Android Phone Fans |
- Sprint Users: Are You Having Issues With Your Google Voice Integration?
- Notes on the Samsung Infuse 4G: App Sideloading on AT&T, 21Mbps Data Speeds
- Access Your Android Phone from Your Browser Using LazyDroid
- LastPass Hacked: The Last Password App You’ll Ever Use
- Official: Samsung Infuse 4G Coming to AT&T May 15th for $199
- Verizon Begins Roll Out of HTC Thunderbolt Update
- Hit-and-Run Victim Captures Crash on His Android Phone
- Google IO Giveaway: It’s Already Yours! [CONTEST]
- Google Earth Gets Optimized for Honeycomb Tablets
- iSyncr for Android Helps You Sync Your iTunes Library Over USB or WiFi Effortlessly
- Digital Stylus for the HTC Flyer Priced at $79.99 at Best Buy
- T-Mobile Bringing Unlimited Data to $70 Prepaid Plan May 22nd
- Sony Ericsson Officially Announces the New Generation of Xperia Minis
- imo’s Instant Messenger Client Gets Pretty Nice Update
- Download: HTC Sense 3.0 Lockscreen for Select EVO ROMs
| Sprint Users: Are You Having Issues With Your Google Voice Integration? Posted: 05 May 2011 05:01 PM PDT
It was only a few days ago that Sprint’s Integration with Google Voice went live and was available for all Sprint customers. Well, its been a few days since then and Engadget is reporting that some Sprint users are having some major technical issues. Some of the many problems include activating their mobile number onto to their Google Voice account, completely crippled Google Voice accounts, people you call granted access to your voicemail, and other general weirdness. What seems to be really setting these people off is a complete lack of tech support from Sprint, who is sending affected users over to the Google Voice Forum where there is nary a soul in sight to actually help anyone with their questions (as so often is the case with Google services). I’ve noticed a lot of these problems stem from someone porting their mobile numbers over to Google Voice and then trying to undo it for whatever reasons. So definitely think hard before you dive head first into into Google’s Voice integration with your Sprint account. Attempting to go back could open a whole new can of worms. I personally haven’t had any of these specific issues after porting my mobile number over to Google Voice account but there was definitely some work involved in getting everything setup correctly as far as Google Voice settings go. Because of this, I’m definitely not going to be announcing this integration over Facebook for fear that my “noob” friends and family will encounter all kinds of problems. As we like to do so often here at Phandroid, we would like to hear from you guys. Have any of you Sprint users experienced any hiccups associated with porting your mobile number over to Google Voice? And if you haven’t yet taken advantage of the new service, are all these problems making you think twice about taking the plunge? [Via Engadet]
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| Notes on the Samsung Infuse 4G: App Sideloading on AT&T, 21Mbps Data Speeds Posted: 05 May 2011 02:47 PM PDT
Although much of the attention is place on the big and beautiful 4.5-inch screen of the Samsung Infuse 4G, don’t forget the “4G” part of the name. Though AT&T has released other “4G” handsets — the Motorola Atrix and HTC Inspire — the Infuse is the first to be specced at HSDPA Category 14, making it the first of the lineup capable of 21Mbps data speeds. The Atrix and Inspire with HDSPA Category 10 are capped at 14.4Mbps. In case you were wondering, the Infuse carries HSUPA Category 6, capable of 5.76Mbps upload speeds. The Infuse 4G is also responsible for another first: it is the first Android handset on AT&T to support app installs from third-party sources. Rather than locking down the Infuse and keeping users relegated to the Android Market, AT&T has once again enabled the ability to toggle apps from unknown sources in the settings menu. Fingers crossed this doesn’t somehow change before the May 15th launch date of the phone. [via Engadget, Android Central]
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| Access Your Android Phone from Your Browser Using LazyDroid Posted: 05 May 2011 01:58 PM PDT
What LazyDroid does is create a remote server that allows you to connect to your Android phone via your desktop browser. The result feels a lot like Motorola’s Webtop functionality found on the Atrix 4G, except it isn’t device specific and doesn’t require any expensive accessories. And even though it is only in its first release candidate, it works pretty flawlessly. Browsing files works like a charm. You can see all the goodies on your phone’s storage and SD card, organize your folders, and download documents and images onto your desktop from your handset. It takes remote file browsing to a level of ease and simplicity that is much welcomed. So you’re browsing files remotely and a text message comes in. A notification pops up, the new message is retrieved. You can respond directly from the browser. Calls are handled differently. You can’t answer or place calls directly from your computer, but you will get a notification and provided your phone is close enough you can answer. Speakerphone is automatically triggered and you never miss a beat. There is plenty more to like about LazyDroid, including remote streaming from your Android camera. Create a baby monitoring system, a low budget security cam, whatever your mind can conjure up. The number of useful features jam-packed into LazyDroid is pretty unbelievable.
LazyDroid is not without its flaws. The rather limited Android app is simple and provides only basic settings, but crashes pretty often (particularly if you try to view the app in landscape mode). There is no on/off toggle within the app — once it’s launched it’s launched. For the security-conscious, the app does at least offer the ability to set a password for your remote server. So if you’re feeling like a lazy droid or just looking for the ultimate way to remotely manage your handset while using your computer — a multi-taskers dream come true — LazyDroid is the app for you. Grab it in the Android Market from the link below. Android Market Link: LazyDroid
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| LastPass Hacked: The Last Password App You’ll Ever Use Posted: 05 May 2011 01:49 PM PDT It can be overwhelming remembering all your different passwords (and you should use different passwords) for various websites and services. LastPass aims to make that easier on you by storing all your passwords and allowing you to access them with one master password. Only what if someone were to get that master password?
You’d be screwed… and that’s exactly what LastPass is saying might have happened to their customers. Perhaps they should change their slogan:
Of course LastPass also has an Android Application that allows you to carry all your passwords around with you, auto-fill logins/passwords in the browser, add/update secure notes and more. If you’ve currently got LastPass installed on your phone, it means you probably use LastPass services, which mean your data may have be compromised and you should probably start changing some passwords around. Uninstalling that app might not be a bad idea either and I’m sure they’ll be getting some bad ratings in the market because of this. Having one location for all your passwords sounds helpful, but it also becomes the Fort Knox of data theft opportunities and if the bad guys get ALL your passwords, you’re pretty screwed. In this particular case, the company may be reacting to a false alarm:
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| Official: Samsung Infuse 4G Coming to AT&T May 15th for $199 Posted: 05 May 2011 01:39 PM PDT
Today at a press event in New York City, Samsung and AT&T unveiled the only pieces of information missing from the Samsung Infuse 4G’s rap sheet, the pricing and launch date. If you are awed by the Infuse 4G’s 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and 1.2GHz CPU, you can get your hands on the new TouchWiz smartphone come May 15th for a measly $199.99 (on a two-year contract). As an added bonus, an exclusive version of Angry Birds comes packaged with the device. We’ve seen this handset previously at both CES and MWC, and the size and clairty of the screen offers a pretty breathtaking experience. Of course, big, beautiful screens often translate to poor battery life, but we haven’t had enough time with the Infuse to know if this holds true on this device. Now if Sammy could just get around to bringing that Galaxy S II here in the States.
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| Verizon Begins Roll Out of HTC Thunderbolt Update Posted: 05 May 2011 01:25 PM PDT
Here ye, HTC Thunderbolt owners. The software update we first caught wind of last Friday is now rolling out, according to Verizon’s Twitter account. The roll out will take place in stages, as per usual. If you don’t get it right away you will simply have to wait for the update to be pulled down to your handset and the installation prompt to appear. Once installed, the update will bring along enhanced 3G connectivity, improved GPS response, and fixes for messaging bugs. Let us know when you get yours. [via DroidLife]
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| Hit-and-Run Victim Captures Crash on His Android Phone Posted: 05 May 2011 01:08 PM PDT
While driving away from dropping off his son at daycare, the Knoxville resident’s car was clipped by an unknown driver who sped away following the accident. The entire incident was captured through the lens of Bender’s Android smartphone thanks to DailyRoads Voyager, an app that acts like a blackbox for your car. The app automatically records video and photos of your driving journeys, but only saves important events based on user input or the sudden shock caused by an accident. The perpetrator of the crime has not been captured, but police are using the video as evidence to aid in their investigation. If you want to keep track of your own driving, hit up the Android Market link below. Android Market Link: DailyRoads Voyager [via WBIR]
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| Google IO Giveaway: It’s Already Yours! [CONTEST] Posted: 05 May 2011 12:04 PM PDT
Whatever it is, YOU have the chance to win it and entering couldn’t be easier. That’s right, assuming Google includes members of the press in their giveaway (they have the past two years), whatever they give to me, I’ll be giving to one of you. HOW TO ENTER
STAY SUBSCRIBED? Do yourself a favor and try out a couple editions of our weekly newsletter. There is SO much Android news it can be overwhelming, but each week we’ll boil it down for you and hook you up by:
WHAT WILL GOOGLE GIVE AWAY? This is your chance to say “I told ya so”! Vote in the poll but if you’ve got a specific hunch as to what Google will be giving away at Google IO… leave a comment!
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| Google Earth Gets Optimized for Honeycomb Tablets Posted: 05 May 2011 10:55 AM PDT
A new version of Google Earth is now available, fully optimized for the larger screen real estate provided by tablets and ready to roll on Android Honeycomb. The update brings fully textured 3D views of buildings to make your virtual sight-seeing tours more true-to-life, while the larger screen affords for a new action bar to search and navigate through various layers. When using Earth on a tablet, additional information layers will pop-up on on top of earth view, such as user photos via Panoramio. You can download the new version of Google Earth to your Honeycomb tablet now. Follow the Android Market link below. Android Market Link: Google Earth [via Google]
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| iSyncr for Android Helps You Sync Your iTunes Library Over USB or WiFi Effortlessly Posted: 05 May 2011 10:39 AM PDT
Many converts from the iPhone look for solutions to keep their iTunes library seamlessly synced up with their phones without much of an effort. Third party applications providing this functionality is nothing new, but they often require the user to use a new media management application such as DoubleSync. You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to ditch iTunes in order to enjoy powerful media management, though, thanks to iSyncr. I’d go as far as saying it’s even better than the native iTunes and iPhone syncing mechanism and you’ll quickly forget about that “other” phone. iSyncr is very simple to set up and easy to use. The base application works much like the iPhone/iTunes hookup as it uses your USB port to transfer files to and from your phone. Once you mount your microSD card, you can open the iSyncr application that sits on your microSD card on your desktop computer. (They have versions for Mac OSX and PC.)
From here, you’re presented with an interface that’ll allow you to select which playlists you want to sync. Going deeper than that, you can have it only sync items that are checked in iTunes, select the name of the folder the music will be sycned to, and you can have it delete any files on your phone that are not present in the playlists you choose to sync. Once you get everything the way you want it, just hit the sync button and you’re off. It takes a while on your first sync if you have a ton of content, but this is true with any syncing solution. That functionality isn’t what impressed me, though – it’s the WiFi add-on that’ll make you wonder why Apple had never thought of implementing wireless syncing for the iPhone. With my phone and my MacBook always being on the same WiFi network, I figured it was worth the extra 99 cents to be able to sync my playlists without having to even touch my laptop, perfect for podcast listeners who have episodes of their favorite shows automatically downloading them as they’re released. You do have to set up a server application on your PC, but this is extremely easy and you won’t have to fuss around with it much afterward. As soon as you connect the device to sync, you’re presented with a list of your iTunes playlists. From there, just touch the ones you want to sync and hit the start button. I had over 1,000 songs to sync and it did so without fail. (Though it did take very long.) After your initial sync, though, the experience will be such a bliss and a joy to use.
Other features such as automatic synchronization at several intervals, photo and music upload and enhanced security (for those who anticipate syncing over a shared WiFi connection) all come together to make the experience that much more of a pleasure to use. Pros:
Cons:
There are full and lite versions available for both PC and Mac. The full version of the base app can be had for $2.99 (PC here, Mac here) while the full version of the universal WiFi add-on is $.99. The lite (PC, Mac, Universal WiFi add-on) versions of both apps limit how much music you can sync at a time. Try those out first to see if you like the functionality iSyncr provides and get the full version for even more flexibility.
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| Digital Stylus for the HTC Flyer Priced at $79.99 at Best Buy Posted: 05 May 2011 10:39 AM PDT
In order to differentiate themselves from the current tablet crop, HTC chose to go a little old school and make a stylus one of the main selling points for their Flyer slate. It isn’t just your typical stylus either, as its functionality extends well beyond simply writing and navigating around the tablet. Dubbed the HTC Digital Pen, the writing implement won’t come all that cheap either at $79.99. The price was uncovered on Best Buy’s site along with a leather combo pouch for the Flyer and pen, which sells for $34.99. Bundle the pen and case together and you even save a few bucks. Though the tablet doesn’t quite have the specs or Android version to get everyone dancing in the streets over the thing, the work HTC has done with the Sense interface and Digital Pen interaction make it well worth a second look. [via AndroidCentral]
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| T-Mobile Bringing Unlimited Data to $70 Prepaid Plan May 22nd Posted: 05 May 2011 09:56 AM PDT
For those of you who’d rather ride the prepaid wave on Magenta, listen up – you’re no longer bound to 2GB of sweet 4G goodness after May 22nd. T-Mobile has informed everyone that they’ll be allowing users on the $70 unlimited plan to now chow down on as much data as they can eat. Those of you who are more than fine with the $50 plan will be happy to know that you’ll only be throttled (on a 4G phone) after eating up 100MB instead of being forced to pay more to use more. Sweet stuff, I’d say. [TmoNews]
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| Sony Ericsson Officially Announces the New Generation of Xperia Minis Posted: 05 May 2011 09:26 AM PDT
Sony Ericsson has officially unveiled the new generation of Xperia Mini devices. Namely the ones codenamed Mango and Smultron that are slight upgrades to the Xperia X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro. From the looks of things the branding will be similar to what the predecessors had but will, of course, drop the X10 tag. They’re still smallish Androids, but pack a very nice punch for the small packages they’re in. A 1GHz processor will help users fly around Android 2.3 and Sony Ericsson’s revamped custom UIs. These will also be able to record HD video. Truly a nice sounding phone for those who don’t want to give up their smaller devices for sheer power – now you can have the best of both worlds! The Mini will be available in four colors this August, while the Mini Pro – the one with the hardware QWERTY keyboard (but identical otherwise) – has only been given a window of June. [via Sony Ericsson]
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| imo’s Instant Messenger Client Gets Pretty Nice Update Posted: 05 May 2011 09:09 AM PDT
The folks at imo have updated their application to version 2.1 and it’s not just another round of bug fixes. Many of you will find something to like in this version. They’ve added emoticons, an improved layout, the ability to change font size and the option to get rid of that pesky persistent notification that everyone seems to hate so much. A full list of changes can be had below. “imo” can be head for free in the Android market today. [EuroDroid]
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| Download: HTC Sense 3.0 Lockscreen for Select EVO ROMs Posted: 05 May 2011 08:55 AM PDT Like that ultra-cool lockscreen found on the HTC EVO 3D You’re in luck! Thanks to some leaks of HTC Sense 3.0 ROMs, developers have been able to pull the lockscreen out and package it up as an installable .APK for all with compatible phones/ROMs. The APK is as easily installable as any application, but you have to be on a compatible HTC EVO 4G ROM. Even then, some things are not yet working but the developer responsible is hard at work trying to knock those kinks out. And if you’re on a different HTC phone and would like to have this, keep an eye on your phones’ respective developer forum at XDA to see if someone will be so gracious enough to head the project up. (Or just go ahead and do it yourself.) Look above for my quick look at the new HTC Sense 3.0 lockscreen found on the HTC EVO 3D. [XDA, Thanks Deltatko!]
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Admit it, you have been there, peacefully surfing the web, your Android handset cradled in its charging dock just out of the reach of your fingertips. A text or call comes in and you just can’t bring yourself to stretch out that arm and retrieve your phone. You, sir, are lazy. Luckily there is LazyDroid, a remote access application for your Android phone. Once installed on your handset, LazyDroid provides you with an IP address and port. Enter it in your web browser and like magic, a web-based desktop appears synced with your phone’s messages, contacts, and files. If you are rooted, you even get access to a remote view of your phone’s screen.
In 2009, 
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