions, or are less likely to be verbally critical in a conversation.

[via UK Daily Mail]

)


Cloud Touch Facebook phone clears FCC

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 05:43 PM PDT

INQ has received word that the Cloud Touch Facebook Phone has cleared the FCC. Dubbed simply “The Facebook Phone,” the Cloud Touch will likely head to AT&T since testing included support for GSM 850 and 1900 bands, as well as WCDMA Bands II and V. There’s no word on when the Cloud Touch will make it to MaBell, or how much it will run, but analysts looking at pricing and availability in Europe speculate that the device will sell for about $500 unsubsidized or $30 with a two year deal from AT&T. And although we don’t have a launch date just yet, the 180 day request for non disclosure should put this in AT&T stores sometime in late summer or early fall, if guessing correctly.

Specs for the Cloud Touch Facebook Phone include a Qualcomm MSM7227 800MHz processor, 3.5" touch screen, 512MB of internal storage, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth. In addition, it will run Android 2.2 (Froyo) out of the box, which is a drag, but considering it’s relatively slower processor, it’s not going to be doing a lot of high end applications. The heart of the phone is it’s Facebook applications, including status updates, chat places, and events. Additionally, Facebook’s Social graphing application will enable users who live on the site daily to get updates directly from those they interact with the most.

The phone is also a 5MP camera, but I wouldn’t expect HD considering the low power of the processor and screen. So while users will be able to upload images and videos directly to … you guessed it … Facebook, they’re likely not to be in high definition. But at least users will have a full slide up QWERTY to type with. If this phone doesn’t float your boat, there are two more Facebook phones coming down the pipe this summer as well, including the HTC Salsa and Cha Cha.

So, if you’re a Facebook user looking for an Android tool to help live your lives on the Social site, stay tuned here at AC for more info on the Facebook Phone Trio as it develops.

[via Wireless Goodness]

)


HTC Desire S pops up all over the UK

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 03:30 PM PDT

Starting today, the HTC Desire S is popping up all over the UK through T-Mobile stores, and online portals. The Desire will also be available through Vodafone, Orange and Three. Through T-Mobile, the Desire S will be available exclusively in silver and will be free with all two year plans starting at £35/month, with 900 minutes, 500 texts, 500MB “fair use” data, and a Flexible Booster. Vodafone as it a little cheaper plan wise, where the Desire S is free with On Pay monthly plans from £30.

Vodafone’s two year plans start with 600 minutes, Unlimited texts, and 500MB data. Orange’s plans is a bit different, where users can get the Desire for free – £149.99 depending on the plan. To get the Desire S for free on Orange, users have to have a plan starting at £27.00 which provides for 300 minutes and unlimited texting. Then, users can choose varying data plans starting at 100MB for an additional £3.00 a month to 1GB for £10 a month. Users can also pay £109 for the Desire if they choose a 100 minute plan for £21.50 or £149 even a 50 minute plan for £16. Lastly, Three has it as well, free with a two year plan starting at £35 for 2000 minutes any time minutes, 5000 texts, and all you can eat data. That’s for some serious power users.

The HTC Desire S is the follow-up from last year’s very popular flagship in the Desire line. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s new 1GHz 8255 Snapdragon processor, a a 3.7 inch LCD display screen, and is powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It has a pair for forward and rear-facing cameras, the rear being a 5MP model with face detection and geo-tagging capabilities that shoots 720p HD video. UK users have plenty of choices, and if the Desire appeals, check out the review on our sister site, Slash Gear.

)


Motorola XOOM 16GB Confirmed, Set to Compete with iPad 2

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 01:48 PM PDT

So all you XOOM fans out there with a hankering for a tiny monster the same size as your minimalistic iPad 2 Wifi-only 16GB, you’re in luck! Our good pals at DroidLife have happened upon a screenshot from inside of what appears to be Verizon’s network showing a Motorola XOOM 16GB that appears for now to be 3G, upgradable to 4G only. Now if only we could get this fancy little lady to be available for under $600 – or perhaps that’s the situation!

This news comes right near word that the XOOM isn’t selling as well as Verizon would have liked – an idea that Verizon has refuted, of course, with a “Sales are fine, shush your mouth” remark. Not exactly those words, mind you, but similar. We’re going to go ahead and guess that this model will be coming out in Wifi-only as well, a lovely combination of smallness and no-contractedness we’d love to see.

While you’re here, all you XOOM fans, I find it rather important to remind you of an amazingly thorough guide made by our resident Android Magician Cory Gunther – this guide will show you everything you need to know about video on your Honeycomb tablet: Motorola XOOM and All Androids Video Encoding Tips and Guide. It’s quickly becoming massively popular because of it’s total dominating excellence – check it out!

[via DroidLife]

)


Droid Bionic Release Date SOON [Same for Droid 3, ATRIX Says Verizon]

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 12:41 PM PDT

Whilst traveling through our local strip mall today, we had a chance encounter with a Verizon employee, if you call walking straight up to a Verizon employee and asking a chance encounter, where we learned a few extra small details about three mothership Android phones that are on the 2011 horizon. First, and perhaps most important, the Droid Bionic was on the list for requesting. Upon asking the release date for said phone, the rep smiled knowingly* and said, “while we don’t technically know, between you and me, soon.”

I say knowingly, but it may well have been deviously. Either way, it was an odd expression that your humble narrator would call one of the two odd expressions. After this, the employee noted that he was also “unsure in the same way, but could definitely confirm,” the releases of the Motorola ATRIX and the Droid 3. Whether or not this meant that they’d all be released on the same day (doubtful,) was not all that clear – and he wasn’t giving out any more specific specifics than that!

For more information on these telephones, head back to their respective portals: Droid 3, Motorola Atrix 4G, and Droid Bionic. Then check out a post that’s basically been beating up our post-view charts for the past week: Droid Bionic Release Now Mid-April [Says Verizon]. Can’t wait!

)


T-Mobile G2 Gingerbread by Summer

Posted: 08 Apr 2011 12:12 PM PDT

That’s right, the phone that yours truly holds in his heart as one of the all-time greatest Android experiences will be grabbing a bit of the ol’ cookie inside the second quarter of this year. News comes in from over at ComputerWorld where JR Raphael reports he’s been speaking with an official HTC representative who’s tipped him off on the real-deal upgrade. Now we’ve just got to wait for Ice Cream, right?

Last time we spoke of this lovely combination of device and loving guts, it was a ROM which provided many of the better Android 2.3 Gingerbread bits inside – take a peek at that update back here. This Gingerbread update comes alongside news that the Desire Z, aka the Euro version of the G2, is also on track to get the upgrade inside the same timeframe.

Take a look way back at our original T-Mobile G2 review for all the ever-loving love and hate your heart could ever desire on this device in its original form. It’s a doozie, and certainly still a viable option for your nearby purchasing right here, right now, today. Best keyboard yet.

[via ComputerWorld]

)


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)