Android and Me |
- Droid Charge by Samsung will add a new Droid to Verizon’s stable
- HTC Merge pre-loaded with the new Amazon Appstore heading to Cellular South
- HTC Incredible S heading to Virgin Mobile in Canada
- Mozilla Launches Firefox 4 for Android, mobile browser war heats up
- Amazon unleashes Amazon Cloud Player, streaming music to the web and Android devices
| Droid Charge by Samsung will add a new Droid to Verizon’s stable Posted: 29 Mar 2011 06:37 PM PDT The phone formerly known as the “Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone” has settled on the much more memorable moniker of the Droid Charge and according to the image above which was uncovered by PocketNow it will be sporting a shiny new stylized eye as further evidence of its Droid lineage. Why Verizon deigned to grant it the coveted Droid status, while leaving the Thunderbolt out in the cold is anyone’s guess, but it does perhaps explain the delay in committing to its name. For those that don’t remember this phone; the Droid Charge impressed us at CES with its solid build, stunningly beautiful 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus screen and of course the blazing fast Verizon 4G. The two knocks against it were the now less than screaming fast Hummingbird processor and the fact that it will launch with Android 2.2. With those caveats in mind, if you aren’t particularly sold on the need for the dual-core power of the Droid Bionic I would advise at least taking one of these for a spin at your local Verizon retailer (whenever they get around to launching it) as the screen is gorgeous and it also offers a very distinct feel from the rest of the early 2011 lineup on Big Red. Any screen enthusiasts looking forward to the Droid Charge or is the slightly outmoded processor and less than stellar OS upgrade record for Samsung enough to keep your wallet holstered?
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| HTC Merge pre-loaded with the new Amazon Appstore heading to Cellular South Posted: 29 Mar 2011 02:13 PM PDT Anyone remember the HTC Merge? It turns out that Cellular South is planning on launching the Android 2.2 handset next month for an undisclosed sum. The HTC Merge is essentially a twin to Sprint's HTC EVO Shift 4G with HTC Sense and a pretty decent slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The one thing that will really stands out on the HTC Merge from Cellular South is that it will be the first handset to launch with the Amazon Appstore pre-installed. The Amazon Appstore is probably the best third party app store for Android devices, but we're hoping that the HTC Merge on Cellular South will also include the official Android Market. The official press release mentioned some of HTC's custom software that will be on the Merge, but it does not mention Gmail, Google Maps, or any other the other Google apps we all enjoy so much. Let’s hope they simply forgot to mention the Google Apps and Services since an Android phone without Google doesn’t seem to have the same appeal. Show Press ReleaseCellular South Unveils Plans to Offer HTC Merge™ – World's First Smart Phone Pre-Loaded with New Amazon Appstore for AndroidCarrier's First Android World Phone Combines Full QWERTY Slide-Out Keyboard With the Power of Android 2.2 OS, HTC Sense™ Experience, 3.8-Inch Display and 5 MP Camera RIDGELAND, Miss.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cellular South, the largest privately owned wireless communications provider in the U.S., today announced plans to introduce the new HTC Merge, its first Android world phone and the first smart phone in the world to come pre-loaded with the new Amazon Appstore for Android. "Together with Cellular South, we are committed to helping customers navigate through the thousands of available apps to find those that are the most relevant to them. We aim to give customers a refreshing and unique app shopping experience." The HTC Merge Android-powered touchscreen smart phone combines a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard with the Android 2.2 operating system, HTC Sense user interface, a large 3.8-inch touchscreen display and a 5 megapixel camera to create a complete mobile experience. "We're excited to add our first Android world phone to Cellular South's growing suite of Android smart phones and tablets as we continue to build on our promise to deliver the wireless industry's best Android experience," said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for Cellular South. "Coupled with the new Amazon Appstore for Android, the HTC Merge is the perfect device for customers who are looking for a reliable mobile experience with the features and functionality of a smart phone, whether it's at home or traveling around the world." Cellular South is the first wireless carrier in the world to feature the new Amazon Appstore for Android on a smart phone. The Amazon Appstore helps consumers find, discover, try and buy Android apps using its easy and convenient shopping experience. One Touch Access To New Amazon Appstore Customers can shop in the Amazon Appstore for Android from any computer using a Web browser or download the Amazon Appstore application directly to their Android smart phone or tablet. When customers purchase an Android app from the Amazon Appstore, they can use the app on any of their compatible Android devices. The Amazon Appstore also is offering customers a paid app for free every day. The Amazon Appstore for Android includes popular Amazon features like personalized recommendations, customer reviews, one-click payment options and detailed product descriptions, including screenshots and video content that show the apps in action. All apps will be Amazon-tested before they are made available in the Amazon Appstore. "Amazon Appstore for Android is a new and convenient way to shop and discover new Android apps for your smart phone or tablet," said Aaron Rubenson, category leader for the Amazon Appstore. "Together with Cellular South, we are committed to helping customers navigate through the thousands of available apps to find those that are the most relevant to them. We aim to give customers a refreshing and unique app shopping experience." Cellular South customers will appreciate the HTC Merge's seamless integration with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync®, enjoy quick and easy access to Flickr® for sharing and viewing pictures, and find new ways to customize their experience with Amazon Appstore. With a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, customers will be able to keep in touch with friends and family no matter where they are, as well as stay in the loop with Flickr, Facebook® and Twitter™ updates through HTC FriendStream™. In addition, the HTC Merge smartphone has a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash that captures outstanding images, while 3G connectivity makes sharing those special moments with friends and family quick and easy. The HTC Merge smart phone also comes with integrated GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity and even the ability to capture high-definition 720p HD video. Availability The HTC Merge will be available next month. Pricing for the device has not been set, but will require a two-year service contract and data agreement. HTC, the HTC logo, FriendStream, HTC Merge, and HTC Sense are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. About Cellular South Cellular South is a diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation's largest privately owned wireless communications provider accomplishes this goal by optimizing customers' app experience through Discover Apps, providing the most reliable and advanced high-speed nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information on how to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information about Cellular South and its products and services, visit www.cellularsouth.com or www.facebook.com/cellularsouth and www.twitter.com/cellularsouth.
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| HTC Incredible S heading to Virgin Mobile in Canada Posted: 29 Mar 2011 11:45 AM PDT Our friends up north should be thrilled to learn that the HTC Incredible S will soon be heading to Virgin Mobile Canada. The European version of the Incredible S has been floating around for a while, so it's not surprising to see a North American release of the handset creeping up on us. According to the Virgin Mobile inventory system, the Incredible S will cost $499.99, but we are a bit disappointed that we won't have a launch date to go along with the price tag. If you've not into the no-contract plans from Virgin Mobile, keep in mind that Bell has plans to launch the HTC Incredible S on April 4th. Without a contract, Bell will be selling the handset for $499.95, but we're pretty sure they'll be knocking off a few hundred dollars for anyone willing to sign their life away with one of their infamous three year contracts.
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| Mozilla Launches Firefox 4 for Android, mobile browser war heats up Posted: 29 Mar 2011 09:03 AM PDT Today must be the day for major app launches, or something. Mozilla just officially dropped Firefox for Android in the Market, available for download now. The mobile version of Firefox includes a lot of the bells and whistles we know from the desktop version, like tabbed browsing, add-ons, themes, and bookmark syncing. Well- bookmark syncing might not be a fair title. They call it Firefox Sync, which provides seamless and secure access to personal data across desktop and mobile devices, including browsing history, bookmarks, open tabs, form data and passwords. They’re also boasting a speed boost, saying, “Firefox is up to three times faster than the stock browser on Android.” Which, at this point, is something I’ve yet to experience for myself. I’ve tried Firefox a few times through the develop process and found it pretty clunky. And while the version I tried today seemed a bit snappier, overall it still felt a bit cumbersome. As I downloaded it I thought I should test this browser out all day. But after literally a few minutes I was running back to my trusty Dolphin HD [or insert your preferred browser here, I'm not here to argue the details]. If you want some more Firefoxiness, you can find the market link and QR code above, or check out the handful of screens and video below. Quick update: I’ve also noticed our site doesn’t load the mobile version when using Firefox, which I assume means they’ve not included “Android” in their user agent string. I’ll look into it later today and try to push a fix to make sure Firefox users and getting served the correct version of the site.
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| Amazon unleashes Amazon Cloud Player, streaming music to the web and Android devices Posted: 28 Mar 2011 11:25 PM PDT While the rest of us have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of upcoming Google Music, Amazon has been sitting around twirling their mustache going Yes, yesssss. Unleashed a couple of hours ago, Amazon Cloud Player The entire thing is powered by Amazon Cloud Drive  Music from the cloud As mentioned, the Amazon Cloud Drive gives users 5GB of storage to start, but includes a full year of 20GB storage with your first Amazon MP3 album purchase. If you’re looking for even more space they’ve got a full range of expandable options and pricing, but at this point it looks like the smart move is to just purchase an album and score a cool 20GB. The app itself is pretty simple (and solid). The whole thing has been rolled into the Amazon MP3 app. When you first launch, you’re presented with a simple choice: Store or Player. The player lets you play the music in your Cloud Drive and on your device and the store lets you purchase songs directly into your Cloud Drive or right onto your device. The entire process is amazingly smooth and the music streaming sounds pretty solid. Amazon is even streaming the music at the original bit rate, providing completely better playback quality than some other services I’ve tried in the past. The player provides persistent play controls that follow you to any screen in the app allowing seamless playback as you browse. Some of the graphics didn’t quite look ready for prime time on my high-res Nexus S but overall it’s an impressive first launch (well, second launch, this is technically Amazon MP3 2.0). If you’re interested, you can hit the market link and QR code above, check out our handful of screen captures below, or see the full Amazon press release below that. Also, I gotta ask: what do you guys think of all this? Does Amazon have a bunch of your MP3′s headed their way? Show Press ReleaseIntroducing Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon Cloud Player for Web, and Amazon Cloud Player for Android Buy anywhere, play anywhere and keep all your music in one place Start with 5 GB of free Cloud Drive storage – upgrade to 20 GB free with purchase of any MP3 album SEATTLE, Mar 29, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the launch of Amazon Cloud Drive (www.amazon.com/clouddrive), Amazon Cloud Player for Web (www.amazon.com/cloudplayer) and Amazon Cloud Player for Android (www.amazon.com/cloudplayerandroid). Together, these services enable customers to securely store music in the cloudand play it on any Android phone, Android tablet, Mac or PC, wherever they are. Customers can easily upload their music library to Amazon Cloud Drive and can save any new Amazon MP3 purchases directly to their Amazon Cloud Drive for free. “We’re excited to take this leap forward in the digital experience,” said Bill Carr, vice president of Movies and Music at Amazon. “The launch of Cloud Drive, Cloud Player for Web and Cloud Player for Android eliminates the need for constant software updates as well as the use of thumb drives and cables to move and manage music.” “Our customers have told us they don’t want to download music to their work computers or phones because they find it hard to move music around to different devices,” Carr said. “Now, whether at work, home, or on the go, customers can buy music from Amazon MP3, store it in the cloud and play it anywhere.” Store Music for Free Customers automatically start with 5 GB of Cloud Drive storage to upload their digital music library, and those who purchase an Amazon MP3 album will be upgraded to 20 GB of Cloud Drive space. New Amazon MP3 purchases saved directly to Cloud Drive are stored for free and do not count against a customer’s storage quota. Adding Music to Cloud Drive Amazon’s easy uploading process makes it simple for customers to save their music library to their Cloud Drive. Files can be stored in AAC or MP3 formats and will be uploaded to Cloud Drive in the original bit rate. Customers can hand-pick particular songs, artists, albums or playlists to upload or simply upload their entire music library. Cloud Player for Web Customers who have a computer with a Web browser can listen to their music. Cloud Player for Web currently supports Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari for Mac, and Chrome. Cloud Player for Web lets customers easily manage their music with download and streaming options. Customers don’t need to worry about regularly updating software on their computer to enjoy music, and Amazon MP3 customers can continue to use iTunes and Windows Media Player to add their music to their iPods and MP3 players. Cloud Player for Android Cloud Player for Android is now bundled into the new version of the Amazon MP3 App; it includes the full Amazon MP3 Store and the mobile version of Cloud Player. Customers can use the app to play music stored on their Cloud Drive and music stored locally on their device. Features include the ability to search and browse by artist, album or song, create playlists and download music from Cloud Drive. Secure Storage Customers never need to worry about losing their music collection to a hard drive crash again. Files are securely stored on Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) and each file is uploaded to Cloud Drive in its original bit rate. Customers can buy music anywhere and know that their MP3s are safely stored in Cloud Drive and accessible from any device. Store More than Music Cloud Drive allows customers to upload and store all kinds of digital files; music, photos, videos and documents can be stored securely and are available via web browser on any computer. In addition to the 5 GB of free storage, customers can purchase storage plans starting at $20 a year for 20 GB.
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allows users to stream a library of 5GB (upgradeable to 20GB) of music to the web and Android devices, all for free.
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