Android Phone Fans |
- True or False? iPhone Users vs. Android Users
- Opera Receives (and Responds) to Oprah’s Emails [Humor]
- Gingerbread Shows Up on SE Xperia X10 – Brings New Features [Video]
- Apps of the Day: Spittle Wars, Stava Cycling and More
- Would You Keyboard Lovers Ever Be Willing to Ditch the Hardware for a Software-Only QWERTY?
- iPhone Enthusiast & Long-time Gamer Reviews the Xperia PLAY
- Tiny Flashlight + LED Developer Banned From Market, Believes It Was Wrongful
- Sprint ID Pack Reveals Some New Device Names
- [Update: We Have an Even Better Tool] AirPush Detector Will Help You Figure Out Which Apps Are Obtrusively Advertising to You
- Garmin Set to Buy Navigon, Looks to Break Back Into Android in a Different Way
- A New T-Shirt From the Andy Series Sees Our Overlord as King Kong
- Building 44 Now Looks Like a Church of Android [Images]
- Apple Denies Request to Show Unreleased iPhone, iPad to ‘Copyist’ Samsung
- Plants vs Zombies is a Refreshing Take on the “Defense” Genre [App Review]
- Angry Birds conjuring up some ‘Magic’ with NFC and Location Awareness
| True or False? iPhone Users vs. Android Users Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:38 PM PDT
I came across this little graphic the other day and all I could think was, “So true!” If it’s one thing I love in Android, it’s the community. Whether it’s on Twitter or Facebook the fact that a single mobile OS could bring together people from every walk of life is truly amazing/nerdy/magical. I honestly can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve started, or people have started with me regarding nothing other than my Android powered device. For instance, I saw this guy seriously rocking an HTC Legend at Costco the other day and immediately striked up a conversation trying to get my hands on it (the phone, that is). This is in no way bashing, iPhone users. I just feel like that smartphone in general is a lot more mainstream than any one specific Android powered device. I don’t usually see people as excited about their iPhone as say someone who has the latest Android powered superphone. And that’s fine. I still think the iPhone is cool (I pretty much love anything that has a microchip in it) and I’m not trying to start a flame war here. Its just when it comes to Android power users, the ones who have fallen in love with the OS, we are the ones who tend to be a little more social when it comes to devices (as pictured above). I mean, many times it’s us, the vocal minority, who continue to shape the landscape of the mobile industry demanding the highest powered phones, latest firmware and unlocked bootloaders for the rest of the casual to benefit from. We’re the ones who get our family members on board. We’re the ones who offer countless hours of “tech support” to friends and families. We’re the ones who make a difference. Well, as much as a smartphone can make in someone’s life. So what do you guys think? Think this image is true or false? Care to share any instances (no matter how old) where you saw someone with a new or rare Android phone and maybe struck up a convo because of it?
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| Opera Receives (and Responds) to Oprah’s Emails [Humor] Posted: 14 Jun 2011 06:02 PM PDT
This is it folks. The end of an era. The Oprah Winfrey Show has finally come to a close. Now, I’m not the biggest Oprah fan in the world but I do know that if I were to send her an email asking for a pair of Hannah Montana tickets (been there, done that) I would most likely spell her name correctly. Apparently, not so much for some of her fans from around the internet. The popular web browser company Opera (one of my favorite browser apps for Android) actually receives a lot of emails from fans who misspelled the name of their favorite TV show host. An honest mistake, I know. What’s even funnier, is the Norwegian software company occasionally responds to these emails and posted some of the best on their blog in the name of good, light-hearted fun. I now bring them to you, in all their glory. Enjoy.
[Via OperaBlog]
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| Gingerbread Shows Up on SE Xperia X10 – Brings New Features [Video] Posted: 14 Jun 2011 05:23 PM PDT
I’m sure there were more than a few X10 users out there who thought Sony Ericsson may have forgotten all about them (weren’t they on Android 1.6 Donut for the longest time now?). But thanks to ThaiAndroidPhone who snapped some pics and even a quick video of a Gingerbread equipped X10, we now have an idea what SE has in store for X10 users. Besides a firmware upgrade to the latest Android dessert, the video shows us that the Xperia X10 will also be receiving a new kernel (hopefully similar to what’s already on the Xperia Arc, because that thing flies), 10 million color support and given SE’s new policy on the subject, possibly a shiny new unlocked bootloader. Lets hope we will see this update stateside and soon because if so, this phone just went from “meh” to “fly” all in about 2 seconds. [Via AndroidForums]
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| Apps of the Day: Spittle Wars, Stava Cycling and More Posted: 14 Jun 2011 03:59 PM PDT You like spitting on folks’ heads, do ya’? We don’t condone it, but we’d be lying if we said we never wanted to try it. There certainly is an app for that. And there’s one for cyclers. And paper shredders. And glob fans. I’m not exactly sure what a glob fan is, but there you go. All of these apps are ones we felt were worth taking a peek at today and it isn’t too expensive to take them for a spin. Be sure to do just that if they interest you.
SHREDroid – SHREDroid is a virtual paper shredder for deleted Android data, and a must-have for the security-conscious user. When a file is deleted from an Android device, remnants of data still exist in the location where the file was once stored. The only way to completely clear an old file from your device’s memory is by overwriting it with new data. That’s where SHREDroid comes in. Perform a manual “shred” or schedule your device to do it automatically at an interval of your choosing. It’s simple, but effective. [Market]
Strava Cycling – Strava is a cycling computer on your Android phone and then some. The so-called “social training app” uses GPS to record your rides, map them, and provide analysis of data. The app is used in conjunction with Strava’s online community, which features leaderboards, events, and clubs to help keep you motivated and push you to your cycling limits. The app might take cycling pretty seriously, but the fun nature of its social elements just might kick riding from a hobby to an obsession for some. [Market]
Globs – It’s like any other adjacent matching game, except this one reminds us of lava lamps. And we like lava lamps. Globs does have a bit of substance to it, but it won’t offer the most original and compelling gameplay in the world. It does offer quite a different look for this genre, though, which is why it caught our eye in the first place. Grab it for $1 in the Android market. [Market]
Spittle Wars – If you’re like me, you enjoyed spitting on people in middle school. Ok, that’s totally not true. But if I ever did want to know how it would feel to spit on poor, unsuspecting souls, Spittle Wars would be there to save the day. There’s one level, on top of the school building. And you can hack up a super spit that’s just as green as your father’s vomit the morning after a long night of drinking. Yea, we like it. $.96 to play. [Market]
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| Would You Keyboard Lovers Ever Be Willing to Ditch the Hardware for a Software-Only QWERTY? Posted: 14 Jun 2011 03:44 PM PDT
The hardware keyboard has all but gone the way of the dodo bird. We all know that. The good news is that there are still some phones out there with hardware keyboards. The bad news is, that phone is never 100% right for you. (And, really, no phone is.) It seems that only mid-range phones are being equipped with keyboards these days, though. OEMs and carriers likely do this to attract the texters, but there’s still a market for business professionals who miss their Blackberries. A good amount of our vocal fanbase love the high-end phones, though, and the last two monumental high-end releases with physical keyboards have been the Samsung EPIC 4G and the Motorola Droid 2 Others, such as the G2, Desire Z and all variants based on them, have already been phased out or are quickly headed that way. The high-end devices have clearly become outnumbered when it comes to this spec. At this rate, it won’t be long before keyboards are as hard to find as a high-end Android with stock Gingerbread, something only Sprint and T-Mobile can provide with the Nexus S Say they become impossible to find: could you live with that? Would you be able to use your screen as your sole typing device or would you be willing to get a less powerful device or switch to another operating system for a nice phone that has a hardware keyboard? Vote in the poll below, and as always, be sure to voice your thoughts in the comments area below.
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| iPhone Enthusiast & Long-time Gamer Reviews the Xperia PLAY Posted: 14 Jun 2011 02:57 PM PDT The Android vs. iPhone battle sparks intense debates between the two camps, and while I’m a full-fledged Android enthusiast, I’ve never shied away from saying Apple has a fantastic product. It’s always nice to get a fresh, honest, and objective perspective which is why I took particular notice of an article posted today at iSource.com. Thomas Wong, an iPhone enthusiast and one of the site’s contributing editors, spent two weeks with one of Android’s more quirky devices and just published his full review of the Xperia PLAY.
He calls the Playstation controls “pretty awesome overall” but thinks the Playstation experience is tarnished by a lack of decent titles. Some things he loved, like the convenience of an LED indicator light, and he was impressed by both the camera quality and battery life. Other things he didn’t like, for example how the touchscreen was less responsive than his iPhone 3GS. An iPhone lover. A gamer. A first time Android User. This was definitely a fun-to-read review of the Xperia PLAY.
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| Tiny Flashlight + LED Developer Banned From Market, Believes It Was Wrongful Posted: 14 Jun 2011 02:37 PM PDT
Yesterday, it was discovered that a new type of malware, being dubbed Plankton, was embedded in several applications in the Android market. Google has since removed those applications, but one developer seems to have wrongly gotten mixed up in the fold. He’s the developer behind Tiny Flashlight + LED, perhaps the most popular flashlight application in the Android market and one I consider to be the best. The developer says he’s tried contracting Google via their support form for developers, but has yet to receive a response. He tried to get his plea for help through the Android developers’ mailing list, but has only encountered other developers with the same issue. And he’s even gone to the big cheese of developers himself, Tim Bray. (Tim Bray is an Android developer advocate who works to ensure developers have an easy time on the platform.) We can’t say whether or not the developer’s account was banned along with the recent excavation of applications, but the timing would suggest as much. Google themselves have not yet confirmed whether or not the developer’s application was malicious, nor have they confirmed if the application violated any of Google’s terms of service. The developer’s reputation in the market has been strong since early 2010 when he released Bebbled. Google considered him one of the developers who helped build the Android market and sent him a Nexus One (Along with thousands of other developers. Read here if you don’t remember this gracious act.) In his words:
Unfortunately, it’s a complaint we hear far too often. It first came to everyone’s attention with the debut of the Nexus One. Because the device was distributed through Google, they held the burden of supporting those who bought one or received one for free. Unfortunately, this proved to be quite difficult and a pain for many and forced the carriers, T-Mobile and AT&T, to set up their own support channels. Google received criticism from both users and the media about being ignorant when it came to customer service and support. Some considered this criticism unfair considering Google hasn’t had to deal with that much end-user support in the past, but it was certainly fair criticism. Swinging back to the developer side of things, this show of inexperience continued. Google has removed applications long before this incident, and while we know they make a decent effort to communicate with developers over issues regarding account bans and application removals, they ultimately leave bad tastes in the mouths of coders. They have also failed in adequately communicating with developers when hundreds of them have missed out on payments because Google Checkout fails to properly handle the transaction. There are more examples, but they are simply too numerous to write here. It’s been less than 24 hours since Google has supposedly suspended the developer’s account so we can’t really say they aren’t trying, but the developer is certainly having a hard time. It might be too little, too late for the future of his application sitting amongst the top 50 applications of all time in the Android market once it’s all said and done. Needless to say, we’ve contacted Google for comment.
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| Sprint ID Pack Reveals Some New Device Names Posted: 14 Jun 2011 01:52 PM PDT
Look what just crept up from the depths of codename hell. It’s been discovered that, inside the Sprint Employee ID Pack, there are some names of devices we’ve never heard before. The only exception is the LG Optimus B, but we haven’t heard it in relation to Sprint. Here’s the full list of devices sitting inside Sprint’s juicy little pack:
The first one is self-explanatory, but would be the first time we’ve heard about anything relating to the Optimus Black on Sprint. The Samsung Chief could be the Samsung Conquer 4G, an entry-level 4G phone that was uncovered not too long ago. The Motorola Sunfire most certainly is the Motorola Photon 4G, and the LG Q, well, that one’s a bit of a mystery too (though recent rumors of an LG Optimus Slider seem to fit with the “Q” name). Three of these phones are still unofficial while one of them has been announced and is well on its way to store shelves. Let’s hope to get more details on them soon. [Android Central]
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| Posted: 14 Jun 2011 12:32 PM PDT
A while back, I wrote about AirPush and how horrible it was for the future of free applications. It’s a model that has huge potential as far as generating revenue goes, but is such a sick way of advertising. In short, even if you exit an AirPush-enabled application, they may still show you ads in your notification bar. Imagine how many people see “You have a new email” and accidentally click on it, only to be taken to the market. I think it’s wrong to be able to do this, but unfortunately, there’s no law that says developers can’t. I won’t go into my tirade – that was what the original post was for. But I am here to tell you that, should you ever accidentally download an application with AirPush and can’t figure out who the culprit is, there’s an app out there to help you. It’s called AirPush Detector and does exactly what it says. You can’t disable the functionality in your application of choice, but it’ll make finding out who’s responsible a lot easier. It’s free and worth a download if you have one of these applications but can’t seem to find out who exactly is taking over your notification bar. Find it in the market here. [via AndroidForums.com] [Update]: I didn’t know this tool existed, but now I do thanks to one of our great readers (thanks Mark!). AirPush Permanent Opt-Out is an official application from the folks at AirPush that lets folks opt-out of any advertisements. Meaning, yes, you can continue using that useful application you liked without AirPush ruining it for you. Go ahead and grab it in the Android market.
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| Garmin Set to Buy Navigon, Looks to Break Back Into Android in a Different Way Posted: 14 Jun 2011 12:08 PM PDT Remember when Garmin tried to make Android phones? Remember when they failed? Yea, that sucked. But they accepted their losses and moved on, but not before formulating a plan to jump back into the Android space in the future. We had hoped they’d treat mobile like other navigation companies and focus on releasing an Android application, and with today’s news that they’ve purchased German firm Navigon, we hope they’re inching closer to that.
Navigon has earned themselves a loyal following on Android with unique features that can’t be found in everyone’s favorite (and free) offering, Google Maps. Even with their expensive asking price, $50-$60, users have adopted it quite well, with some swearing by the company’s solutions. The beauty here is that Garmin doesn’t have inexperience in this field – they have been a king in the navigation field for years and have the technology at their disposal to make great applications for Android. Adding Navigon to their stable will only strengthen their already impressive muscles. We’re not exactly sure what they’ll be doing in terms of Garmin-branded solutions in the Android market, but for the time being, Navigon will continue being Navigon and Garmin will reap those rewards. Read on for full press details.
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| A New T-Shirt From the Andy Series Sees Our Overlord as King Kong Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:22 AM PDT
Ready for another t-shirt from the cool Andy line? Our friends have come up with yet another cool design, this time depicting our mascot as King Kong atop the Empire State Building. He’s swatting down Apple-branded airplanes as Steve Jobs tries to call for help on his iPhone. Unfortunately, he’s not holding it right. Teehee. You know the drill, folks: $18 + $5 for shipping, ships June 2oth. Head over here to preorder yours.
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| Building 44 Now Looks Like a Church of Android [Images] Posted: 14 Jun 2011 11:17 AM PDT
We love building 44. From the outside looking in, it was once an ordinary looking building. Then Android came along and Google dressed the front lawn up with dessert ornaments. Everything pales in comparison to what they’ve done most recently, though. At the main entrance, they’ve put an image of our mobile overlord over the windows and columns, with antennae actually sticking out of the top of the building. It kind of freaks me out, actually. Like it’s some sort of church, or a headquarters for a small army of Androids. (Who we hear have already made a crash landing in Belgium.) Yup, looks creepy. But no less cool. [via Android & Me]
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| Apple Denies Request to Show Unreleased iPhone, iPad to ‘Copyist’ Samsung Posted: 14 Jun 2011 09:55 AM PDT
Surprise, surprise. After Apple requested to take a peak at various new and upcoming products from Samsung as part of their lawsuit against the Korean manufacturer, the legal wizards at Samsung thought it might be a good idea to ask for the same in return. Instead of revealing their unreleased iPhone and iPad designs to “the copyist” (yes, that is how Apple refers to Samsung in the most recent filing), Apple responded with claims of harassment. Come on, Samsung. You didn’t really think they would show you theirs if you would show them yours, did you? [via AppleInsider]
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| Plants vs Zombies is a Refreshing Take on the “Defense” Genre [App Review] Posted: 14 Jun 2011 09:48 AM PDT I’m sure many of you folks know just how good Plants vs Zombies is, especially if you were able to get it for free the day it launched courtesy of Amazon. I thought I was exhausted on the defense genre, but the folks at PopCap give a refreshing spin on it. Will it be worth your coinage and roughly 74 MB on your deice’s storage?
PremisePlants vs Zombies combines two of my favorite things: zombies and the task of defending a homefront. (You didn’t think I was a huge fan of plants, did you?) You use various plants and tools to fight off hordes of hungry zombies and you defend your house and everyone in it. Yes, plants. I thought it was whacky when I first heard of it a long while ago, but I gave it a shot and, honestly, I might like plants more than I like guns. You use sunlight, not money, for weapons and ammunition. And you don’t even have to be outside fight the horde off. How awesome is that? GameplayAs I touched on before, you use sunlight to “buy” or “grow” plants. You’ll get a small amount of sunlight every now and then from the game, but you can also plant sunflowers (who could have guessed it?) to get more. Once the zombies come, you have to strategically plant your flora to successfully defend the house behind them. At the end of each level, you may receive a card that’ll unlock a new plant for you to buy. Some plants sit there and shoot peas out of their mouths, some are used for defending other plants, and some are used for more awesome things like taking out a group of zombies with an explosion that any arsonist would be proud of. The best thing about Plants vs Zombies is that you don’t just go on for levels and levels doing the same thing with enemies getting more numerous and powerful each time.
PopCap switches things up with mini games throughout, such as a game where you go bowling to rid your lawn of the undead. They also add new dynamics to levels, presenting you with swimming zombies that you need to defend an entirely different way. And unlike other defense games, your enemies evolve just as much as your weapons do. As you go along, you’ll encounter smarter enemies like ones that can pole jump over any obstacle you set in front of it, making it necessary for you to change your gameplan up on a whim if a timed bomb or a shield you plant is on the same column as the jumper. Things can get hectic as time goes on and will intimidate those who aren’t too good at these types of games. You’ll fail a lot as you get further, but patience is your last resort with a game like this. This doesn’t make the game bad, it’s just challenging (and, to be honest, we need more challenging games). Replay ValueYou get 50 levels, encountering mini games and numerous changes to your stable of weapons and the zombies trying to attack you along the way. Through the 50 levels, you’ll defend 5 different areas, including a rooftop, your front lawn, your back lawn with a swimming pool and more. Folks complain that 50 levels is too short, but if you’re a strategical noob like I am, it’ll take quite a while to get through all of them. Unfortunately PopCap has not committed to updates that add new levels, weapons or zombies. PresentationThe game looks good. Graphics are 2D, but sprites and levels are high in quality and animation looks good. Despite the fact that the game is 2D, some devices may have trouble running it on higher levels with more plants and zombies. The listing on Amazon has the full list of devicies confirmed to not work well with the title. Sound is good, too, though I would have liked a bit more variation in the zombies’ groans and growls. Music is alright, but I did turn it off after a while.
VerdictPlants vs Zombies for Android absolutely is a homerun from PopCap. It translates well from the consoles to the smaller screens and it’s a game that can be a quick pick-up-and-play experience or hours-long brain-craving fests. And for some folks, long sessions won’t be an option as it can quickly get addicting as you make your way from level to level. As I said, you’ll love the unique curveballs this game throws at you if you like tower defense games. Amazon has the game exclusively for $1.50 and it’s worth every cent of that. But this is a sale price (normal price is $3) so now is the time to jump on it if you weren’t able to get it for free (and yes, that means we totally recommend you download it).
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| Angry Birds conjuring up some ‘Magic’ with NFC and Location Awareness Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:57 AM PDT
As if you thought Angry Birds could ever give you a reason to put down your mobile phone, Rovio has revealed plans to implement new “Magic” gameplay elements that will have you stopping to play Angry Birds more than ever. The new system will come as a future update to all versions of Angry Birds and will use NFC and location-awareness technology to unlock new content such as levels and items. The NFC portion is simple. Bump your phone with a friend’s to reveal new content or share levels items. The location-based gameplay is where things have a potential to get pretty interesting. “Magic locations” will be designated, and each of these locations will introduce a new gameplay element while you are in their vicinity. Rovio is starting out with their Mighty Eagle. They will virtually dispatch the eagle to various locations, and when you arrive you might just find the big bird ready to soar. It’s a pretty cool concept that seeks to add value to the actual mobility of a game. Not only can you take Angry Birds wherever you go, but where you go will change gameplay. Look for the feature in future Angry Birds updates. [via Droid Gamers]
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