Android Community

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• Android Community Weekly : June 11, 2011
• Angry Birds RIO Carnival Upheaval [Full Spoiler]
• Samsung Fascinate to Receive Maintenance Update ED04
• Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY One Buck at Wirefly
• T-Mobile Giving Away 10 HTC Sensation 4G Phones FREE for Fathers Day
• HTC ThunderBolt Review [After Three Months of Daily Use]
• Virgin Mobile Wants to Sell Virgin Android
• Gateway’s Run-of-the-Mill Honeycomb Tablet says Hi to the FCC
• Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Just $0.01 at Amazon
• Vodafone Tab 10.1 Processor Speed a Mistake
• Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi Edition Hands-On
• Original Galaxy S Gingerbread 2.3.4 Update Leaks
• Huawei Shows Off MediaPad Dual-Core Tablet in Video
• ASUS Says Eee Pad Transformer to be Top Selling Android Tablet this Month
• HTC Salsa Review

Android Community Weekly : June 11, 2011 Posted: 11 Jun 2011 10:05 AM PDT It's another addition of Android Community Weekly! This past Sunday, we stumbled upon a few leaked "How-To" videos for Verizon's Droid 3; from the clips we can confirm it runs the same Gingerbread version of Motoblur as the newly updated Droid X. The HTC Sensation and Sony S2 tablet hit the FCC this week, both headed toward the AT&T network. Monday, the HTC EVO View 4G and HTC EVO 3D were priced at $400 and $200 respectively; both should be available June 24 as previously rumored. Owners of the Galaxy S II, Droid Charge, HTC Flyer, and Nexus S (2.3.4) are now all capable of make group video calls with the Fring Mobile Group video chat application. Those of you that own a Galaxy S II and enjoy making the most of your devices will be thrilled that Samsung has sent a complimentary Galaxy S II over to the CyanogenMod team; hopefully we'll see an official port of CM7 soon! In other development, the 2nd-init was ported to the Atrix 4G from the Motorola Defy; could we be seeing CM7 on the Atrix soon?! If so, you may want to snag one soon at AT&T – now on sale for $99. After seeing Looxcie up close during the CES at the start of the year, I can't wait to see the new sleek Looxcie 2 in action; from the photos it looks to be both smaller and lighter. Malware within Android software seems to be on the rise again according to NetQin; to protect your device either download the NetQin protection application, only download from trusted sites, and check your cellular bill closely and frequently. Consumers unite in a complaint to the FCC in hopes of unblocking tethering applications on the Verizon Wireless Android Market. If unlimited 4G LTE tethering on Verizon doesn't seem enticing enough, then its available use on the upcoming phones like the Droid Bionic would be remarkable. The Bionic was recently benchmarked and does indeed seem to be the first dual-core 4G LTE soon to be available on Verizon. A leaked phone teaser by LG very well may be the Nexus 3, yet no contour display seems to be present; after using the Nexus S, I sure hope it's incorporated into future models. This May's HTC sales figures proved to have more than doubled over last year's numbers; this shouldn't be too surprising — their smartphone lineup just keeps getting better. HTC is also working towards unlocking the bootloader for the Sensation 4G. I would love to see some overclocked dual-core benchmark comparisons against the Galaxy S II — especially if/when vanilla Android is ported to the Sensation 4G. News hit that the Sensation 4G will be available at Walmart for $148.88 with a new contract. Don't feel like purchasing some of those costly Android games from the market? The public may find interest in WildTangent's plans towards renting games to Android users; as of now this may only be available on T-Mobile. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 was confirmed to hit Verizon in July and became available for pre-order this past Wednesday. There is still no date available for Verizon's Galaxy S II, but a confirmation of it appearing on its network is comforting. Thursday, Motorola revealed three new smartphones; the Titanium for GSM networks, Triumph on Virgin Mobile (hands-on), and Photon 4G debuting on Sprint. A nice hands-on with the Photon 4G proves that it may be a nice alternate option to the EVO 3D after release (especially with some of the extras that will be available). Unfortunately, Motorola seems to have locked down its bootloader. Our own Vincent Nguyen performed yet another hands-on/unboxing Thursday afternoon with the all-new NOOK e-reader; this new model is much more polished than its predecessor. An official SlashGear review was put into place by Chris Davies for the HTC Salsa, a phone centered around accessing Facebook information the most efficient way possible. Chris Burns graces us with a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (Wifi Only Edition) hands-on; this "official" edition of the device has proved to be more complete than the one handed out during Google I/O. Chris Burns also gives us the rundown on how his HTC ThunderBolt handled three months of daily use. Rumors suggest an improved GTalk application may be in the works by Google that may allow Android owners to bypass SMS and MMS altogether. The original Galaxy S has an official Gingerbread 2.3.4 build floating around the net as of late for European users only. The Xperia Play is now available for $0.01 at Amazon, it doesn't really get much better than that. Don't forget to check out our reviews for the games available for it! My personal favorite is Asphalt 6: Adrenaline. )

Angry Birds RIO Carnival Upheaval [Full Spoiler] Posted: 11 Jun 2011 02:38 AM PDT Ding ding ding SQUAWK, you know what that means, time for an Angry Birds update – today’s update is to the movie tie-in game Angry Birds RIO, the expansion another chapter from the movie in what they’re calling Carnival Upheaval. What you’ll be finding here is a new bird, (one half of the two blue bird shooter you were using before,) this new bird floating normally through the sky with a several hit combo when activated. An oddball bit of fodder to be sure. Also look for this set of levels to be the most epileptic of all the levels, more seizure inducing than any level before! This set of levels includes the first half of Angry Birds RIO Carnival Upheaval, the second part coming whenever the fine folks at Rovio decide that we’re worthy of it. This first half contains 15 levels, each of them taking place on a series of carnival floats, the entirety of the street carnival on either sides of the street you’re going down. No beads allowed, no drinks either, because you’ll need to use everything in your arsenal just to pay attention to the game because there is a LOT of confetti coming down and you WILL get a headache if you look too long at the screen. You’ll find a couple new bouncy balloon blocks on the ground in several stages here, the main challenge in these levels being the surprising amount of stone blocks to break down or push for your benefit. Behold a series of levels where it’s the non-interactive environment that makes the game the hardest to play. Rovio, if you’re listening, feel free to release an update that allows you to turn OFF confetti. Second set of 15, still locked This expansion of the Angry Birds RIO game is available right this second in the Amazon Appstore and will eventually be available for everyone who does not like to use the Amazon Appstore, this availability being through the Android Market. Have at it! And if you’re looking for golden secrets, be sure to check the labeled boxes for the most part, and in at least one part a labeled beachball! Level 7-1 Level 7-2 Level 7-3 Level 7-4 Level 7-5 Level 7-6 Level 7-7 Level 7-8 Level 7-9 Level 7-10 Level 7-11 Level 7-12 Level 7-13 Level 7-14 Level 7-15 Lots of fun awaits! If you’d like to see more Angry Birds spoilers, just head to our big fat [Angry Birds Portal O' Fun] for everything you could hope to seek! )

Samsung Fascinate to Receive Maintenance Update ED04 Posted: 10 Jun 2011 11:45 PM PDT Raise the roof, owners of the Samsung device that’s won several awards for most resembles the competition, it’s time for an update party. It’s the Samsung Fascinate and it’s time for a software update. This update happens later today at some point for everyone, supposing you’re lucky, maybe in a few days from now if the update doesn’t roll out to you as fast as your compatriots in the Samsung Fascinate owners club. The way you’ll be grabbing this update is to literally wait and click the OK button when you see it pop up on your device. This update fixes two things, one of them so meta it’ll make your head spin. The first update is an improvement to call connectivity. This means that Samsung actually does intend for you to use this device as a phone – who knew? The second of two updates is in the form of improvements to the delivery of OTA (Over the Air) Software Updates. Hopefully you get this update so that you can improve how you get updates in the manner than you’ll be getting it. And what about if you don’t own the phone yet? For a full review of the Samsung Fascinate, head over to our sister site SlashGear for the post from September 7th, 2010 by our main homie Vincent. If you do happen to purchase the device you’ll have this and more than likely a few more updates waiting for you right out of the box. ALSO note that this update goes by the name i500.ED04, so if you’re having trouble grabbing it, go ahead and search the internets for that. Good luck! — thanks for the tip, Chieui! )

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY One Buck at Wirefly Posted: 10 Jun 2011 11:06 PM PDT Remember back earlier today when a bit of the ol’ sale was going on (and may very well still be going on now?) That was the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY for $0.01 at Amazon what we’ve got here now is another sale for 89 cents more, that being the Xperia PLAY again at Wirefly for a grand total of $0.99, that being also attached to a 2-year contract, but this time with Wirefly Mobile Backup Service Free for Life, plus a $25 Android Market card for games and apps. In this case you’re also looking at around $60 a month with Verizon. If you’d like to take advantage of this deal, head on over to Wirefly. If you’d like to check out that Sony Ericsson deal, head back to it. If you’d like to learn a bit more about the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY, take a look at the massive post by the name of After a Couple Weeks with the Xperia PLAY on our sister site SlashGear, also written by yours truly. That of course builds off of the initial full review we did back a couple weeks ago. This again is all about the Verizon version of this device made for the USA. If you’d like to learn more about the version of this device present in the rest of the world, have a peek at the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY review by Chris Davies over, again, at our sister site SlashGear. Then you’d more than likely like to get a look at some games, yes? Have a deep dip into our ever growing [Xperia PLAY Game Review Portal] for all the answers you seek, and remember you can always send in a request for us to review a game and we’ll very likely be able to do so. Check it out! )

T-Mobile Giving Away 10 HTC Sensation 4G Phones FREE for Fathers Day Posted: 10 Jun 2011 09:01 PM PDT I think we can all agree that the HTC Sensation is one sweet looking smartphone. You can see our review of the Sensation 4G by clicking here. We saw the words “free” and “Sensation 4G” today on the twitter page of T-Mobile had just had to share the news. Just a few hours ago @Tmobile tweeted they will be giving away 10 HTC Sensation 4G Smartphones away for FREE on Fathers Day to ten lucky people. We are not sure if this is for Fathers only, or if they are just using the busy shopping week of Fathers Day to their advantage. They also mention that more details will come sometime Monday and that we all should stay tuned. Feel free to watch the twitter feed or just make the smart choice and hang out here at AndroidCommunity for the news, as we will post it as soon as we know more ourselves. I know I will be trying to get one for myself, if needed I’ll promise to give my Father my T-Mobile G2x if I win a Sensation 4G. Would you guys do the same? [via @Tmobile Twitter] )

HTC ThunderBolt Review [After Three Months of Daily Use] Posted: 10 Jun 2011 04:34 PM PDT The review of the HTC ThunderBolt that follows is a collection of every single instance of a use of the device since March and an account of why this device remained your humble narrator’s primary device for the past three months. The reason this review is coming right this moment is that it’s finally come time to switch to a different Android device. Can you guess which handset took the champion communicator out of the hands of yours truly’s hands and replaced it with itself? Meanwhile let’s speak on why the ThunderBolt should or should not still be the top choice in the market for you, the average consumer wanting a smartphone device right now. First, let me give you some background on the events that led up to the ThunderBolt literally landing in my hands. It was a cold winter’s morning, early March by my recollection, and CTIA 2011 was SWIFTLY approaching. We had our names on the list to get the HTC ThunderBolt in for review with much time to spare before we were even allowed to speak of the handset, that also being well before the device was available on the market. Things were going good – and disaster struck. It was time for me to get on a plane to head for Orlando and the UPS package was late for arrival. The terror! The UPS man was flying out to lala land and I had bags to pack! What was a fellow to do? Luckily providence did land that handset in my hands just in time to bring it with to the Orange County Convention Center for some sweet CTIA action all week long. And it’s a good thing, too, because the device was about to save my life more than once in the severely low-action wifi pit that was CTIA 2011, this leading to my love and subsequent constant pocketing of the HTC device for months to come. First Impressions When I first took the time to inbox the HTC ThunderBolt, it was instantly apparent that this was a device that HTC and Verizon were going to be marketing as an elite device. The stark black box, embossed logos, red accents and all, this was certainly a phone that demanded attention. Upon removing the device from the packaging, I was struck by the fact that this form factor was essentially the same set of big moves HTC had JUST laid upon the Inspire 4G for AT&T. Was this to be a repeat? No way. Why? because not only did this device have one fewer giant plastic cover on the back to worry about, it had a kickstand, and inside was the then unique ability to connect to Verizon’s 4G LTE network here in the United States. This feature is absolutely paramount when considering purchasing the HTC ThunderBolt as it certainly is one of its most enticing bits, if not THE most important functionality of the handset – see tests vs Sprint’s WiMax network, also called “4G,” to learn why. The device is a classic HTC handset, it being a culmination of all of the victories and mistakes made on handsets in their lineups of the past. It’s got a gigantic 4.3-inch screen, one of the largest you’re going to get on the market before you start classifying your handset as a tablet. It’s got an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a perfectly competent tiny camera on the front for video chat. It’s got a kickstand. While the kickstand may seem trivial in comparison with the connection speed and ability to take nice photos, you’ll find throughout this review the true number of uses of one of the most intelligent additions to a handset in the history of mobile handset cellphones. Smartphones, if you will, with smart bits of hardware. Hardware You’ve got a device here that measures in at 4.75 x 2.44 x 0.56 (121 x 62 x 14 mm) and weighs a relatively light amount – not so light as to make the device seem flimsy – that being 6.23 oz (177 g). The screen is big and certainly as bright as the average user will need, definitely bright, clear, and crisp enough for the business I go about on a daily basis. I should mention at this point what I do for a living: I write and executive produce the massively popular Google mobile OS-based Android Community, working both from the home and in the mobile office, always needing to be connected to my coworkers 24 hours a day and 7 days a week just incase something important pops up, something so important to the world of Android that we’re willing to get up in the middle of the night to write about it JUST so you can be sure to get your news here on Android Community FIRST before the WHOLE rest of the WORLD. Check our our application of some BodyGuardz Carbon Fiberish armor to the HTC ThunderBolt at CTIA 2011. We later found that this was no “armor” at all, only a decorative covering, and we ripped it the heck off! To do the work I need to do on a daily basis, I need to be, first and foremost, connected. Because the HTC ThunderBolt was, at the time, the only device to be running on Verizon’s fastest in the nation 4G LTE network, I just had to have it – I just had to have it for YOU, the reader, so that I could get the messages in and send the alerts out faster than anyone else. That, and in order to get those Angry Birds spoilers up I needed to be able to download the newest version as FAST AS I COULD so I could spend an hour grabbing all the screens for your consumption. Also, since we’re talking about speed, let’s talk about that Fast Boot option you’ve got, pumped up at the last CES and tested by us – was it worth it? Perhaps not! Inside this device you’ll find a single-core processor of some decent power. It’s certainly no dual-core powerhouse, but without the need to play fantastically detailed and intricate games on the regular, the single core is more than enough. You’ll find the same thing to be true if you’re not the sort of person who overclocks their device to win the wars against all the other dual-core devices. Don’t know what I’m talking bout? If you don’t, a single core, HTC ThunderBolt’s single core to be specific, will be more than adequate for you in your daily routine. The device is molded in HTC’s soft plastic. It’s both comfortable to hold and instills confidence that if the device is dropped, it’ll only suffer minimal damage. Not that I ended up dropping the ThunderBolt 100x in the months I’ve been using it, but I will say that it’s held up to a near-perfect state during its tenure in my pocket. The display appears to have stayed in mint condition as well, of course, but a combination of the two is impressive no matter whose cards you’re dealing. The HTC ThunderBolt has a kickstand. This industrial design element is, again, one of the most vital moments in the design’s ideation process to come to fruition, it itself becoming absolutely indispensable* once a person like me (and you) uses it every single day for easy viewing and use on the work desk. The ThunderBolt’s kickstand is a powerhouse in itself, showing no sign of wear to the metal in the three months we’ve had it in our possession. The second layer of near-undetectable plastic covering the metal I can’t so readily vouch for. The back of the device has the apex of the old styles of battery covers. With just a fingernail under the top of the back and a quick tug in just the right fashion, you’ll be ready go roll out, changing your battery, SIM card, and microSD card at will. Of course you’ll need to take the battery out in order to slip the cards in or out, but still, it’s a nice simple system. That said, take a trip down memory lane with me if you will to the land of extended batteries, and the terror and glory therein: Extended Battery Saga When Vince and I were at CTIA 2011, we were both using the then-brand-new HTC ThunderBolt and Vince had picked up the super fashionable extended battery for both of our phones as well. With this battery you’re supposed to get over a day’s use, but good luck. The longest the HTC ThunderBolt ever lasted for me, even with the extended battery on, was nearly 24 hours. This is with slightly higher than normal use, of course, so it’s not entirely indicative of normal usage. Then there’s the fact that the extended battery makes the ThunderBolt look like it’s got a hunchback or that it’s a tank with no cannon. Is the ugliness and massively increased bulkiness enough to convince the critics stick around? It did for me, and look at me now! Also remember we had some massive controversy on this subject – 152 comments later and still no solid agreement! Actually after a couple of weeks after the convention in Orlando, I couldn’t stand the extended battery anymore and had to switch back to the standard back. It’s like a whole new phone now that I’ve gotten used to the hunchback. Without a doubt, this device is set to go head-to-head with essentially noone without the battery extension. What I mean by that is that you’ve got a tradeoff – longer life with an ugly hunchback, or risk that you’d be sad if your battery runs out in the middle of the day while you were holding the ThunderBolt’s stock back up to your head because it’s so very comfortable. Software This device is running what was, at the time of its release, the newest version of HTC Sense, a user interface that sits on top of Android giving the user HTC’s own unique vision of what Android is capable of. Since then, HTC has released Sense 3.0, an extremely polished version of the UI with a whole new lock screen and set of widgets. On the ThunderBolt I found Sense to be decent, but found it both more entertaining and more efficient to use ADW Launcher EX, a homescreen replacement app that works to allow you customizable options much in the same way HTC has access, they giving you Sense where ADW allows you to go essentially all-out in creating your own unique vision. PacMan Review on ThunderBolt a little over a week ago Why not root then, you may ask, why not hack the phone and take out all the apps that I don’t need, clean up the system of items I wont be using and lay down some sweet CyanogenMod 7? I’ll tell you why, see, because in order to continue to offer the readers of Android Community a clear look at what they’d be working with should they make the trip on over to the Android ownership side. That said, the ThunderBolt came out right alongside the release of the dual-core revolution – the Motorola XOOM, the Optimus 2X (aka the T-Mobile G2x), heck, what was the point of pushing this device to the limits of its processor potential when it would never top the benchmark lists? Of course we found out very recently that you don’t have to have a dual-core these days to top the charts, this proven by the masterpiece of a phone known as the Samsung Nexus S. – thanks Simms22! Then again if you’d like to see how powerful the ThunderBolt can get, know this: a kernel by the name of unboLTEd .2 already had the device at 1.8Ghz already. Regardless, the phone we’ve got here did remain stock, and thusly apps were tested and played on this out of the box ThunderBolt for months on end. One of the first oddities we worked with was the original SPB Shell 3D, a review of which you can see here, having seen this home-screen replacement all the way back at Mobile World Congress 2011. For video chat we’ve used Tango, that orange app with a big white T that you can see demoed and reviewed by us, again, at CTIA 2011 in Orlando. For internet browsing, there’s only one choice: Firefox 4, an update which was released at the end of March and we tested it with SunSpider fully. You could also use Opera Mini if you wanted too, I suppose. SmartBench 2011 AnTuTu Linpack Quadrant Advanced NOTE that it was back at the end of March 2011 that we first saw the HTC Pyramid, aka the device that turned into the HTC Sensation 4G more recently – XDA Developers had images first – little did we know that this phone would become the biggest contender for my hand vs the ThunderBolt when it was shipped out at the beginning of June. By the first of April it was known that the ThunderBolt was outselling the iPhone 4 at Verizon. When the dual-core LTE device comes out, will this change? We shall see. This device runs Android 2.2 Froyo, and the latest word is that it will get updated to Gingerbread before the end of this summer and/or before the end of June. Should we still have the device around when this happens, we’ll let you know how its insides are faring. The Camera The camera impressed your humble narrator from the start. I’ve heard whispers and yellings that HTC hasn’t always had everyone’s hand in marriage when it comes to taking photographs from Android phones, but certainly that’s a wedding that’s happened by now. Not only does this device take magnificent photos for the 8-megapixel rating it’s got, it works perfectly uploading photos to such fan-favorites as WordPress and Facebook. Behold a few examples: After three months of use though, it’s time to trade the ThunderBolt out. The reason why is that I’ve found a brand new hero phone to be using, one that, believe it or not, I like better than the LTE superstar I’ve been using for months on end. This new device is known, yes you guessed it, as the HTC Sensation 4G. This is the newest HTC device and one carrying an impressive dual-core processor along the lines of Qualcomm MSM 8260 1.2GHz. It’s a chomper. Not quite as powerful as the Galaxy S II, and much more apt to be competing with the LG G2x, but the hardware and the software are a match for my day-to-day. Wrap-Up In my opinion, the HTC ThunderBolt is a masterpiece that should go down as a landmark phone for HTC, having both the software a fellow like me needs to work and play through the day and the hardware I find to be precisely what I want out of a smartphone: large enough to provide me with a screen I could watch a movie on, and shaped in a way that’s comfortable for extended handling. Plus it’s got the kickstand, again, a better kickstand have I not seen before or since first glancing at it the moment I received it in the mail. That said, one must consider the battery situation to be large factor in whether or not one purchases this device. You’ve got Verizon’s 4G LTE network, to be sure, but because of it, seems to be the consensus, your battery will suffer greatly. Considering the extended battery is certainly an option, but this does bring the device up to comically large proportions. Does this compromise the design of the phone to a level that’s too great? Many will say yes, I say no. I’ve got any phone I’m carrying around charging in the car, at the desk, and in the wall basically whenever I’m sitting down no matter what – same for you? This phone is still very clearly the top runner for the most well-made device currently able to run Verizon’s 4G LTE network speeds. The LG Revolution and DROID Charge are nice top-tier phones to be sure, but they’re no ThunderBolts. Soon this arena will be overrun with devices able to speed along at LTE boundary-breaking accelerations, and this age of simplicity will be over. Until that day, ThunderBolt will remain victorious. )

Virgin Mobile Wants to Sell Virgin Android Posted: 10 Jun 2011 02:42 PM PDT And by virgin we mean untouched by hardware manufacturers! A spokesperson for Virgin Mobile has declared their commitment to the freedom that Android users love oh so much, through the selling of stock Android devices. While some legitimately enjoy the added features of skins like Sense and TouchWiz, many of us will tell you our favorite flavor of Android is vanilla. This statement comes hot on the heals of Virgin’s intro of the Motorola Triumph yesterday. The Triumph will be Virgin’s first high end Android phone and a pretty sexy one at that. What really tops off this cake though, is that the Triumph is the first Motorola device we’ve seen stock Android in quite some time. If you want more about the Triumph, check out our hands on. Virgin Mobile USA aims to make available devices that allow the end user to have the freedom to customize the device to their liking. We like to take a consistent approach with our Android portfolio and so we prefer to have the true Android experience loaded on all our Android phones. The above statement, courtesy of a Virgin spokesperson to PCMag.com, is big news to many Android purists. While many a customer has voiced a desire for stock Android, this is the first time we’ve seen any support for it from a major player in the Android ecosystem other then Google. I for one hope that other carriers and OEMs will follow suit and at the least provide stock Android offerings. In the mean time big props to Virgin Mobile! [via PCMag] )

Gateway’s Run-of-the-Mill Honeycomb Tablet says Hi to the FCC Posted: 10 Jun 2011 02:18 PM PDT Well looks like Gateway is looking to get in on this “tablet” thing. Unfortunately their take on Honeycomb doesn’t appear to offer much in the way of “unique.” Hiding inside what is, quite literally, a shiny black box, is hardware almost identical to many of the tablets we’ve seen so far. Unless Gateway plans on making this device pretty cheap, it doesn’t look to have much over current offerings. Unless you really like glossy plastic. If this sounds familiar stop me, but the Gateway TPA60W, as it’s called, will be sporting a 10.1″ screen atop NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 dual core processor. In addition the tablet features a 5MP and 2MP camera in the rear and front respectively, which at least puts its camera’s a bit ahead of others’ like the Xoom and Galaxy Tab 10.1. It is also sporting standard WiFi and Bluetooth radios for all your connectivity needs. Now as a lover of stock Android, I’m not saying what we need here is some OEM specific software, but the apparent stagnation in some of the Honeycomb hardware of late has been making it hard for Android tablets to compete. While the ASUS Transformer offers the awesome ability to turn into a laptop (an ability which is helping it sell quite well), there is little hardware difference between any of the current Honeycomb tablets, especially since we’ve yet to see one run on a chip other then the Tegra 2. Hopefully once manufacturers get a better handle of making tablets, we’ll start to see some of the hardware and design differences that make the selection of Android phones so great. [via wireless goodness] )

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY Just $0.01 at Amazon Posted: 10 Jun 2011 01:54 PM PDT This price is just about as good as it gets, folks, with a two-year contract attached, a device with the power to entertain and drive anti-productivity (or productivity if you hate awesome video games) all day long. This is the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY aka the PlayStation phone aka the original Android 2.3 Gingerbread hero phone, and you can have it basically for free! Go Amazon go! First of all head back to our full review of this device as it exists on Verizon, the carrier that you’ll be working with if you’d like to get this one cent deal: Sony Ericsson PLAY Review [Verizon]. Next you’re going to want to look at our extended set of app reviews for the Xperia PLAY specifically, because we’ve been going down the line and the line looks great! See: Xperia PLAY Android App and Game Review Series. Then let’s look at this deal. You’ll have to head to the Amazon listing in order to have your way with a one cent deal today, noting that you’ll also have to be paying for a Verizon data plan as you do so. This data plan will cost you at least $30 per month, then you’re also looking at a voice plan of at least $40 per month. Is it worth it? Let your heart decide! )

Vodafone Tab 10.1 Processor Speed a Mistake Posted: 10 Jun 2011 01:46 PM PDT Darn. Looks like it was just a mis-post on Vodafone’s UK website that their switch to the new, thinner model of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 would include a processor bump to 1.2 GHZ. Turns out that like the rest of the world, the UK will get their Tab 10.1′s powered by a Tegra 2. Their website had listed a 1.2 GHz processor, leading some to believe it may run on Samsung’s own Exynos chip, but the site has since been corrected. Like many of you, we were a bit confused by Vodafone’s website claiming they would be selling the thinner, updated version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 with a 1.2 GHz processor. Vodafone had previously been selling the original design of the Tab, which was taken back to the drawing board in response to the iPad 2. We reached out to Vodafone in an attempt to see what the deal was. While history didn’t make us rule out Samsung deciding to swap processors at the last minute, a friendly Vodafone rep confirmed, this was simply a mistake. That’s not to say that the Tegra 2 powering the Vodafone, as well as WiFi versions of the Tab 10.1 is a slouch. If you want to read more about how the tablet handles (spoiler: it’s awesome) then sit tight. We just got our hands on the retail version, so be sure to check it out here. )

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi Edition Hands-On Posted: 10 Jun 2011 01:45 PM PDT Behold! The thinnest and lightest tablet of them all! It’s straight outta Samsung and it’s got the newest Android system, that being Android 3.1 Honeycomb (as opposed to 3.0, that is,) and it’s coming right at cha. Know before we start in here that we’ve gotten a look at the slightly earlier edition of this tablet in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition Review, but that this version is more of a “complete” version of the tablet in that it will hopefully be free of blemishes. We’ll have our eyes glancing sideways at that while we give this masterpiece of a bit of hardware a full-on look over a full review period. Meanwhile, lets have a look! This device is Samsung’s latest greatest effort and certainly a bigtime one with a 10.1″ TFT display on a 10.09 x 6.81 x 0.34 (256.2 x 172.9 x 8.6 mm) chassis, 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor and 65536 MB built-in memory, and, although we predicted it based on previous iterations of the device, no expandable memory slots. This device carries a massive 7,000 mAh battery that we’re thinking will last us basically into infinity, and a surprisingly modest set of cameras on front (2-megapixels,) and back (3-megapixels.) The only ports you’ll be working with are the Samsung proprietary slot that transforms into USB at the bottom of the device and the headphone jack at the top. This device is part of a recent smear campaign aimed at the iPad 2, is responsible for its counterpart the Limited Edition Google I/O Galaxy Tab 10.1 getting Android 3.1 second on the market (after the Motorola XOOM on Verizon getting it first,) and it’s available for purchase right now at Best Buy for $499.99 for the 16GB variant and $599.99 for the 32GB. Hands-On with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wifi Edition You can see several of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 accessories here on video or on the slip that comes with the device, and of course, it’s smaller brother will be coming soon in an 8.9 inch screen form factor… apparently with a fatter and dimmer screen? Strange stuff! That said, lets have a look at this sassy lady! )

Original Galaxy S Gingerbread 2.3.4 Update Leaks Posted: 10 Jun 2011 01:31 PM PDT The folks over at SamFirmware.com have gotten their hands on the official build of Gingerbread 2.3.4 for the Samsung’s GT-i9000, better known as the Galaxy S. While users of the European model of the Galaxy S have been rockin’ Gingerbread since mid April, this update brings a couple handy new features to the latest major release of Android (for phones at least). So why should you update? Well we’d be happy to tell you… First let’s clear up that this is only for the GT-i9000, meaning the European version of the Galaxy S. This is not meant for, or tested for any of the American variants, and we can’t say that it won’t brick your phone if you try using it. If you DO have the original, non-carrier branded Galaxy S then this update brings all the joys of 2.3.4. Of course Google’s most publicized feature in this update was the addition of voice and video chat to Google Talk. Another cool feature is compatibility with the Open Accessory APIs. This might not matter to many people, but if you’re a techie who loves Arduino, then this opens all sorts of cool possibilities for you to play with. The less exciting, but no less important aspect of the 2.3.4 upgrade is the security fix it brings. If you remember back in May, there was talk of a security flaw in Android which could be exploited to steal info when authenticating over wireless networks. While Google says they rolled out a global fix for this to android phones, the fix was built in to 2.3.4, giving you a little extra piece of mind. So if GTalk video chat is too much to pass up, you’d like the extra piece of mind (mind you the security patch should have already rolled out to your phone by now), or you’re just feeling adventurous, SamFirmware has the download for the European Galaxy S. – thanks mobilegearz! [via SamFirmware] )

Huawei Shows Off MediaPad Dual-Core Tablet in Video Posted: 10 Jun 2011 01:02 PM PDT Huawei may not be known for the most exciting devices. What their device,such as their IDEOS S7 Slim, have been known for is making otherwise expensive tablets and phones a bit more affordable (the S7 Slim is a sub-$300 tablet). Huawei’s next tablet, the MediaPad, is a dual-core honeycomb device. Our first look at that tablet comes via a sneak peak video Huawei ever so kindly posted for us on youtube today. The slightly silly, if not awkward video, as seen below features Huawei’s “smartest, smallest, and lightest tablet ever.” Although the video give us some decent views of the back of the tablet, it leaves us a bit longing for the specs that constitute these hyperbolic claims. So far we only know that the tablet will be running a dual core, presumably Tegra 2 or the new Snapdragon chip, and it will be running Honeycomb, though we don’t know if it will be 3.0 or 3.1. Click here to view the embedded video. As its original title indicated it was an upgrade from the S7 Slim, many are assuming it will feature the same basic features of that device. These include 3G, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a front and rear camera. Obviously Huawei is rather proud of this one, but we’ll have to see if Huawei can keep the price down below its competitors with the promised upgrades. [via SlashGear] )

ASUS Says Eee Pad Transformer to be Top Selling Android Tablet this Month Posted: 10 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT For the past month or so almost all headlines regarding the ASUS Transformer (besides our coverage of its crazy overclocking) has been letting consumers know shipments had just come in. A companion headline letting you know they were already sold out seemed to always follow. ASUS execs are claiming this extreme demand, one striking up jealousy in other Android tablets, will make the Transformer the top dog. Tablets are obviously hot right now, but according to ASUS, the iPad is the only one which is as hot as their transformer. The Tegra 2 powered Eee Pad Transformer has been the only Android tablet to struggle to meet the demand for it in the same way the iPad has. While ASUS original plan was to ship 300,000 Transformers in the second quarter, they shipped 400,000 just in April and May. With the increased popularity of their first honeycomb device, while other manufacturers are cutting their supplies due to overestimating the sales, ASUS will be upping their shipments to 300,000 Transformers for just the month of June. ASUS claims this will put the transformer at the top of the Android tablets. We’ll have to see if Samsung’s sexy new Galaxy Tab 10.1 has anything to say about that when it launches nationwide next week. [via CENS] )

HTC Salsa Review Posted: 10 Jun 2011 12:16 PM PDT It’s one of the Facebook phones we found out about at Mobile World Congress 2011, hooray! What have we got here? Chris Davies over at SlashGear lets us know that this device’s dedicated Facebook button is indeed popping up from the bottom allowing us to share our entire lives without even an extra tap. Will it shine through as an HTC phone for the history books, or is it just an oddity that Zuckerberg put his face on for promotions sake alone? Only Europe can decide for now. Let’s get to reviewing! This device you can see in a bevy of posts since its initial coming out party in February. Pay special attention to the fact that this device has been moving around in the news right alongside the HTC ChaCha since birth but that its full-screen touchscreen as opposed to the ChaCha’s QUERTY keyboard half makes it a whole different creature. Initially only under glass, now out in the open – what should we be considering? Hardware This being the least forward-thinking of the two Facebook phones offered up by HTC of late, we’ve got to consider how it innovates. Beyond the dedicated Facebook button sitting under the haptic Back button, it feels rather like a HTC Legend save for it’s plastic “chin” and unibody case surround all colored in shades of purple. Lilac, if you will. This device is sized in at 4.3 x 2.32 x 0.48 inch, weighs 120g, and as Davies notes, is just as high quality in its build as the ultra-fabulous HTC Sensation (which you can see our full review of here.) The display is a 3.4-inch 480 x 320 touchscreen, dedicated camera button on the lower right hand side, volume rocker on the upper left, microUSB below that, and the lovely dedicated light-up Facebook button at the bottom front. Inside you’ll find a 800MHz chip, 512MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM, and connectivity along HSPA/WCDMA 900/2100 and quadband GSM/EDGE, along with WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0. Also A2DP support, bluetooth audio connections, along with a g-sensor, digital compass, proximity and light sensors. The display runs at WVGA which is indeed lower than high-end Sensation but right in line with the rest of the mid-range phones out today. Not a godly as the Super AMOLED Plus, obviously, but certainly a competitor in the mid-range. HTC Salsa Overview Software This device is running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread with a modified version of HTC Sense for the Facebook integration. This version of Sense isn’t the brand new 3.0 like the HTC Flyer and HTC Sensation, but it is a new one, with several items that are Facebook specific. Active lockscreen with four shortcuts just like Sense 3.0, but no animated weather, gallery of FriendStream updates. Limits come from the lower processor speed almost certainly, through lots of goodies are still present. FriendStream still does appear here, Peep for Twitter, HTC Hub, Mirror, and Wifi hotspot. The most excellent dropdown notification screen is also present, one of our favorites from any Android mod in existence. HTC Watch and OnLive streaming are not here, but unless you’ve experienced them before, you’ll not miss em. Facebook Integration The button is there, the button is very prominent, you will not miss the button unless you cover it up with a big piece of tape. In fact, the button is so prominent you’ll have a hard time NOT wanting (or wanting) to press it. Differences in the basics of HTC Sense include a change in the homescreen clock widget which now leaves weather for a Facebook status update from one of your friends. FriendStream still exists along with a smaller Friend Channel widget, but they’ve added a Facebook Chat widget with accompanying app since Salsa supports real-time instant messages through the big blue social network. You’re able to Facebook chat in a very basic way with text, and only in portrait mode. Facebook Integration Demo The button itself opens a Wall Post dialog, one that lows you to quickly post a status to your own wall or to a friend’s wall by choosing their name from a drop-down menu. Uploading photos is also possible here by taking one with the camera or by choosing one from your gallery. If you’re listening to music and hit the Facebook button, the track you’re listening to automatically shares to your wall. In the same manner, you can share which webpage your browsing, viewing a video and pressing the button allows you to upload the shot. When uploading a shot in this manner you’re allowed to create a new gallery or add to an existing gallery, changing privacy setting and tags while you do it. Long-pressing the Facebook button allows you to check in using Facebook Places. You’ll be able to choose from a list of nearby locations already registered or you can create your own with description. Google Latitude is also pre-loaded on this device, but the button does not attach to it. It’s also worth noting that there’s no Facebook Group or Page support, and you’re only allowed to be logged in as a single Facebook account at a time. The music sharing only works with the Android media player and with no other music player, and you’re not able to share a Google Maps location, app listing in Android Market, or a YouTube page from the official Android YouTube App. Things are definitely missing. Camera The back-facing 5-megapixel camera on this device shoots generally OK stills or 720 x 480 video clips that are certainly decent for Facebook sharing purposes, but that’s about it. Have a look at a video here: Then a photo shot at full resolution as well: Phone and Battery The phone on this device features only a single mic where competitors and even higher-end HTC devices have at least two for voice cancellation, and the loudspeaker here is very underwhelming. AKA this device is essentially leaving regular phone calls behind in favor of a more internet-centric future, if you know what I mean. Meanwhile the battery is at first small at 1520 mAh, but in practice with medium to high use we’ve gotten a full two days of work out of it. Whopping indeed! Wrap-Up This device is what Chris Davies and certainly a majority of the rest of our staff have agreed to as an “odd little phone.” That said, the Facebook button is more of a bit of candy on top of a device with excellent construction, two-day battery life, and a bunch of the more appealing details from HTC Sense 3.0 we’ve seen on the Flyer and the Sensation only with a much more affordable price tag. Is the Facebook button holding this device back? Very probably. On the other hand, once this device is gotten to by developers, we’re sure to see lots more action out of the button than the manufacturers originally intended. As more reviewers than just Chris Davies are sure to say that “the Facebook part of the Salsa feels half-baked,” we’re thinking that HTC will be secretly crossing their fingers for the same. Meanwhile it might be in your best interests, if you’re really in it for the Facebook, to wait for the HTC ChaCha which has a dedicated keyboard. Those looking for a solid mid-range phone that’ll give you all the Android action you could ask for from a sub-1GHz processor, go for the Salsa. It’s a mid-range bomber to be sure! Check out Chris Davies full perspective over on SlashGear. )

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