Android Community |
- NFL Quarterback rushes to sack Android App
- Samsung Galaxy S II reviewed: Benchmarks through the roof
- Droid Incredible blowing out for a Penny at Amazon
- Rugged Casio G’zOne Commando breaks onto Verizon April 28
- Sprint confirms Nexus S 4G drops May 8 for $200
- Equifax offers new mobile app for Android users to monitor credit
- Eee Pad Transformer has a new firmware coming this week
- Verizon DROID Incredible 2 by HTC priced and dated
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer launches and sells out just about everywhere
- Android developer momentum wanes claims new report
- Gtalk video calling for phones with Android 2.3.4 at Google I/O?
- Sony S1 and S2 Android 3.0 tablets get official: due Fall 2011 [Video]
- THE SECOND WINNER OF ANDROID COMMUNITY’S GIGANTIC XOOM GIVEAWAY!
- CloudTalk Social Network launching for Android
- Reminder: We Have an XOOM Contest Going On!
- Cyanogen Gingerbread Mod adds Droid support with bug fixes
- Motorola sends the XT316 to FCC
- Samsung Galaxy S II commercial clevery touts slim design
| NFL Quarterback rushes to sack Android App Posted: 26 Apr 2011 11:16 AM PDT Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is back in the news regarding dog fighting. Only it’s not what you think. Vick, who did time in the big house for animal cruelty after running an illegal dog fighting ring, is leading the charge to have an Android app banned which Vick believes glorifies the activity. Game Developers for Kage Games disagree, claiming that the “Dog Wars” app educates users on the evils of animal cruelty and that proceeds will benefit animal rescue organizations and the Japanese tsunami relief effort. They even hide behind the first amendment stating that freedom of expression protects them against what they call “prejudgment.”
Vick is joining forces with the Human Society on the issue, saying that an app will actually do the opposite. And even the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) says that Kage Games defense is a “dog that don’t hunt.” Paul Weber, president of the LAPPL, says that the game sends “absolutely the wrong message to children” and that the game should be banned.
And they may have a point. According to the company’s own website, the details of the game encourage gamers to create virtual animals and raise them to “beat the best,” and to earn virtual cash and even “street cred.” It also allows users to resist police raids with arms and to inject virtual pit bulls with steroids to make them meaner and more competitive. And the public outrage may be making a good point, as Kage Games says the game is still in development and it plans to incorporate suggestions from both supporters and critics to create what they promise will be a “more socially conscious app.” [via the LA Times] )
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| Samsung Galaxy S II reviewed: Benchmarks through the roof Posted: 26 Apr 2011 10:19 AM PDT Chris Davies over at Slash Gear has all the fun. This time, he’s reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S II and he says it screams with performance. And you’d expect it since the original Galaxy S was one of the most successful phones in the market last year. With a lot to live up to, Samsung has pointed to the center field fence and hit another out the park. Let’s take a closer look …
Samsung definitely put more under the hood with a 1.2GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos processor. And with 1GB of RAM and 2GB or ROM, it’s built for speed. But looking at the larger and stunning 4.3 inch Super AMOLED Plus display one cannot be amazed by the color, which Chris says seems to be a “vividly colorful splash of eye-pleasure.” Gorgeous.
But what’s really amazing is just how thin the Galaxy S II is. At 8.49mm, it’s truly the thinnest handset on the market. And with Gorilla glass to protect it, it’s lightweight and tough. The Galaxy S II will come in two models, one with 16GB of storage and doubled that. Both can take up to 32GB of additional storage courtesy of it’s microSDHC card slot. Fortunately, Samsung didn’t punt to Froyo, instead choosing to go with Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread out of the box. Sadly though, TouchWiz is also there as Samsung’s custom overlay, but it’s vs. 4, so it’s pretty well matured. Also, Samsung has loaded up some preloaded apps including it’s various “Hubs”: Social, Music, Readers and Gaming. It’s not a bad choice to bundle email, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and IM messages into a single timeline. But MySpace? Anyway, Readers Hub gives users magazine, newspaper and eBook reading options. Games Hub offers Gameloft titles and other games. And there’s also Polaris Office, a cool Mini Journal for daily snapshots of one’s life, and even some cool video editing software to polish clips taken with the Galaxy S II’s full 1080p HD video recording capability at 30fps.
But the real hallmark is it’s benchmarks. The Galaxy S II screams with performance numbers like 2939 in Quadrant Standard and 3540 in Quadrant Advanced. And it’s just as good on utilities like Linpack Pro and SunSpider. If it’s doing that good with the overlays, imagine how a custom ROM would perform! Lastly, there’s the battery life. And the Galaxy S IIs 1650 mAh battery provides two full days of regular use with push notificatins, GPS, video recording, Internet and even phones calls (we do still use smartphones for calls, don’t we?). Two days? That’s sick! Power users will get a day at least, and judicious casual users? Longer to be sure. The Samsung Galaxy S II can be bought unlocked for around $826 unsubsidized. But users can find it free with a two year deal. A solid offering and great followup for a phone line that had a lot to live up to. Check out the rest off Chris’ review here.       )
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| Droid Incredible blowing out for a Penny at Amazon Posted: 26 Apr 2011 09:27 AM PDT Amazon is blowing out their inventory of HTC Droid Incredible phones for .01 with a two year deal. The sale is obviously to make some room since, as we reported today, the Droid Incredible 2 will be hitting the portal on Thursday. Now sure, users looking for a new phone may not mind laying out $199 for the latest Incredible 2. But considering it’s essentially using the same processor and comes with a $25 app credit from Amazon, how can you complain?
If you compare the Incredible with the new kid on the block, you find it has a smaller, 3.7 inch SLCD screen. The Incredible 2 boosts the real estate a wee bit with a 4 inch WVGA display and has DNLA support if you have a Sony HDTV. Both are running the same 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor and 8 MP camera. And both are running Android 2.2 (Froyo), which is puzzling that the Incredible 2 played it safe, rather than going with Gingerbread. But maybe it’ll get an update sooner, rather than later. At best, the Incredible 2 is a “dot upgrade,” meaning you can save some serious coin by laying down a copper coin and going with the original. And with that $25 app credit to the Amazon App Store for Android, users are essentially being PAID to buy it! Can’t beat that. And with free Two day shipping, Amazon is in quite a hurry to get it to you. [via HTCPedia] )
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| Rugged Casio G’zOne Commando breaks onto Verizon April 28 Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:24 AM PDT Verizon has officially announced the Casio G’zOne Commando, the carrier’s latest ruggedized smartphone. Running Android 2.2 Froyo, the G’zOne Commando meets Military Standards 810G for Immersion, Rain, Shock and Dust Resistant, Vibration, Salt Fog, Humidity, Solar Radiation, Altitude, Low and High Temperature Storage.
There’s also a 5-megapixel camera, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G mobile hotspot functionality. More interesting, perhaps, are the eight different modes that cater to various outdoor pursuits, mixing together direction, acceleration and temperature sensors; full details in the press release below. The Verizon Casio G’zOne Commando will go on sale April 28. It will be priced at $199.99 with a new, two year agreement. Press Release: )
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| Sprint confirms Nexus S 4G drops May 8 for $200 Posted: 26 Apr 2011 07:10 AM PDT The Sprint Nexus S 4G will drop on May 8, the carrier has confirmed, taking the existing Nexus S smartphone and giving it a shot of WiMAX goodness. Announced last month, the Nexus S 4G has the same 4-inch Super AMOLED “contour display”, NFC and 5-megapixel rear camera.
There’s also a front-facing camera, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and A-GPS, along with USB 2.0 connectivity. Sprint has obviously left Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread alone, which means the Nexus S 4G will be first in line for future OS updates. The Nexus S 4G is priced at $199.99 with a new, two year agreement. You’ll need a mandatory data plan, too, obviously. )
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| Equifax offers new mobile app for Android users to monitor credit Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:51 AM PDT
The app is called Equifax mobile and is for the Android platform. The app works on Android 2.1 and up. Among the details you can access using the app are credit rankings and give the user averages with total debt, utilization, and late payments. It also offers the user a credit fraud index as well. The app also gives the ability to lock their credit report and unlock it. I guess locking it will not allow any new inquires to be made. The downside will be if you forget to unlock it, you might get turned down for a car or other credit if you need it. Users will also get alerted to changes like account balance changes, activity on dormant accounts, and new account openings. The app is free for download on the Android Market right now. )
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| Eee Pad Transformer has a new firmware coming this week Posted: 26 Apr 2011 06:35 AM PDT I mentioned this morning that after a long wait the Eee Pad Transformer from Asus was finally available in North America. I also mentioned that supplies were short and that many locations were already out of stock on the device. If you want one you need to go look right now or you will miss out until Asus can make more stock. Asus had noted that the UK would be its focus at launch in the past so low stock in the US isn’t really a surprise.
Despite the fact that the Transformer is just now selling in the US and other countries, there is already a new update coming soon. And by soon, I mean really soon as in April 28. That is this Thursday for those of you not by a calendar. What exactly the update will bring with it is unknown. I would assume with the tablet just now launching the update would have to bring minor changes. I can’t see them launching the tablet with significant issues, but stranger things have happened. The Transformer will be one of the more popular Android 3.0 tablets on the market by my estimation. The things have had good reviews around the web and the keyboard dock makes it perfect for the tablet user that might need to actually work from the thing every now and then. If you find them in stock somewhere let us know in the comments below. Thanks Marco! [via Twitter] )
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| Verizon DROID Incredible 2 by HTC priced and dated Posted: 26 Apr 2011 05:51 AM PDT Verizon has announced that the DROID Incredible 2 by HTC will go on sale from April 28, with the Android 2.2 smartphone priced at $199.99 with a new, two-year agreement. The smartphone has an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3-megapixel camera on the front, along with HTC Sense and 3G mobile hotspot functionality.
Up front is a 4-inch WVGA display, while inside it’s Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon keeping things chugging along. The DROID Incredible 2 can record 720p HD video, has DLNA streaming support and SRS WOWHD audio. So, not quite a flagship, but likely to be a solid phone all the same; check out our Incredible S review for more details, since this is basically the same device. Who’s interested?       Press Release: )
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| Asus Eee Pad Transformer launches and sells out just about everywhere Posted: 26 Apr 2011 03:40 AM PDT I would bet that you have heard talk about the cool Asus Eee Pad Transformer. This is the little Android tablet that has a slate section that can be docked with a keyboard dock that makes the tablet into a little netbook style device. We already knew that the Transformer was going to be hitting stores around North America on April 26. Today is the day for this thing to launch and Asus has a site up that list all the places you can buy the tablet.
The big catch right now is that with Asus warning that stocks would be low at launch most of the places listed to buy the Transformer from are already out of stock on the tablet. Asus lists 24 different retail outlets including online and brick and mortar firms that are selling the Transformer. The big names from the list include Amazon, BestBuy.com, BJ’s, Buy.com, Fry’s, Newegg, OfficeMax, Office Depot, Target, Sears, and TigerDirect. There are a number of other stores as well and you can hit the source link at the bottom of the page and then the Buy Now link to see all of the locations. If you somehow missed this tablet before with the coverage we have already offered, the Transformer is a 10.1-inch tablet. It runs Android 3.0 and the screen is an IPS capacitive touch unit with WSVGA resolution. It has the NVIDIA Tegra 2 Mobile processor inside and has a full QWERTY keyboard docking station that is optional. The battery is good for up to 9.5 hours alone or 16 hours with the docking station. [via Asus] )
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| Android developer momentum wanes claims new report Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:40 AM PDT Android developer enthusiasm has “plateaued” according to the latest research by Appcelerator and IDC, with sluggish Honeycomb-based tablet sales and ongoing concerns regarding platform fragmentation cited as the key reasons. According to the two companies’ April 2011 Mobile Developer Report, “developer momentum is shifting back toward Apple.”
Tablet interest is particularly precarious, with Honeycomb apparently yet to convince developers to create slate-specific titles. While 86-percent of iOS coders expressed interest in developing for the iPad, only 71-percent of Android developers said the same about Honeycomb-based tablets; similarly, only 44-percent were “very interested” in the Motorola XOOM and just 31-percent in the HTC Flyer. Nonetheless, despite the concerns, developers don’t seem to be looking elsewhere. 62-percent say that they don’t see how rival platforms could ever catch up to Android and iOS, while the numbers of those expressing interest in developing for Windows Phone or BlackBerry have in fact dropped. The January 2011 report had suggested that Google developer interest was growing, and that the platform would soon catch up to Apple’s iOS.
[via ReadWriteWeb] )
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| Gtalk video calling for phones with Android 2.3.4 at Google I/O? Posted: 26 Apr 2011 12:33 AM PDT Although Gtalk has been a mainstay on Android for some time now, it’s only with 3.0 Honeycomb that the app got video calling support. Now, it looks like Google may be updating the smartphone version of Gtalk to support two-way video calls, taking to the Google I/O stage to unveil it.
One Android user – who has supposedly worked with Samsung – claims to have tested a Nexus S handset running Android 2.3.4 and used Gtalk video calling on the device. The current version of Android Gingerbread shipping is v2.3.3. Considering the number of Honeycomb tablets – which come with video-capable Gtalk preinstalled – is growing, it would certainly make sense for Google to introduce the app for handsets too. Google I/O 2011 kicks off May 10 in San Francisco; we’ll be there to bring back all the juicy details. [via The Droid Guy] )
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| Sony S1 and S2 Android 3.0 tablets get official: due Fall 2011 [Video] Posted: 25 Apr 2011 11:32 PM PDT Sony has announced two Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets, currently codenamed S1 and S2, which it promises are optimized for “rich media entertainment” and “mobile communication and entertainment” respectively. Each set to launch globally in fall 2011, the S1 has a single 9.4-inch touchscreen, while the S2 has two 5.5-inch touchscreens and a clamshell form-factor.
There’s also WiFi and 3G/4G support, depending on region and networks available, while the S1 will also have an infrared transmitter allowing it to be used as a huge universal remote. DLNA support on both models allows users to stream their content to compatible TVs. The S2 will be able to either spread apps and content across both displays, or show a virtual keyboard or other controls on the bottom panel. There’ll also be Qriocity streaming media and PlayStation Suite gaming to be had, though right now Sony isn’t talking about any more specifications and even the designs you see in these images is subject to change.       [via SlashGear] Press Release: )
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| THE SECOND WINNER OF ANDROID COMMUNITY’S GIGANTIC XOOM GIVEAWAY! Posted: 25 Apr 2011 05:09 PM PDT Are you ready? It's time for the next winner of a Motorola XOOM tablet here on Android Community. The second of three winners, five if you count the other two tablets we've given away. The extremely simple rules for entering this contest are below – one of the only people who will not want to be entering this contest any longer is Jeremy Stagg because you have just won a Motorola XOOM! This is the time for you, Jeremy Stagg to get in contact with us in one way or another, in under 24 hours of course, or we'll give your prize away to someone else! Everyone else – get to entering! To win the very last of these fabulous tablets, you must: Contest begins April 11, 2PM PST, and ends May 1, 2PM PST. A winner will be announced every Monday @ 5PM PST here in the main news feed and at our official Facebook page. WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their XOOM and have it posted on the front page of AndroidCommunity.com! *Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration. )
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| CloudTalk Social Network launching for Android Posted: 25 Apr 2011 02:21 PM PDT There’s a new player in the social networking game and it promises to give a voice that 800 lb. Gorillas like Facebook and Twitter can’t … emotion. The service is called Cloud Talk, and it will be bringing to both Android and iPhone devices the ability to post voice posts, photos, videos, and if you must, text messages. The difference is, that instead of having people “follow” or “friend” you, users can invite others to join in the conversation. Then, they can either provide a voice, text, video reply in the thread.
The current version of Cloud Talk, which was originally released as Pana.ma in 2009, is available as a web version in beta, does have several of the features of the mobile apps like community content, but users sign up and get a feel for how it works. As users are invited to and add to the conversation, all others are notified of new content. It’s quite similar to Google Wave. But unlike Facebook, contributors can’t see the see others contacts or add friends. The benefits of voice and video contributions is subtly, emotion, and even comedy and sarcasm, things that can often get lost in a text reply. It also provides the complexity that can be sacrificed with an arbitrary 140 character limit. Businesses may find it ads layers that will enable for training, product descriptions, and strategies. Look Cloud Talk in both the Android Market and iTunes store starting today. [via PCMag] )
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| Reminder: We Have an XOOM Contest Going On! Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:59 PM PDT In case you missed it, in case you didn’t know yet, in case you somehow haven’t seen our reminders before, we need to tell you…we have AN XOOM CONTEST going on! We have a total of FIVE XOOM tablets we’re giving away. Two of them have already gone to new homes, and one will be given away at SlashGear.com today, but there is still one week left to win an XOOM from Android Community. You still have two more opportunities to win an XOOM, that super awesome Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet, with NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 dual-core processors. The XOOM is just waiting to go home with you. 1. "like" us on Facebook: facebook.com/androidcommunity.com Contest begins April 11, 2PM PST, and ends May 1, 2PM PST. A winner will be announced every Monday @ 5PM PST here in the main news feed and at our official Facebook page. WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their XOOM and have it posted on the front page of AndroidCommunity.com! *Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration. Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. One entry per contest per person. Family members of Google and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified Android Community Facebook page; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. One entry per person (and yes, we check). Winners of the April 2011 SlashGear XOOM giveaway are ineligible to win the April 2011 Android Community XOOM giveaway, and vice-versa. Contest provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizing provided by NVIDIA. Any questions regarding this contest should be directed to chris@androidcommunity.com. )
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| Cyanogen Gingerbread Mod adds Droid support with bug fixes Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:40 PM PDT A new update of Cyanogen 7 has been released, fixing a few bugs, adding a few new features, and bringing Gingerbread to the Motorola Droid. The new release, CM7.0.2, offers a built in theme engine, GPS fixes, a fix to the proximity and light sensor, as well as tablet and notification tweaks. The release comes fresh on the heels of 7.0.1 which was announced at the beginning of the month. But users complained of several bugs and the mod was prompted pulled and polished to get it ready for prime time.
Droid, and other users looking to bring Gingerbread to their phones can get the new ROM at Cynogen’s mirror site here. Users are advised to use ROM Manager to install the ROM. And if you’re using a previous version, you should get a notification that a build is ready for your device. One thing though, is that this may be the last update for awhile, as it’s pretty stable, offers most features and baring any further bug fixes, it looks to be pretty well cooked. [via Into Mobile] )
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| Motorola sends the XT316 to FCC Posted: 25 Apr 2011 01:01 PM PDT Motorola has send their XT316 Smartphone to the FCC. The QWERTY Candybar model looks to be a solid option for BlackBerry users looking to transition to the Android platform. However, according to sources, the XT316 isn’t meant for the US, as it’s looking to head to the Chinese market in it’s initial launch. The world phone is being tested for WCDMA bands 850 and 2100, but offers no real support for US 3G networks.
And even if it were, would it be popular? It has a smaller 2.8 inch display and runs Android 2.2 (Froyo). Sure, BlackBerry users may not mind a smaller screen in favor of a hard QWERTY, but the trend is for larger screens, larger, though thinner phones. And this has neither.
But more businesses are looking to add smartphones outside of the BlackBerry to their networks and are working with Employees to make personal choices work, rather than issuing an official phone. This saves money for the businesses and keeps employees happier using their own phone. So a phone that eases the transition from BlackBerry to the Bot makes complete sense. Pity the XT316 isn’t US bound any time soon. [via Wireless Goodness] )
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| Samsung Galaxy S II commercial clevery touts slim design Posted: 25 Apr 2011 12:23 PM PDT Samsung’s latest commercial for it’s Galaxy S II Android smartphone cleverly shows just how thin it is. The commercial shows a rather irate girlfriend slamming the door on her significant other after a tiff. The BF takes a picture of himself looking squashed and then slides it under the door jam with a funny quip. Humor is always the direct line to a woman’s heart and a smile emerges.
You gotta admit, it’s a clever way to show how thin the Galaxy S II really is. And what’s telling is that Samsung didn’t appear to cheat on the door jam clearance, either, as there’s barely any. Which underscores what we said last month in our hands on, that this phone is the slimmest phone ever. And in spite of that, it’s packed with other great features. In addition to slimness, the Galaxy S II has a 4.3″ Super AMOLED touchscreen, 1GHz dual-core processor, and dual cameras including an 8MP rear facing. It runs Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread fresh out of the box with a gesture based overlay of TouchWiz 4.0. It’ll support 1080p full HD video, and according to it’s benchmarks, it’s not only the slimmest phone out there, but also one of the fastest. And it looks to launch on several carriers, including Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T, so no matter your preference, you can slide it under your door as well. [via Samsung Hub] )
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One of the things that experts say we all need to be doing to be sure that someone isn't stealing our identity and buying up all sorts of things using your good credit is to check the credit report. If you haven’t been applying for new credit cards or loans and a bunch pop up on your credit report you will know something is wrong. Equifax is one of the largest credit reporting agencies around and it has a new app to help you keep up with your credit score and protect your identity.
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