Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Android Community

Android Community

HTC Sensation featuring a Swype-like keyboard called HTC Trace

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:23 AM PDT

The HTC Sensation is sure to make a splash in the Android phone market, it is a great all around device. You can see it with our Hands-On here. Something that everyone missed during the Sense 3.0 UI tour most of you saw was a feature or app called HTC Trace. HTC is introducing what appears to be a Swype-like keyboard with the Sensation, and it should be ready when the phone launches in June.

This is news to us, we didn’t see any sign of this back when HTC first showed everyone the Sensation in London. From what I understand this will be a Sense 3.0 feature and will only be available for Sense 3.0 devices such as the EVO 3D. Although I do see the community and devs at xda getting this on any other device very shortly after it is released. They are good at things like that.

This news coming from our friends at Android Central, they got to see this feature that was yet to be revealed, and for that, we thank you. Like we said above, this should be on all Sense 3.0 devices and possibly will be coming to other HTC phones also, as HTC did mention “pieces” of Sense 3.0 would make it to others versions and older devices. So we will see as that time comes.

[via AndroidCentral]

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Android passes Apple, now has more Free apps in Market

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 11:06 AM PDT

App store researchers Distimo, known for researching and gathering factual data on app stores and reporting some accurate information on all things Apps have just released their latest publication. Taking a close look at all the app stores but more importantly to us, the Android and Apple markets. According to their report, Google’s Android Market has now passed Apple and is now offering more free apps than the Apple App Store.

This is big news considering Apple has been talking down on Android and its apps for a long time, take this Jobs. According to Distimo, Google's Android Market currently offers 134,342 free applications for download, while Apple's App Store for iPhone offers 121,845 free applications. This is not taking into account the paid apps, as Apple has far more paid apps than Android. This is based on free apps.

Obviously Apple’s App Store is the largest of its kind, but Android and its market is hot on its heels and is gaining ground fast. The report also mentions that the App Store was one of the slowest stores in March of 2011. Overall Apple still has a strong lead on the overall size of market, but things are looking better and better for Android every month. With all the tablets on the way to shelves things will only keep getting bigger and better. For the full story check out the link and download the latest publication from Distimo.

[via Distimo]

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Google Docs comes to Android, does everything great

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 10:41 AM PDT

Google Docs has been around for a while, and most people seem to really love it. I’ve always wondered why we didn’t have a dedicated app for Android for Google Docs, but worry no more. It is now here and available in the Android Market already. It is pretty awesome if I don’t say so myself.

For anyone that has used docs they know how convenient and easy to use it is, that has always been one of the strong aspects of it, not to mention it being portable as can be. Now you can create, edit, upload and share your docs from your phone with the Google Docs app. Sure sounds nice huh?

Some are even saying the app has better account switching than what is currently available in Chrome. That is good news, to see great features being used so easily in the mobile app. I can’t wait to try this out on my Motorola Xoom. Oh and for those that might need this feature, you can take a photo of a document right inside the Google Docs app and make it a document, easy as can be with no 3rd party apps or things needed. It took a while to get here, and now we know why. Google did their best to make sure it was as smooth as the regular version, and they delivered.

[via TheNextWeb]

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T-Mobile G2x lacks quadband HSPA+, so much for AT&T 3G

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 09:47 AM PDT

The T-Mobile G2x has been a popular device as of late, and ever since we first saw it we reported it as being a quadband capable device, just as the spec sheet said. These specs were even listed right on T-Mobile’s very own site, but we now have new information that sadly proves otherwise.

We have been wondering about this ourselves and have seen it posted around several forums and twitter. People have tried unlocking their G2x phone and testing with AT&T SIM cards and everything. Now it looks like our friends at Engadget have got a response from T-Mobile to put this finally to rest. There is no quadband support.

The T-Mobile G2x fact sheet, attached [PDF link], contains accurate information. The T-Mobile website is incorrect and we’re working to correct it. The G2x supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz for 2G/GPRS only, and supports 3G/4G UMTS/HSPA+ bands I and IV. The G2x does not support AT&T’s 3G bands. This banding is hardware based.

Not only is this bad news, but it sounds like a pretty major #fail on T-Mobile’s part by including wrong information on spec sheets everywhere. It was just too good to be true when we first saw this considering AT&T is in the middle of acquiring T-Mobile and that would be great for a device to work on both. Sadly it looks like that is wrong even though we, and many others reported it back when we first saw the specs of the G2x. For now, enjoy that shiny new phone as Android 2.3 Gingerbread is “Coming Soon”.

[via Engadget]

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Verizon’s 4G LTE Network Down Nationwide

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 09:35 AM PDT

Verizon’s 4G LTE Network is down nationwide, forcing those with an HTC Thunderbolt or a 4G hotspot to suffer along with near dial-up speeds. According to Verizon’s twitter feed, the Thunderbolt is able to do voice calls, but data is running at 1xRTT data. The outage comes just one day before the DROID Charge, Verizon’s second 4G phone, hits the network. Verizon has said they are hard at work to fix the problem. Verizon’s 4G network went down late last night, and though it doesn’t affect 3G devices, the Thunderbolt has been booted down to extremely slow speeds. There is a fix, however, that will allow the Thunderbolt to get back up to 3G at least.


Verizon Wireless has posted two updates on Twitter so far:

Others on Twitter have said that they have lost timezone settings on their Thunderbolts.

Here is the fix to get the Thunderbolt up to 3G:

How to Fix 4G Outage on HTC Thunderbolt

Dial ##778#
Press Call button
The password is 000000
Choose Edit Mode
Go to Modem Settings
Choose Rev A
Switch from eHRPD to Enable
Press OK
Commit Modifications

Keep in mind you'll likely need to change this back to get your phone back to normal after the nationwide Verizon 4G LTE outage is fixed.

Here is a video that shows the speeds that are currently happening in San Francisco:

[via GottaBeMobile]

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Qualcomm/BSQUARE MDP Giveaway at SlashGear!

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 09:27 AM PDT

Qualcomm and BSQUARE have just announced the Mobile Development Platform (MDP), the latest developer smartphone with the Snapdragon MSM8660 1.5GHz asynchronous dual-core CPU. It is for sale now, but it doesn’t come cheap as it is for development purposes, not daily use. Lucky for you guys SlashGear has one to give away, you could win this MDP device worth $1,350.

Our sister site SlashGear is lucky enough to be able to give one of these amazing developer phones away for FREE. Head over to the SlashGear Facebook Page and make sure you click “like”, then leave a comment on the wall telling us why the MDP should be yours, maybe tell us what you plan to use it for, or what app you may be working on. Oh and comments must include the hashtag #MDP or they will not be counted when SlashGear chooses a winner.

This is someones chance to win a pretty unique device that would be awesome to have, oh and did we mention it costs $1,350 for those looking to purchase it. Yea, that makes this one pretty cool giveaway. Get yours hands on the future of Qualcomm and that super speedy 1.5 Ghz dual-core CPU device now. Make sure to “like” SlashGear on facebook, and while you are there you might as well also check out and “like” AndroidCommunity also. Remember we have a Xoom Contest going on.

Good luck!

Giveaway Rules:

Contest begins April 27, 8:00AM PST, and ends May 2, 6:30PM PST. Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. One entry per contest per person. Family members of Qualcomm, BSQUARE and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear 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).

The winner will be announced on SlashGear and will be expected to contact SlashGear via Facebook; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, Qualcomm, BSQUARE and SlashGear/Android Community.

Prize consists of one BSQUARE Mobile Development Platform device. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and BSQUARE reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value. Contest provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizing provided by BSQUARE/Qualcomm.

[via SlashGear]

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T-Mobile Seattle Speedtest Challenge with $1,000 up for grabs!

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 09:09 AM PDT

$1,000 dollars says the Galaxy S 4G is faster than your iPhone, that is what T-Mobile has been saying as of late. They are putting that money where their mouth is and are offering it up for any iPhone that can beat the Galaxy S 4G in a best of 3 speedtest competition at select T-Mobile stores in Seattle. See below for more details.

This challenge is for the Seattle area only and it is a pretty unique one indeed. According to the T-Mobile blog this will be going on both Friday April 29th, as well as Sunday May 1st. Don’t think this is a little scam and it is just a select store, it is at any of the 10 participating stores in the Seattle area. So they are basically saying Seattle hands down can beat any iPhone, on AT&T, or Verizon, they will take on both.

This is for download speeds and will be the best of 3. If your iPhone gets 2 faster download speeds, that cash money is all yours. Will you be trying this challenge on your 3G iPhone 4? They mention to check out the T-Mobile Blog for live action and updates from the challenge. I am interested to see the results the in-store Vibrant 4G will be getting and compare it to my G2x, as it is also a 4G device on T-Mobile. For now that is all, good luck all you 3G iPhoners, if we have any of you around here.

[via T-Mobile Blog]

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Qualcomm Augmented Reality Platform gets commercial release

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 07:57 AM PDT

Qualcomm has released the commercial v1.0 build of its Augmented Reality Platform, enabling Android app developers to integrate AR into their software. The Qualcomm AR Android SDK and AR Unity Extension allow for games like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots as shown at Uplinq 2010.

Beta versions of the AR Platform were released last year, with Qualcomm demonstrating an interesting augmented reality photo frame concept which used the camera on Android handsets to identify different displays and then easily change what was being shown on them. This v1.0 release of the SDK now means developers can release apps commercially using the technology; Qualcomm says they’ll work on any Android 2.1+ device, though suggests that performance will be stronger on those using Snapdragon chipsets.

Qualcomm’s AR Platform is available to download at developer.qualcomm.com/ar now. There’s a demo of the AR photo frame concept below.

Press Release:

Qualcomm Announces Commercial Release of its Augmented Reality Platform

Platform Enables Android Developers to Create and Distribute Vision-based AR Applications

SAN DIEGO — April 27, 2011 — Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced the immediate commercial availability of its Augmented Reality (AR) Platform for Android smartphones. Offered through Qualcomm's online developer network, this 1.0 release marks the successful completion of the Company's beta program. Developers can now build, market and commercially distribute applications based on the Qualcomm AR platform.

Qualcomm's award-winning AR platform will enable a broad range of experiences that entertain, engage and inform consumers with a new form of interactive media. The platform's rich feature set enables developers to build high-performance, interactive 3D experiences on real world images, such as those used in print media (books, magazines, brochures, tickets, signs) and on product packaging.

The platform supports multiple development environments. The Qualcomm AR Android SDK supports native Android development with the Android tool chain, including the Android SDK and NDK. The Qualcomm AR Unity Extension supports rapid development with the Unity 3 game development tool. A web application is also included for creating and managing image resources that can be used with either development environment.

Industry-leading performance is achieved through Qualcomm's innovations in advanced computer vision algorithms and close integration of hardware and software. The effect of this performance is a higher fidelity user experience in which graphics content appears more real against the real world background. While applications built on the platform will run on all Android smartphones using Android 2.1 or greater, optimal performance will be exhibited on phones using Qualcomm's Snapdragon™ chipset.

"Qualcomm has a long history of providing advanced technologies that drive innovation and opportunity for the mobile ecosystem," said Jay Wright, senior director of business development, Qualcomm. "We continue the tradition by making leading AR technology widely available to developers for commercial use. With more than 6,000 registered developers, we look forward to a new generation of AR applications available in the Android Market and other application stores."

Qualcomm and BigPlayAR recently collaborated with the Dallas Mavericks to introduce the first commercial application using Qualcomm's platform. Mavs AR, a game developed by Big PlayAR, has enabled fans attending the Mavs playoff games at American Airlines Center to point their smartphone running the Mavs AR application at their ticket to play a virtual basketball game in the palm of their hands.

"We are thrilled with Mavs AR – it has really added a new layer of fun and interaction to the Mavs fan experience," said Mavs owner Mark Cuban. "Based on the game's success, we expect to use AR for future fan promotions, and Qualcomm's AR platform has demonstrated itself as a powerful platform for creating these types of 3D experiences."

The Qualcomm AR Platform is available immediately at developer.qualcomm.com/ar

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American Airlines offers new app for Nook Color

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:32 AM PDT

This week the Barnes & Noble Nook Color eReader received an update that brought to the Android-powered eReader the ability to run apps, check email, and a lot more. The update was the big official step in turning the eReader into a fully functioning Android tablet. There will be third party apps offered on the Nook Color too and American Airlines has announced one of the first.

The airline has its app available on the Nook Color right now. The app is already offered on other Android and Apple devices. On the Nook Color, the app will allow the user to check flight notifications, view flight details, check status and schedules, access mobile boarding passes, and monitor standby status. The app also allows the user to track their AAdvantage accounts and enroll in the program.

Other features include terminal maps and the app has Sudoku installed as well to give the user something to do while waiting in the terminal. This is the first airline app specifically for the Nook Color. “We’re delighted to be the first airline offering an app on NOOK Color,” said Rick Elieson, Managing Director – American Airlines Interactive Marketing. “We know it’s increasingly important for customers to have useful travel tools when they’re on the go, and making our app available to NOOK Color customers is another step in our efforts to give customers what they value.”

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BSQUARE Mobile Development Device packs 1.5GHz Snapdragon MSM8660 [Video]

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 06:21 AM PDT

BSQUARE and Qualcomm have got together and produced a new Mobile Development Device (MDP), this time based on the new 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon MSM8660 chipset. An Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone intended to help developers test and optimize their apps for the new, asynchronous SoC, the MDP has a 3.61-inch touchscreen, 13-megapixel rear camera and 16GB of internal storage.

There’s also 1GB of RAM, a front-facing 1-megapixel camera, a microSD card slot, HDMI port, USB On-The-Go support and the usual mixture of WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. BSQUARE also preloads several system-monitoring apps, including Qualcomm’s Adreno Profiler for optimizing 3D graphics performance and Trepn Profiler for optimizing app power consumption.

Unfortunately this sort of platform doesn’t come cheap, and the BSQUARE MDP is a lot more expensive than your average Android smartphone. It will go on sale from today, priced at $1,350.

[via SlashGear]

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Google looking to hire a new manger for Games at Google division

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:26 AM PDT

The number of reasons to use a smartphone that runs the Android OS are many from web surfing to business use. One of the most compelling reasons for a smartphone to many users is mobile gaming. Games like Angry Birds and others have graphics that are on par with some of the best portable game consoles. Google is set to start a new push into the gaming market and is searching for the perfect person to lead the charge.

IntoMobile reports that Google is searching for a new product manager to lead the new Games at Google business unit. The new business unit will reportedly be operated out of Google’s Mountain View HQ. The product manager will reportedly be responsible for designing the strategies used for game distribution and discovery. The manager will also focus on player identity, game mechanics, and other things.

It’s not clear if this is some internal effort by Google to build games on a first party nature or if this new product manager will be tasked with working with game developers. There is no word on when the new Games at Google initiative will launch at this point. IntoMobile thinks that the manager might be tasked in part with being sure Android games work on Chrome.

[via IntoMobile]

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Viewdle SocialCamera auto-tags friends for easy Facebooking [Video]

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 05:21 AM PDT

Social networking integration is one of those elements that pushes Android ahead of the pack when it comes to smartphones, and Viewdle reckons it can make things even better with its new app, SocialCamera. A free photo app, SocialCamera allows you to instantly share images with Facebook, Twitter and other networks, using a carousel of shortcuts.

It’s actually the auto-tagging which is more interesting, however. After you’ve given SocialCamera an initial lesson as to who your friends are, subsequent shots are auto-tagged with their identity.

The video below explains it more thoroughly, or you can just download and try it yourself. Viewdle SocialCamera is a free download from the Android Market.

Click here to view the embedded video.

ss-2-320-480-160-0-4bec798916bce7a538826db11afada51b5bf6a2a ss-1-320-480-160-0-34f3787e19ec41f284ff338723f92fc69749e464 ss-0-320-480-160-0-07ea97d36c4ddf4a30c6a1f92d1c3d150a3e8a9a

[via TechCrunch]

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More HTC Doubleshot details surface

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 02:45 AM PDT

I really love it when details of unannounced handsets surface by way of geeks that pour through user agent profiles. These are long lists of text that unveiled a few little details here and there about what the smartphone will be like. We still don't have an actual photo of the Doubleshot to go along with the new specs that have surfaced, but a bit of info is better than none. The last time we talked about the Doubleshot was back in early March when it was tipped to be heading to the T-Mobile network.

The latest info that surfaced gives us a bit more to go on and may pique your interest for the new smartphone. The user agent profile shows that the smartphone will have a physical QWERTY keyboard and no soft keys. The smartphone runs Android Gingerbread for the OS. It will support JavaScript and has a pixel aspect ratio of 1×1. The screen resolution for the Doubleshot is 480 x 800.

Other features tipped include sound output and the device will accept text and voice input. Other details that Pocketnow reports are gleaned from an online benchmarking tool include a 1.2GHz CPU, a 6MP camera with HDR capacity. The publication also thinks that the Doubleshot name may refer to a 3D camera the phone has. Other features include WiFi and Bluetooth. The phone may hit T-Mobile in July.

[via Pocketnow]

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Qik Video Connect adds cross-platform Android & iPhone video calls [Video]

Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:37 AM PDT

Qik has launched the latest version of its video calling app, Qik Video Connect, promising cross-platform calls between Android and iOS devices. The new app – a free download – now allows you to see your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad 2 owning friends as you mock them for not having the latest Android.

There’s also video mail, the ability to share videos with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking sites, and support for the front and rear facing cameras on most devices. Qik has also boosted video quality and reduced battery life impact, and some phones – Samsung Galaxy Tab, Samsung Galaxy Player, Samsung Galaxy S, and Telus Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate 4G – will offer VGA quality streaming when done over WiFi.

You’ll need an Android 2.1 or above device in order to use the app – or of course an iOS device. Video mail is only free until June 1 2011, however, and will be a subscription service after that.

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PowerSkin Battery-Boosting Cases Now Available for an Array of Androids

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 03:04 PM PDT

Smartphones these days are getting more and more powerful, but sometimes that power does put a strain on battery life. PowerSkin has been providing a solution to this in the form of smartphone cases that offers shock-absorbing protection and doubles battery life while at it. Today they announced new PowerSkin cases for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, Samsung Vibrant, and Samsung Galaxy i9000 and i3000.

The PowerSkin is a one-piece case that is impact-resistant and made of soft silicone rubber. It is rechargeable and lightweight with an on/off button and LED battery status light. PowerSkin first launched its battery-boosting smartphone cases last month at the CTIA Show in Orlando and have since been adding to their line up of cases for more and more Android devices. We will be getting one to test on our HTC Thunderbolt very soon and will let you know it it delivers as promised.

PowerSkins are available at T-Mobile stores as well as at most online retailers such as Amazon. PowerSkin pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G, the Samsung Vibrant, HTC HD7, HTC HD2, Samsung Galaxy i9000, and i3000 are all $59.99. Pricing for the HTC myTouch is $49.99.

BONUS: There’s a whole ‘nother big list of devices this little bit’o'magic will be working on right here – and note: we’re getting a rather important one in to test very soon: HTC ThunderBolt. Will it relieve our ever-so-slightly annoying short battery woes? We shall see!

PowerSkins will be available for:
myTouch 4G
HTC HD7S
HTC HD7
HTC HD2
Samsung Galaxy i9000
Samsung Galaxy i3000
Samsung Galaxy S 4G
Samsung Vibrant
HTC Evo 4G
HTC Inspire 4G
HTC Desire
Motorola Droid X
Motorola Droid X2
Samsung Nexus S
HTC Thunderbolt

Press Release:

PowerSkin's® Battery-Boosting Smartphone Cases Now Available for Samsung Galaxy S 4G, Samsung Vibrant, Samsung Galaxy i9000 and i3000

Modesto, CA – April 26, 2011 – PowerSkin® continues to roll out its line of shock-absorbing cases that double battery life, announcing the immediate availability for the Samsung Galaxy and Vibrant series.

"PowerSkin® dominates the market for smartphones powered by Android," said David Becker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at PowerSkin® / XPAL Power. "With the launch of the Samsung PowerSkin® and upcoming skins for all the popular Android-based phones like Droid, HTC and others, we're confident our new line will fill a gap in the Android space, providing much-needed power to these users."

PowerSkin® smartphone cases, designed to address the protection and power issues consumers face, launched last month at the CTIA Show in Orlando. Features included in all PowerSkin® cases:

• One piece tough case is impact-resistant
• Soft silicone rubber
• Provides twice the power
• 100% recycled case (except for the battery & internal components)
• Rechargeable
• Lightweight smart battery technology
• On/Off button
• LED battery status lights
• Patented XPAL Powered™ battery technology extends phone life up to 8 hours

PowerSkins® are available in T-Mobile stores along with most major E-tailer sites like Amazon for the Samsung Galaxy S 4G ($59.99), Samsung Vibrant ($59.99), HTC myTouch 4G ($49.99), HTC HD7 ($59.99) and HTC HD2 ($59.99); the Samsung Galaxy i9000 ($59.99) and i3000 ($59.99) are available via international carriers.

To learn more about PowerSkin® products, contact Jennifer Reiss at 305-576-1171 ext. 44 or via e-mail at jenniferreiss@maxborgesagency.com, or go to www.Power-Skin.com. Follow PowerSkin on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PowerSkinCases and on Twitter.

About PowerSkin®

PowerSkin® silicone cases with built-in batteries provide twice the power for your smartphone, featuring sleek, protective designs that fit your phone and fit your style. PowerSkin® is XPAL Powered, meaning it's charged by patented battery technology that reflects the highest standards for safety, quality and performance. Designed to be your go-to, go-anywhere, go on-and-on power source, PowerSkin® has got you – and your phone – covered. For more information, visit: www.power-skin.com.

About XPal Power

XPAL Power, a subsidiary of TennRich International, is a California-based corporation with its sales and marketing team located in the United States. The TennRich design team is located in Taiwan, and the company-owned factory in Shenzhen, PRC is the first factory in China to focus on rechargeable lithium polymer batteries and is currently one of the largest manufacturers of portable power packs in Asia. The XPAL Powered™ seal stands for quality, safety and efficiency – a guarantee that these traits are inside every product that authenticates through the XPAL verification service. XPAL Verified™ is an authentication process that underscores our commitment to quality, using complex algorithms to detect and transfer battery serial numbers to verify its legitimacy – a safeguard customers can trust. For more information, please visit www.xpalpower.com.

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DROID Incredible 2 Unboxing and Hands-On at SlashGear

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:42 PM PDT

Vincent Nguyen has just done an unboxing and hands-on of the DROID Incredible 2 over at SlashGear. We at Android Community have our own hands-on coming tomorrow, but in the meantime, here is a preview. The Incredible 2 seems slightly familiar, resembling the European HTC Incredible S. It features a 4-inch Super-LCD WVGA display, great battery life, and a distinctive industrial design. Read on to see more details, photos, and the hands-on video.


This Incredible is running Android 2.2 Froyo, but since the original Incredible is tipped to be getting Gingerbread soon, there might be hope for an imminent upgrade. But the Incredible has HTC Sense wrapping everything up, so it's hard to tell the difference, and the 1GHz processor keeps things moving reasonably briskly. Not too many dual-core CPU intensive apps have hit the Android Market, though when that happens the single-core Snapdragon in the Incredible 2 may start to look underwhelming. This device is also 3G, unlike the 4G LTE Charge. However, the Incredible costs $100 less.
verizon-droid-incredible-2-01-SlashGear-471x500 super-amoled-plus-vs-super-lcd-1-580x418 verizon-droid-incredible-2-09-SlashGear-580x400 verizon-droid-incredible-2-15-SlashGear-580x413
Next to the Super AMOLED Display on the Droid Charge, the Super LCD looks much duller. When we do our full review, we will get more details, speeds, and information.

Meanwhile, check out our hands-on video, and keep an eye out here on Android Community for our hands-on of this handset and the Incredible S as well.

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TouchWiz 4 ported to Samsung Galaxy S

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 02:27 PM PDT

The gang at XDA can’t be stopped. This time, taking TouchWiz 4 and they’ve ported it to the Samsung Galaxy S. Now before you think, “oh cool, I’ve been wanting to do the whole rooting ROM thing,” give it a second thought. The average user just cutting their teeth on custom ROMs may want to stay clear or at least wait on this one, it’s not for the faint of heart.

Being in it’s early stages, the launcher is admittedly unstable. The poster, Fear2142, is looking to see what custom ROMs it works on so he can create a master list. Essentially, he’s looking for beta testers to risk their rigs to see if it works. But looking at the video below, the overlay looks pretty slick.

So far, ROMs tested have been pretty successful. The partial list includes RomKitchen Bet 2.1, deoxed JVK, deodexed stock xwjvb, Crikselo Rom v37, and several others. To install, take the file attached to the XDA Forum post and install it using recovery. Copy the files using root explorer and wipe the dalvic cache. If you think you have the chops to do it, remember to backup your phone before hand.

[via Sam Firmware]

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DROID Charge unboxing and hands-on at SlashGear

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:37 PM PDT

Vincent Nguyen over at SlashGear has just posted a hands-on and unboxing of the DROID Charge. Yes, the DROID Charge with the 4.3-inch WVGA Super AMOLED Plus display. Vince let us know that he almost cried when he saw the display. Actually, his exact words were that he wanted to “weep like a little boy on Christmas morning,” because the display was so amazing. Chris Burns will be posting his own hands-on of the Charge here on Android Community tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out Vincent’s take. Also look for my hands-on of the Incredible S right here tomorrow. Keep reading for some quick details about the DROID Charge.

The Charge is the second 4G phone in Verizon’s lineup. It does not have a dual-core processor, only the 1GHz chip that we have seen from the Galaxy S line. It’s also a bit behind on the OS, running Android 2.2 Froyo with TouchWiz on top. When we do the full review, we’ll see how that impacts the handset.

This handset has a distinctive angular shape, and a similar shiny chassis to the Samsung Galaxy S II. It feels very lightweight, and has the four Android buttons low on the fascia, which can make it tricky to hit them and hold the phone with one hand. This phone also features a dedicated search key, which we haven’t seen on recent Samsung phones. On the back there's an 8-megapixel camera with LED-flash while up front is a 1.3-megapixel camera.

Perfomance didn’t knock our socks off, so the question is whether the $300 price tag is really worth it. Is Verizon just thinking it can charge a premium for LTE connectivity? We will have to wait for the full review for the final opinion, including speed tests and battery results. But in the meantime, head over to SlashGear to see the hands on video, and check back here tomorrow for the Android Community hands-on.

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Free App at Amazon: Collapse

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:32 PM PDT

Today’s free app of the day at the Amazon App Store for Android is Collapse. Originally released as a PC game by Real Networks, Collapse is an intense spin on block clearing games. The game also adds a role playing flavor to it. Users can play seven quick game modes including Classic, Relapse, Strategy, Puzzle, Panic Attack, Continuous, and Countdown. There’s also a play quest mode.

The object of Collapse is to clear out groups of three or more blocks of the same color as the screen fills up row by row. The longer the round goes, the faster the blocks collect. Tap a group of blocks and they disappear giving points. The larger the blocks, the larger the points awarded.

Hit the wrong block and you lose points for accuracy. There’s also special blocks that can help clear blocks out including a Super Bomb that removes a three block radius, Color bomb that takes out all blocks of one color, the Row bomb which takes out entire rows, and a Cross Bomb which eliminates intersecting blocks. Scrambler reshuffles the blocks to give a better chance at grouping, and if things get too fast, the hourglass lets you pause.

Each game mode spins the block collection meme with new challenges. Block collisions, strategy, and a marathon challenge to see how long you can last. Users can also customize the look and style of your hero’s outfit, quest for blocks in another land, and battle foes like Blocktopus and Blockula. Fun and free, Collapse will cause you to waste some precious time, but not mind doing it!

[via DroidGamers]

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Samsung Galaxy Ace gets Gingerbread update

Posted: 26 Apr 2011 01:02 PM PDT

Tsar3000.com and Sam’s Firmware have leaked a Gingerbread ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Ace. The update, which Samsung is developing is for theS5830. It was leaked to commemorate the one year anniversary of Sam’s Android partnership with TSAR3000. But as always, these early beta leaks aren’t perfect and users are advised they take their phones into their own hands when tasking it.

Several forum users are reporting that the update on the Ace is definitely faster, but it does have WiFi connectivity issues that need to be worked out. But most users haven’t run into any problems whatsoever. And the good news is that graphics performance improves.

As always, you’re likely voiding any warranty you have left by flashing your ROM. And users are advised to unroot their phones and backup their data before attempting. Some users advise also using SuperOneClick v. 1.6.5 to root before installing. And there’s an informative tutorial on how to flash and root the Ace on XDA Forums. Also, one user reported bricking his phone when fiddling with the ROM manager. So following directions to the letter.

[via XDA Forums]

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