Android and Me

HTC EVO 4G to get another update in 5 days, Netflix is coming back
Netflix app gets updated, now supporting the Droid X
Will you dump your current cloud-based music service for Sony’s Qriocity app?
Gingerbread finally arrives on Verizon’s Droid 2 Global, with a ton of improvements in tow
Lookout brings update with “Safe Browsing” for premium users
BGR: Nexus 4G will arrive this Thanksgiving with a dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU, 4G LTE, and Android 4.0
You can now order the T-Mobile Sensation 4G, here’s everything you need to know
HTC: Never mind, Gingerbread is coming to the HTC Desire

HTC EVO 4G to get another update in 5 days, Netflix is coming back

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:24 PM PDT

HTC EVO 4G owners where very happy about their recent Gingerbread update. The device was running smoother than ever, and things seemed to be perfect, until EVO users tried to watch their favorite movies on Netflix. It was not nice to find out that the app was no longer able to stream movies, and the HTC EVO 4G was even taken off Netflix’s supported devices list. Not nice!

Things sure look like they are about to get better, because Android Police’s ninjas have just brought us a reason to be happy again. This leaked document states that the HTC EVO 4G will be getting yet another OTA update on June 20th, which is next Monday. This update will fix the issues with the visual voicemail notifications, the hearing aid compatibility menu, and yes, the Netflix compatibility problems.

It is definitely nice to hear that this problems is getting resolved so quickly. HTC EVO 4G users will definitely appreciate having Netflix back. Check out the image of the leaked document below for more details about the update, and hold on tight for this update, EVO users!

Netflix app gets updated, now supporting the Droid X

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 12:32 PM PDT

For a device that was released almost a year ago, the Motorola Droid X has been getting a good amount of love these past couple of weeks. The device recently got an OTA update with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and we found out that there was a way to put CM7 on it a couple of days ago. Just when we thought that the love had ended, Netflix updates its app, and now supports a new device! Yes, the Motorola Droid X is now officially supported by Netflix.

Currently Netflix playback is supported on the following phones:

DROID X by Motorola with Android 2.3

If you are a proud Droid X owner, simply head over to the market and install the Netflix app. Let us know how it works for you, and happy streaming!

Netflix Netflix, Inc. MARKET QR

Will you dump your current cloud-based music service for Sony’s Qriocity app?

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 12:19 PM PDT

In world where smartphones are always connected to the internet, the possibilities of cloud-based services are very enticing. Having to transfer your content from device to device is a hassle, and services like the Amazon Cloud Player and Music Beta by Google are changing the way we manage our media. These services allow you to upload your music to their servers, making it accessible from multiple platforms (PC, Tablet, Smartphone, etc.). For those that want more options, Sony has just released the new Music Unlimited app for Android, powered by Qriocity. How much of a competition is this app to the other services though?

One of the most important parts for the consumer is definitely price. The other services are currently offering some free options, while Sony’s Unlimited Music requires you to have either a basic, or a premium subscription. Sony’s Qriocity services will cost you $3.99/month for the basic subscription, and $9.99 per month the premium subscription. The basic subscription will give you access to your own music (which you are to sync to their servers from your own computer), as well as allowing you to make use of their “personalized channels that adapt to your music tastes and your mood” (Something like Pandora?). If you are willing to whip out $10 a month, though, Sony will give you access to their 7-million song library. Sony has set up deals with music labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI Music, along with many other independent labels and publishers. This will give you a way to access a huge library of music, while also supporting your favorite music labels and musicians.

Now lets take a look at the competition, Google Music Beta and the Amazon Cloud Player:

Music Beta by Google

Google Music Beta is currently free for all Beta testers with an invite. If you do happen to have access to it, it allows you to upload up to 25,000 songs to their servers, and access them through your computer, tablet, an smartphone. I actually use this service, and have about 7,000 songs uploaded, which translates to about 40 GB of data. This means that Music Beta users’ limit is easily above the 100 GB threshold. Not bad at all for a free service, right? It is still unknown what the prices will be after Beta testing has concluded, but surely the rates will be very competitive (typical of Google).

Amazon Cloud Player

Amazon took the stage with their cloud-based music service, being the first out of the “big boys” to release their cloud player (even though music labels gave them a hard time about it). Amazon’s cloud music services are free for the first 5 GB. After that there are multiple plans with different storage capacities. All the rate plans follow the same pattern though – $1 per GB a year (i.e.: $20 for 20 GB, an $100 for 100 GB a year).

Aside from the prices, the Amazon Cloud Player works pretty much the same as Google Music Beta. One simply uploads music to the “Amazon Cloud Drive,” and it is ready to stream via your PC, tablet, or smartphone. Simple.

Conclusion

As of now, the most affordable option is Music Beta by Google (and it will probably continue to be the cheapest after its release), but it is not available for everyone. The Amazon Cloud Player is available for everyone, but the prices and storage capacity do not compare to Google’s services.

Assuming that Music Unlimited allows you to upload an unlimited amount of data to their servers, this would be the best non-Beta service for those that want more than 5 GB of cloud storage. With the $3.99 basic subscription, you can access your songs from anywhere, while having access to their personalized channels. This service might also be very convenient for PlayStation 3 owners, because it syncs seamlessly with your PS3, and you can even get a 180 day Basic Service free trial (Only for PS3 users).

To access the 180 day Basic Service free trial, log on to your PlayStation 3 system and click on the Music Unlimited service below the Music icon. Once the application has downloaded, follow the sign up instructions.Patrick SeyboldSr. Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media

Now, if we take a look at the services that the Amazon and Google don’t offer yet, things may look completely different. If you want to take full advantage of the Music Unlimited $9.99 Premium Services, it might very well be worth your bucks. Having access to 7 million songs is no small thing, and if you are truly a music enthusiast, you probably spend way more than $10 bucks in music every month. The difference is that you won’t own the music, but if you are a loyal Sony customer and plan to keep the service for a long time, it is definitely a good deal. Sony is also offering a 30-day trial for their Premium Services, so you can test it out before handing out your hard-earned cash.

Music Unlimited is compatible with all Sony Ericsson devices (of course), but other devices are actually compatible as well. The best way to find out if your device is compatible is by testing it out, since there is no list of compatible devices yet. Head to the market to see if it works, and make sure you take advantage of that 30-day trial.

As usual, we would like to know where our readers stand. Please do let us know which service you prefer. Also, Don’t forget to check out the pictures below for a quick look at the Music Unlimited app. Share your opinions and tell us which cloud-based music service you prefer, and let us know why in the comments section.

Music Unlimited Sony Network Entertainment MARKET QR

Gallery

Gingerbread finally arrives on Verizon’s Droid 2 Global, with a ton of improvements in tow

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 10:49 AM PDT

Droid 2 Global’s users rejoice. You can now join the somewhat exclusive club of people that own a Gingerbread-powered Android device. Verizon announced this morning that Droid 2 Global users can now download the much-desired OTA update right from their phones. By pressing the Menu Key > tapping Settings > About phone > System Updates > Download, and that’s it. Thirty to sixty minutes later you’re rocking Gingerbread on your phone like nobody’s business.

Aside from the usual stability and performance improvements, this update also brings a handful of new features to the Droid 2 Global, like:

Download Manager App
App and Power Management Details
Multi-Touch Key-Chording
Improved Word Selection and Copy Functionality
New User Interface and Color Scheme
Customizable Dock Icons
Custom App Groups
Device and SD Card encryption
And a whole lot more. Which you can take a look at on Verizon’s website.

The Droid 2 Global is now part of a growing list of devices that run on Android’s latest and greatest. Still, only 9.2% of Android devices have Gingerbread. Compared that to the massive 64.6% that are powered by the year old Android 2.2 Froyo. Or the 21.2% that are still running Eclair at this point.

This is even worse than it looks when you think about the fact that Gingerbread’s source code was released seven months ago. Think about that for a second. Seven months after release, the OS is only running on 9.2 percent of all Android devices. That’s ridiculous. It’s like OEMs said: “Meh, Froyo is good enough, let’s stick with that” I don’t know if Google feels like this is a problem for the platform, but it’s definitely not helping it.

Lookout brings update with “Safe Browsing” for premium users

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 09:49 AM PDT

Lookout is probably the first app many of us download upon purchasing a new device. Well of course, one of the main concerns about Android devices is security. These powerful smartphones hold information that can ruin your life if it falls into the wrong hands. Not to mention the fact that your device’s performance and battery life can be affected if the hackers get their vicious malware into your device. Lookout has definitely earned its name and kept us well-protected from all of these harms, but today they have taken it a step further. Lookout has just introduced “Safe Browsing,” which protects you from entering malicious websites in your browser.

Safe Browsing works pretty much the same way that Lookout does when scanning your applications. It simply sits in the background, hanging out until you install an app. After installing an app, Lookout comes out and scans it, making sure that you are still safe and sound. Likewise, Lookout will now be waiting for you to attempt to access a website, and scan it real quick before letting it go through. If the website has malicious content (and/or phishing), Lookout will simply notify you that the site is dangerous, and will let you go back, or continue at your own risk.

It is simple, right? Maybe not as much from the non-consumer side, because this feature is only available for premium users. If you would like to get the advantages that Lookout’s Premium services offer, it will cost you $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year. This includes Safe Browsing, as well as all the known Premium features, like the Privacy Advisor, Remote Lock, Remote Wipe, backing up photos and call logs, and being able to restore your backed-up data to a new device.

On a side note, Lookout has also announced their new partnership with Sprint. Lookout is now available for download from the Sprint Zone and the Sprint section in the Android market, making it easily and quickly accessible. If you are not on Sprint, you just have to sacrifice those extra seconds to search for the Lookout app on the Android market.

Lookout Mobile Security Lookout, Inc. MARKET QR

Our friends at Android Central have put together a video that demonstrates how Safe Browsing works, and they even have a code that gives you a $5 discount on the 1-year Premium subscription (Find it at their site). This code is only available for the next 7 days, so use now while you can!

BGR: Nexus 4G will arrive this Thanksgiving with a dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU, 4G LTE, and Android 4.0

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 09:01 AM PDT

Here we go again. The Nexus 3 rumor mill is back in full force. This week’s rumor is brought to you by Boy Genius Report, which is now reporting that Google’s upcoming Android phone will be called Nexus 4G and will have all the following goodies:

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Dual-core 1.2 GHz or 1.5 GHz processor. With TI’s OMAP 4460 and Qualcomm’s Krait-based Snapdragon chips as likely candidates, according to BGR.
720p HD “monster-sized” screen
1 GB of RAM
5 MP rear-facing camera with “class-leading image quality in addition to superior low-light performance”
1 MP front-facing camera
1080p HD video capture and playback
4G LTE support
Ultra-thin design
No hardware buttons

While a very impressive spec sheet, we actually have a couple of bones to pick with BGR’s report. Starting with the processor, Qualcomm’s Krait-based Snapdragon processors won’t launch on devices until 2012. This alone, brings into question the validity of this “exclusive”. But we’re nice guys, so we’ll just let it slide. But then there’s the name: Nexus 4G. Is it me or is it a little weird that Google would put “4G” on there? Even if the device does support true LTE 4G, they already have the Nexus S 4G, and it could become a little confusing for consumers. But who knows, I could be wrong.

BGR also speculates that the Nexus 4G could come to AT&T, which we’re having a hard time believing for a couple of reasons. First, just because AT&T is buying T-Mobile doesn’t mean that Ma Bell is now the default choice for the “Google Phone.” AT&T and Google are not exactly best friends, and the two companies have a long history of butting their heads together. And second, AT&T’s LTE network is not even turned on yet, and will only be available in 15 markets by 2012. Why release an LTE 4G phone on the one carrier that’s farther away from having a true 4G network ready?

Lastly, BGR says that this device might not be a Nexus-branded phone after all. Instead, it could turn out to be just the first phone to launch with Ice Cream Sandwich. Just like Google did with the Motorola Droid and Motorola Xoom. Again, BGR seems to be all over the place with this report, raising more questions than answering. But what do you guys think, should we believe this rumor or take a wait-and-see approach before jumping to conclusions? Let us know in the comments.

You can now order the T-Mobile Sensation 4G, here’s everything you need to know

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 07:43 AM PDT

That glorious day is finally here. I’m talking, of course, about the day that we’re able to get our grubby hands all over the T-Mobile Sensation 4G. Just like promised, T-Mobile is now taking orders for the Sensation 4G via its website as well as from your local T-Mobile store.

The phone is available for $199 after a $50 mail-in rebate card, if you sign up for a new 2-year contract. You can also get an extra $50 discount if you use the “SENSATION50″ coupon code at checkout. You’re welcome. If you’d rather not sell two years of your life to T-Mobile, you can get the Sensation 4G sans contract for a whopping $549.99. Good luck justifying that $500-sized hole on your bank account to your life partner, though.

If those triple digit numbers scare you, maybe you need one last push to convince yourself that you really need to buy this phone. Or maybe you have some doubts about it. Either way, we’ve compiled a handful of articles below that will help you make an informed decision.

HTC Sensation officially announced, coming to T-Mobile this summer (Update: launch event video) http://goo.gl/m8WsY
Android's big summer showdown: HTC Sensation vs. the Samsung Galaxy S II http://goo.gl/VeI1w
10 reasons why the HTC Sensation 4G will be my next device [Video] http://goo.gl/UaxB7
HTC Sensation 4G hands-on impressions and benchmark testing http://goo.gl/rQ7y9

In case you need someone to talk you out of buying this marvelous piece of hardware, make sure to read our six reasons why you should wait for the Nexus 3. Having said that, I bet some people will fall in love with this phone and buy it anyway. If you do, we’d love to hear everything about it. Like which phone or carrier you had before buying the Sensation 4G.

HTC: Never mind, Gingerbread is coming to the HTC Desire

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:32 AM PDT

Talk about backpedaling. Not even 24 hours after HTC said that the Desire wouldn’t be getting the Gingerbread update, the company is now saying the complete opposite. Yesterday, the company blamed the Desire’s 512 MB ROM memory as the reason for the device not getting Gingerbread, saying:

Our engineering teams have been working hard for the past few months to find a way to bring Gingerbread to the HTC Desire without compromising the HTC Sense experience you've come to expect from our phones. However, we're sorry to announce that we've been forced to accept there isn't enough memory to allow us both to bring Gingerbread and keep the HTC Sense experience on the HTC Desire. We're sincerely sorry for the disappointment that this news may bring to some of you.HTC UKFacebook

Well, apparently something changed in the last 24 hours. HTC took to Facebook once again this morning and said the following:

Contrary to what we said earlier, we are going to bring Gingerbread to HTC Desire.HTC UKFacebook

Huzzah! I think. While it’s good news that Desire users will be getting Gingerbread, HTC still doesn’t explain what changed between yesterday and today that now allows the Desire to get Gingerbread. Was the ROM memory limitation just an excuse? And did they only retracted it because of the public outcry? Maybe.

In fact, some pretty big names in the tech world believe that HTC made up this limitation because they want to sell newer models. Hopefully, that’s not what’s going on here. I’d hate to see HTC start to leave devices behind just because they want everybody to upgrade to the latest gadget.

What do you guys think? Was this just a mistake from HTC’s PR department? Or is something much more sinister going on behind the curtains here? Let us know in the comments.