Android Community

---

• Danger Service to be discontinued for T-Mobile’s Sidekick
• Samsung Galaxy S2 for preorder at GetGoods
• Samsung Galaxy S2 available on preorder from Amazon
• Monster Madness [REVIEW] [NVIDIA Tegra Optimized Hack-and-Slash Game]
• Graffiti app turns your Android into a work of urban art
• T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate gets priced
• Google in-app payments due May 2011 tips Jambool
• NVIDIA Tegra Optimized Mini Game Guide
• NVIDIA Tegra Zone [Review] [Game Guide for Super Chip Device Owners]
• Programmable inPluse watch checks into Facebook Places
• iHear Network app turns tweets into speech for Android users
• SouthPeak Interactive announces Monster Madness for Android
• T-Mobile Germany confirms huge Motorola XOOM 3G pricing
• Motorola XOOM WiFi priced in UK
• Motorola XOOM Hands-on and Unboxing [ala Android Community]
• HTC Thunderbolt’s main delay rumored to be due to poor battery life
• Sony-Ericsson Xperia Ultimate concept emerges
• Sony WalkMan Phones return
• Samsung Galaxy S update to Gingerbread leaked
• Popcap Smartphone Study shows interesting results for Android game play

Danger Service to be discontinued for T-Mobile’s Sidekick Posted: 01 Mar 2011 11:07 AM PST An executive has leaked that T-Mobile’s Danger service for the Sidekick will be discontinued for Sidekick devices effective May 31, 2011. The Service, created by Microsoft, is what the Sidekick relies on exclusively for it’s data services. The move may be peremptory as word was recently leaked of a 4G Sidekick coming to T-Mobile soon. The new Sidekick will run Android 2.3 Gingerbread, have a full QWERTY keyboard and support HSPA+. To help Sidekick customers easily transition to a new device, T-Mobile plans to offer special deals for moving to a new device and will be announcing them in the weeks ahead. Additionally, T-Mobile has several online tools with which to export old data off what will quickly become an obsolete platform. For data export of contacts, photos, calendars, etc. from the Danger Service, T-Mobile suggests Sidekick fans take advantage of their enhanced Web tool at myt-mobile.com. There’s also an app available in the Sidekick Catalog with which to export data from the Sidekick’s memory card. Users will also be able to go to T-Mobile stores when they upgrade to a new headset and have the data transferred directly by customer service staff. Just be sure to bring along the Sidekick and any memory card to affect the transfer. The deadline is May 31, 2011. )

Samsung Galaxy S2 for preorder at GetGoods Posted: 01 Mar 2011 10:47 AM PST Another site is listing the Samsung Galaxy S2 for preorder. GetGoods.de lists the dual core Android 4G phone as being available “from KW22″ at €599 plus VAT. But what’s interesting is that it also lists the Galaxy S as running Android “3.2,” which obviously must be a typo since later in the listing it has the proper version as Android 2.3 (Ginger Bread). Another noteworthy entry is that while Clove lists the Galaxy S2 available in March, GetGoods states that the Galaxy S2 won’t hit Austria until May/June, signaling a phased European roll-out for Samsung. The Galaxy S2 will run on 4G/LTE networks on HSDPA and HSUPA in a quad band configuration under GSM or dual band under WCDMA. Specs include Samsung’s dual core 1ghz processors and has what is quickly becoming the standard 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus screen for vibrant colors and is protected by Gorilla glass. Dual cameras including an 8MP rear facing that’s capable to full 1080p recording. The Galaxy S2 also has Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi, and GPS, all standard under the hood. Check out our Hands-On here. [via GetGoods] )

Samsung Galaxy S2 available on preorder from Amazon Posted: 01 Mar 2011 10:20 AM PST The Samsung Galaxy S 2 is now listed for pre-order at Amazon in Germany. The 4G handset, on sale for €599.00 plus VAT and free shipping, has no delivery time listed on Amazon. We recently reported, however, that the Galaxy S2 is scheduled to ship in March at Clove in the UK. One glaring difference, however, is that the Amazon lists the Galaxy S2 as having 16GB on board memory expandable to 32GB, while the Clove listing just says 32GB in memory, and for €9 less to boot! I’m thinking that’s either a mistake or the pot has been sweetened. Aside from that, the listings are nearly identical as the Galaxy S2 has specs that include a 4.3″ Super AMOLED plus screen, a dual-core 1Ghz and dual front and rear cameras including an 8MP rear facing camera capabile of full 1080p HD recording. And it hums along nicely with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and Samsung’s latest Touchwize 4 overlay. The phone ships with the Samsung Galaxy SII, battery, AC adapter, headset, and user guide. Check out our Hands-On here. [via SmartDroid] )

Monster Madness [REVIEW] [NVIDIA Tegra Optimized Hack-and-Slash Game] Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:36 AM PST Welcome to Monster Madness, a game optimized for gameplay inside an NVIDIA Tegra 2 environment, that being right here and now the Motorola XOOM Android Honeycomb tablet. This game is part of a suite of games available from various developers working hand-in-hand with NVIDIA to bring you the best experience possible with the power Tegra 2 has to offer. What this game consists of is a whole heck of a lot of fun in murdering the heck out of hoards of monsters. There’s mutant spiders, obese gelatinous goons, red-eyed monkey jumpers, and of course, lots and lots of zombies. We saw this game previewed back at the official Android Honeycomb event, you can check that out in the review video at around the 16:25 mark [here]. Now we’ve got the game ready and working on our Motorola XOOM tablet, and it looks pretty good. The most engaging bit of the game, believe it or not, isn’t the graphics or the gameplay, but the sound effects and music. From the outset, the audio component of this game blasts forth, making you want to never quit playing because you’re right there in the action! There are some odd bits, as you’ll see, while playing though as more often than once while we’re running the game one sound will interrupt the other, stopping the first in its tracks. You can see this happening in the demo video below. NOTE: In the video we access this app via the NVIDIA Tegra Zone app which was just released this morning. It’s fun! Beyond that, this game is very similar to its console counterpart. For the sake of this review, we’ll assume you had no idea this game was already released (in different iterations) on XBOX 360 in 2007 and PlayStation 3 in 2008. This newest version powered by the magnificent Unreal 3 engine, a name we’ve revered since they blew the first person shooter world out of the water with Unreal Tournament in the year 2000. This Monster Madness game is not a first-person shooter, instead acting more as a birds-eye-view hack and slash situation, but does not fail to impress as far as quickness in operating goes. Monster Madness is a relatively simple game for how much work was put into making its gameplay look and feel fantastic. You move upwards, downwards, left, and right, cutting up monsters as you go, moving in and out of buildings, above and below objects like it’s no big deal as you move toward your goal which we can only assume includes killing every single sprite in the entire game. We’ve run through the first several levels and have had no problem figuring out what we’re meant to do, especially since most of what we’re meant to do is killing the enemy, collecting gems as money, and trading that money in for equipment, weapons, and health. Health in this game comes in the form of JOLT! This soda pop was an energy drink before energy drinks were called energy drinks, taking the form of a plain cola or flavored cola, always filling you up with about 3x the caffeine you’d get in a Mountain Dew. Not the sort of thing you mess around with if you have a heart condition. We hope this means that JOLT isn’t going away anytime soon, as we’ve found it difficult to find this particular brand outside comic shops and odd spots around the city for the past few years. But back to the game! You can control the game with unbelievably easy to use joysticks, one for moving and the other for controlling your attack, but you’ve also got the option of using what’s sort of an imperfect accelerometer option. With it, you can move around by tipping your device either in the direction you want to move, or if you’ve clicked the option, the opposite of the direction you want to move – kind of like flying a jet. This game is made unique by the fact that you can control your weapon independently of your feet in this particular manner – a combination we’ve seen most recently in the utterly awesome “Gun Bros,” another game by our pals at WAR DRUM STUDIOS. [NOTE: We'll be reviewing Gun Bros on the XOOM soon.] The game is smooth, the screens never sit in one position for long, and the loading screens are never sitting for more than 30 seconds. It’s quite amazing once you see what’s going on in the game. Soon we’ll come to expect this to be the norm, eventually demanding that there’s no loading screens at all. That said, moving in and out of cinematic screens is even better, switching between them with a pause so short is basically impossible to notice. This game is fun, it’s addicting, and it’ll provide you with hours of entertainment. We’re not sure of the total hours of gameplay, but it already seems to be worth the $10 for the app after we’ve played it for only a couple of hours. Grab it immediately. So much fun. So much monster annihilation. )

Graffiti app turns your Android into a work of urban art Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:25 AM PST Android App Developer Elite Gudz has released an app that turns Android headsets into a work of urban art. Having reached #1 in Entertainment and Free Apps at the iTunes App store, the app, dubbed Graffiti Spray Can, allows for creating virtual graffiti art with realistic shake animations and rattle sounds, spray skins and colors and touch screen spray action. Users can create high definition backgrounds and then upload them to Facebook, Twitter, and eMail. Graffiti Spray Can by real graffiti artists including New York artist Phetus, who has been working in the street art movement since the beginning. Another app from Elite Gudz called Goons & Bots, is a clever animated alarm clock which displayed an animated “goon” during daytime and a robot at night. It offers original built-in musical alarms and can incorporate music and sounds from an individual’s iTunes music library. Users can set multiple alarms for appointments throughout the day, create push notifications when the app is clsoed, and even share alarms via Twitter, Facebook and email. There’s also a “snooze” function. Both apps are now available in the Android Market. Elite Gudz Releases Graffiti Spray Can, Goons & Bots Clock on Android 1 MARCH 2011 – NEW YORK, NY – Today Elite Gudz announced the immediate availability of their top downloaded Graffiti Spray Can and Goons & Bots Clock applications on the Android Market. Graffiti Spray Can and Goons and Bots Clock are Elite Gudz’ first apps to be released on Android. Graffiti Spray Can is a fun, free, easy to use graffiti painting program. Within days of its initial launch on iTunes, the app reached #1 in Entertainment and Free Apps. To date, Graffiti Spray Can has had over 4 million total downloads. It is the only graffiti painting application developed by true graffiti writers who have been working since the beginning of the art movement and are still active today. Goons & Bots Clock is a designer utility application that can be used as an alarm, clock, or displayed in a charging dock to turn your mobile device into a piece of art. The app features original characters created by New York graffiti artist Phetus, who also helped develop the Graffiti Spray Can app. Graffiti Spray Can features: *Realistic Shake Animations and Rattle Sounds *Multiple Spray Can Skins and Colors *Touch-Screen Spray Action *HD Backgrounds and *Save or share your creations through Facebook, Twitter or Email *Frequent updates including new backgrounds, colors and can skins Goons & Bots Clock features: * Animated Daytime Goon & Nighttime Bot * Original Built-in Musical Alarms * Use Music & Sounds from your iTunes library * Multiple Alarms for setting appointments throughout the day * Alarm Push Notifications notify you even when the app is closed * Snooze * Share with Twitter, Facebook and Email “We’re proud to bring Graffiti Spray Can to the Android Market. It was because of this app’s success that we began to focus on app and game development.” says Elite Gudz’ Brian Ferrara. “Goons & Bots Clock is important to us as well, as it is our first to combine art and utility in a designer application.” Recently at Toy Fair 2011, Elite Gudz exhibited its line of mobile and tablet docks that combine the creative content of the application with accessories for the mobile device. Graffiti Spray Can is free and available for Android and iOS devices at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.msi&feature=search_result Goons & Bots Clock is free and available for Android and iOS devices at at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.clock&feature=search_result About Elite Gudz Elite Gudz is a creative studio founded by artists and creators from the worlds of Graffiti, Comics, Designer Toys and Technology. Their first Mobile Application, Graffiti Spray Can, climbed to the #1 spot in Entertainment and Free apps around the world within days of its release. The success of Graffiti Spray Can created a focus on app and game development for the studio. Elite Gudz has since become leaders in bridging creative content for mobile, tablet and consoles with designer platform productization and new media for mass markets. For more information, photos and videos, go to www.EliteGudz.com. Like Elite Gudz on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/EliteGudz Follow Elite Gudz on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/elitegudz )

T-Mobile’s LG G-Slate gets priced Posted: 01 Mar 2011 08:46 AM PST LG’s G-Slate Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet has been priced, with retailer MobileCity slapping a $699.99 sticker on the 8.9-inch slate. However, there’s still no estimated release date, and the RRP is listed as $799.99 – just like the unsubsidized Motorola XOOM. It’s not just the $100 that differentiates the G-Slate, either; LG has given the Tegra 2 tablet a twin camera array on the back, for shooting 3D photos and video. More details in our hands-on. [via PhoneDog] )

Google in-app payments due May 2011 tips Jambool Posted: 01 Mar 2011 07:31 AM PST Google’s in-app payments system looks set to arrive in May 2011, extrapolating from existing payments provider – and Google acquisition – Jambool‘s exit from the segment. According to a Jambool email sent to its users, “the existing Jambool Social Gold product will be discontinued in favor of a new Google in-app payment product in May 2011.” Unfortunately, the official Google service won’t be quite up to the same standard as Jambool’s system, at least initially. The new version “will enable developers to accept payments within an app, but it will not have the full functionality of Social Gold at launch” the company admits. The suggestion is that Google will officially launch in-app payments at Google I/O 2011, to be held on May 10 and 11. Hello, Thank you for your use of the Jambool Social Gold platform. As you know, Jambool was acquired by Google last August. This acquisition meant that some changes to our business were inevitable, and we'd like to share them with you today. First, the existing Jambool Social Gold product will be discontinued in favor of a new Google in-app payment product in May 2011. Rest assured that you will be able to sign in to the Jambool merchant console through September 2011, and you will receive year-end financial statements in February 2012. Second, we'd like to invite you to participate in the pre-release beta of the Google in-app payment system. This system will enable developers to accept payments within an app, but it will not have the full functionality of Social Gold at launch. We understand that this will not meet the needs of all developers currently using Social Gold, but we highly encourage interested developers to join the Google in-app payments beta by submitting your information at http://google.com/checkout/inapp. Again, we thank you for your flexibility during this transition period. Please feel free to respond to this email with any questions about your Jambool account or the new Google in-app payment product. Sincerely, The Jambool Team [via TechCrunch] )

NVIDIA Tegra Optimized Mini Game Guide Posted: 01 Mar 2011 06:19 AM PST We’ve got a good friend in high places (NVIDIA) who’s handed us a guide on what makes a game worthy (essentially) of carrying the NVIDIA Tegra seal of approval. Now these games are made by designers and engineers who have extraordinary talent, so NVIDIA certainly doesn’t pretend to be the authority on how amazing a game can be, but the crews who work on these games have been glad to work with NIVIDIA to optimize everything from graphics to quick movements in the Tegra environment. Would you like some specific examples of how a few amazing new games work better than they ever have before now that they’ve got an optimized high-five from NVIDIA? NVIDIA sends their Content Development team around to the crews who make these following games and has them help make the games amazing so that NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 based devices will be shown to be the most fabulous they can be. The following criteria must be met in order for a game to be called “Premium Tegra optimized games:” • Visually realistic looking scene objects and character that use much more geometry, higher resolution textures, and complex shaders. • Highly interactive gaming that employs larger number of characters on screen and more instances of independent animation. • More challenging games that use advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing with complex worlds and player management. • Premium levels that are only accessible via Tegra-based devices and additional game character equipment and special moves that are unlocked on Tegra based devices. The following games are already or will soon be available via the brand spanking new app NVIDIA Tegra Zone which we also just happen to have a review of. Have a look at that [here], then take a peek at these ever-loving NVIDIA spectacular apps: Fruit Ninja THD If you’ve ever played a game on an Android device or have been basically anywhere inside the Android Marketplace, you probably know about Fruit Ninja. Why would they pick this game to work with? Because since the game is so simple, little changes appear giant. A short list of additions and modifications done to this game in collaboration with NVIDIA: • 8x higher geometry for the fruit models • Higher texture quality to deliver realistic looking skins for the fruit • Higher levels of shading and lighting that deliver nice shadow effects and lighting conditions • Additional particle effects for the slice actions Samurai II: Vengeance THD This is a game where you run around chopping people up instead of just fruits and bombs. An insanely flat-yet-deep environment inside a world where you’re a sword-wielding hero who must survive by slicing up enemies, this is the joystick game you’ll get a chop and a half out of. The following list of items are NVIDIA enhancements: • Four times the texture resolution of the standard version • Increased geometry for more realistic representation of players in the game • Completely re-designed knockdown moves • Higher quality and quantity of effects in the environment • Higher quality and quantity of effects in the fight scenes Backbreaker THD For those sports-hungry Android fans, this is the football game you’ll want to pick up. This is one of those games that’s essentially the same no matter which platform you use it on, but with NVIDIA on board for this Android version, you know you’re getting a hot list of enhancements: • High quality textures on the characters, field, and the arena • More rendered content such as the real time action replay on the Jumbotron • Realistic shadow effects and dynamic lighting effects such as lens flares • Fully animated spectators that fill all levels of the arena Dungeon Defenders First Wave Deluxe HD THE game used as an example of how a chip can dominate over the past few months. This game is an RPG which you can play on PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, or Tegra-based mobile device. Because of the GeForce Class GPU in the Tegra mobile processor, this game has the same rich four-player experience no matter your platform. Although you may have enjoyed the standard version in the Android Marketplace up till this point, what with its six levels of game play and 20 different types of equipment, you’re in for a much bigger and better ride this time around: • Dynamic lighting schemes and advanced post-processing effects. • High polygon count characters to deliver the same look and effects as on a PC or a PS3 console. • Same number of maps and same level of map complexity as that available on PC and PS3 • Access to all twelve game play levels as available on PC and PS3 versions, and enables access to over 60 different equipment and weaponry choices Hardwood Solitaire IV What’s a tablet computer without a few good card games? This is a game where NVIDIA’s interest lies not in the massive blasts of colorful graphic explosions, but in real-time lightings, shadows, and environment. This is a card game in 1080p high-resolution textures for both sides of the cards, realistic flipping of the cards, and surprise, an excellent user interface for smoothness in playing the game. Monster Madness This game is another one of those flagship games used as an example for whichever platform it happens to be played on. In this case it’s shown up several times on the XOOM, and here with NVIDIA joining in on the party for optimization, this is a game to be reckoned with. It’s got an Unlreal 3.0 engine and is what they’re saying to be identical to the console version in every regard. You’ll be playing multi-player co-op mode over Wifi, knock down interactive environments chock-full of destructible elements, and generally annihilating over SEVENTY different monster types. There’s also drivable vehicles with player-driven turrets, over a hundred power-up options, and one heck of a lot of fun to be had. You can find out more about all of these games in the NVIDIA Tegra Zone app we also have reviewed on Android Community – check it out and/or download the app from the Android Marketplace! )

NVIDIA Tegra Zone [Review] [Game Guide for Super Chip Device Owners] Posted: 01 Mar 2011 06:16 AM PST You’ll be freaking out with the power you’ve got in your hands once you set your eyeballs on the games you’ll be able to run with your new Motorola XOOM tablet. The same can be said about what magic will unfold before you once you’re rolling with the ATRIX 4G. What’s inside these bad mothers, these next-age monsters of energy that’s obviously best applied to games? NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile super chips. And what do they power? Completely fabulous in-depth games we never expected to be on telephones. Have a look at our NVIDIA Tegra Optimized Mini Game Guide, then head below to see the app you’ll love to peek at in order to access the greatness in your very own little hut of NVIDIA sunshine. What you’re going to find in this app, (this app being NVIDIA Tegra Zone, this app being available right this moment in the Android Marketplace,) is a repository for games by developers whom NVIDIA has worked very closely with. What have they been concocting? Fantastically detailed, amazing looking and working games which work as kindly as possible with NVIDIA Tegra-based mobile devices. You can use this app on more than just the device we’re demoing it on (the Motorola XOOM,) but it’s optimized for big-screened tablets. That means it’s got a lot of real estate and it needs a place to jam it all. Once you’ve decided to toss a paycheck into a XOOM tablet, you’ll want this app basically instantly to keep you up to date with the games you’ll basically NEED to try out in order to get the most from your device. The games featured in this initial release are, for the most part, not a surprising lineup. Games like Dungeon Defenders: FW Deluxe, Samurai II: Vengeance THD, Backbreaker THD, Fruit Ninja THD, and Hardwood Solitaire IV are already on the market, and if you’ve not downloaded every single one of them before, this is the app that’ll convince you. There are a couple that are basically announced here in this app that should wet your appetite for the oncoming spring months of 2011. Galaxy on Fire and Hardwood Spades will both be released sometime inside March, while the barnbuster Vendetta Online will be out by April. So you’ll get basically the best look at apps that you can get outside of having a demo right there in your hands, plus you’ve got this curated look at the games that’ll work best on your super device, plus you get a selection of news bits written on and around the NVIDIA Tegra chip world. This ain’t no 10 minute app. Have a look at the screenshots below, the video showing you what’s going on as far as intuitive controls go above, then head into the Android Marketplace and pick NVIDIA Tegra Zone up asap! )

Programmable inPluse watch checks into Facebook Places Posted: 01 Mar 2011 05:14 AM PST If you are one of the folks that lives and breathes Facebook and enjoy using Facebook Places to tell everyone exactly where you are, you might be on the lookout for an easier way to check in. The lead designer from inPulse, Eric Migicovsky, has offered up some code for the inPulse smartwatch that makes checking in dead simple. The app for the watch is free and allows the watch to communicate over Bluetooth with an Android smartphone. That smartphone can then interact with Facebook places to allow the user to share their whereabouts with ease. Rather than digging out your Android device and logging on the watch allows interaction with a single button. The app queries the Facebook service and then lets the user choose from a list of local places to check in. The watch screen then displays a confirmation message letting the user know the check-in was successful. [via Make] )

iHear Network app turns tweets into speech for Android users Posted: 01 Mar 2011 04:39 AM PST If you are the sort that can't go long without twitter, but you don’t always want to take the time to read tweets a new app for your Android device has surfaced you might like. The app is from the iHear Network and has launched ahead of South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The app allows you to virtually teleport to any place on Earth and listen to tweets from the area. The app has a map that you can use to locate your own city or wherever you want on the globe and then it will convert tweets to speech so you can listen to what people have to say. The company is positioning the app as a way to get more information before you go to a restaurant or to interact socially with other people watching the same event on TV or participating in the same live event. The app uses Text-to-Speech technology that is integrated into all Android devices running 1.6 and up. The app is free to download on the Android Market right now and no account is required. “Before starting on this project, we had to decide which platform to target first,” says iHear Network CEO Geoffrey Simons. “After some research, we discovered that iOS currently lacks the tools needed to build TTS applications, so we picked Android to start. Anyway, isn’t the iPhone for hipsters?” )

SouthPeak Interactive announces Monster Madness for Android Posted: 01 Mar 2011 03:59 AM PST If you are always on the lookout for cool new games for your Android device a very interesting looking new game is now available, assuming your Android device is up to it. The game is called Monster Madness and is designed for devices that use NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform inside. That means other devices lack the muscle to run the game. Monster madness will run on the Motorola Xoom specifically. The developer says the reason the game requires the Tegra 2 platform is that the 3D graphics and real-time physics require the power of the dual-core Tegra 2 processor. The game also uses the accelerometer and multi-touch interface of the Android device as well. The game is built using the Unreal 3 engine and promises all the action and graphics quality of the console version of Monster Madness on your Android device. The game also supports dual player co-op mode over WiFi. Monster Madness has upgradable weapons, vehicular combat, and lots of zombies. The game is on the Android Market right now for a limited time at $9.99. NOTE: we’ll have a full review of this game up for you today! [via SouthPeak Games] )

T-Mobile Germany confirms huge Motorola XOOM 3G pricing Posted: 01 Mar 2011 01:54 AM PST Details on the Motorola XOOM‘s European launch continue to trickle out, with German pricing and availability confirmed. T-Mobile Germany (Deutsche Telekom) will be offering the 3G version of the XOOM from the end of April 2011, priced at a whopping €699.95 ($968). The carrier will have the XOOM 3G exclusive for three months, before other carriers get a chance to offer the Honeycomb slate (and hopefully drive prices down somewhat). Press Release: Motorola Xoom™ with UMTS available for three months exclusively from Telekom Feb 28, 2011 First tablet PC with Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Supports HPSA with up to 14.4 Mbit/s download capacity Fast dual-core processor, two 5 and 2 megapixel cameras From the end of April 2011 Telekom will be offering customers the first tablet PC with Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system: the Motorola Xoom. Android 3.0 is the first version of Android developed by Google specifically for mobile devices with large displays. Some of its key features are the home screen with 3D elements, large widgets with extended interaction options and newly designed notification icons. The Motorola Xoom’s full-touch display featuring a 25.6 cm (10.1″) screen and a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels is the ideal platform for surfing on the go. “The Motorola Xoom fits perfectly with our strategy for the best mobile Internet experience,” said Niek Jan van Damme, member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Telekom AG and Chairman of the Managing Board of Telekom Deutschland GmbH. “We are pleased to offer the tablet PC with UMTS exclusively for three months to our customers in Germany.” For all applications the Xoom's 1 GHz dual-core processor provides for its multitasking capability. HSPA technology for bandwidths of up to 14.4 Mbit/s enables high-speed mobile surfing and downloading even large files in a matter of seconds within the Telekom network. You can upload videos, photos and other content at up to 5.76 Mbit/s. A 5 megapixel camera with twin LED flash is integrated into the back of the Motorola Xoom. And that is not all: the tablet is equipped with a second 2 megapixel camera on the front. The Motorola Xoom supports HD video recording and playback and multimedia content can be streamed to your television via HDMI. Other features of the device, which is 247 x 167 x 12.4 mm in size and weighs just 700 grams, are a GPS module, a micro SD slot and a micro USB interface. Telekom Deutschland plans to launch the Motorola Xoom at the end of April 2011 at a price of EUR 699.95. The version featuring UMTS mobile telecommunications technology for mobile data transmission will be available exclusively through Deutsche Telekom for 90 days. )

Motorola XOOM WiFi priced in UK Posted: 01 Mar 2011 01:22 AM PST We already know that European retailer Carphone Warehouse has clinched the exclusive on the Motorola XOOM 3G, but it seems PC World has snatched up the WiFi-only version of the Android 3.0 Honeycomb slate. The retailer is advertising pre-orders for the XOOM WiFi, priced at £449.99 ($734). However, it doesn’t seem that you can actually pre-order the slate yet, and there’s no sign of a release date. Carphone Warehouse has previously suggested the UK XOOM 3G will arrive in April 2011, but that’s not to say the WiFi-only version will drop at exactly the same time. [via Coolsmartphone] )

Motorola XOOM Hands-on and Unboxing [ala Android Community] Posted: 28 Feb 2011 06:17 PM PST As you know, we’ve already got one gigantic guide that covers essentially every little tidbit of information you’ll want to know at this moment in Android history on both the Motorola XOOM tablet and Android 3.0 Honeycomb. But NOW what you want to see is this actual tablet coming out of the box with every little tiny detail of the process documented so you know if the box alone will be enough to make you want to buy this device. I’ll tell you right now that the box is good, but the real treasure is, believe it or not, the tablet itself. Have an intense look at the XOOM with your pals at Android Community. The XOOM tablet we’ve received here is a reviewers tablet, therefor there may be slight differences between this one and the one you’ll end up getting from the store, but for the most part, you can count on the following as being the same as your first day with the device. Of course you’ll be flipping out ripping the box to shreds as fast as you can move, but similarities will be there and here. We’ve received the XOOM in a small cardboard box containing a bubble-wrapped store-shelf box containing the actual unit. Also inside the box are a couple cords, one for power and one for transferring items to and from your CPU, and some instructions manuals PLUS the little code we’ll be able to use to upgrade to 4G speeds in the near future. We’ve had our hands on both this exact model tablet AND the European silver-metal-backed version, but nothing, nothing compare to actually opening the box having a singular giant screen staring back at you, especially when you know what’s inside, and that the fact that you’ve got one means you’re amongst an elite group of Android lovers that are rolling with the most advanced bit of A-tech in the world right now (at least, those bits not covered by a Wizard of OZ type cloak that we don’t know about.) The tablet we’ve got here turned on directly to the lock screen, which we’re not sure was because we’ve got a review unit or because that’s what’ll happen for everyone who pops open their brand new box. Once the screen is unlocked, the screens move back and forth like they need no breaking in whatsoever. Like this hardware was made for the operating system, and vice versa. The hardware is the same as we held whilst hanging out with several crews at Mobile World Congress 2011 as well as the Google Android Honeycomb special event a few weeks ago. It’s a black metal bottom back with an approximately 2-inch top section in softer black plastic. The bottom section feels, from what we can tell, exactly the same as the Euro version, as they’re more than likely made of exactly the same metal save for the color. The obvious intention for this tablet is for it to be held landscape mode with both the Motorola and Verizon logos sitting in their most readable positions (as they sit above the screen in the right and left corners.) On the left of the device are two tiny buttons that allow you to turn up or down the volume in a universal manner. Below the tablet you’ll find the several plugs for all your favorite cords! There’s a MicroUSB port, HDMI port, a couple of metal plates, and the Charger Port. The metal plates act as an additional place where whatever dock you might be using can send power to the device. The other ways you can send power to the XOOM are that teeny tiny power port which you can jam your provided power plug in, and you can use the MicroUSB port to do the same thing, provided your computer has power to provide or you’ve got a USB to power plug converter. On the top of the device you’ll find a standard headphone jack. This is, we think, an odd place for such a jack, but then again, we’re unaware of a place that a headphone jack looks perfect or acts in an ideal manner. On the front of the device you’ve obviously got the giant 10.1-inch HD Widescreen Display, but also a tiny light at the bottom indicating that the device is charging and a front facing camera and WebCam Indicator light to show you when the camera is running. On the back of the device you’ll find two speakers, one in either of the top two corners. The strip in the upper right contains one of these speakers along with all the other fun tidbits the back of the device has to offer. There’s the Rear Camera Lens, the Camera Flash, the Speaker, and the Power/Lock key which can turn the devices on or wake it up, put the display to sleep, or hold to turn the device off. At the top of the device is a tray which contains a double-dose of not-yet-active cards which will be available in the near future. One of these is the microSD card which they say will be active once a software upgrade is sent out which will allow you to use a size of up to 32GB. The other card slot will later support a Verizon 4G LTE SIM card which again, will be provided at some date we’re unsure of. In these slots currently are a couple of plastic dummy cards which are just cute as a button. We’ll be providing you with a full review of this mighty warrior very soon. Until then, enjoy this album of close-up photos from every angle: )

HTC Thunderbolt’s main delay rumored to be due to poor battery life Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:54 PM PST Word has gotten out that what’s causing one delay after another on the launch of the HTC Thunderbolt is poor battery life and HTCs frustrations with finding a way to fix it. Benchmarks at HTC are rumored to indicate that the best they’ve been able to do is three to four hours of battery life running the LTE/4G connectivity. Being that LTE is the hallmark of the Thunderbolt’s performance, that simply will not do, so the Thunderbolt is delayed. AGAIN. Running a 4.3″ screen and 4G/LTE speeds, the phone is bound to have a battery challenge. But in today’s mobile culture, users want a phone that can last the day. That’s a must. Talk is that HTC is already planning a firmware update to correct any battery deficiency. But if they’re having trouble working around the battery life issue, who knows when that update will be coming out. And about the only light at the end of this tunnel is the news that HTC may be dropping the price from $749, to $699 when it does actually come out. [via Droid Life] )

Sony-Ericsson Xperia Ultimate concept emerges Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:39 PM PST There’s a new concept phone called the Sony-Ericsson Xperia Ultima, and judging by the size, it’ll be a typical Android upgrade to a tried and true Sony design. Along with what looks like a 4.3″ Reality Display multi-touch screen powered by Sony’s proprietary Mobile BRAVIA® Engine, specs presumably include a 1GHz processor inside, with 16GB of onboard internal memory. Additionally, the Ultima will sport a 12.1 megapixel camera capable of HD capture thanks to Sony’s Exmor R sensor. The Ultima will likely run Android 2.4 (Gingerbread) with Sony’s well-developed Timescape social interface. Xperia phones also enjoy Sony’s Blackberry connect feature, which allows users to enjoy the best of both worlds of business and personal mobility. And running a dual-core 1 Ghz processor could lend itself to 4G/LTE support. Photo-wise, at 12.1 MP, the camera could likely have a fast f 2.4 lens similar to the Xperia Arc. But will it have a second, front facing camera for video chat? It would seem a step backwards to omit it, so I’d say yes. [via ConceptPhones] )

Sony WalkMan Phones return Posted: 28 Feb 2011 02:38 PM PST Last summer, we talked about Sony’s plans to bring the Sony Walkman brand back to phones to create a media class smartphone. Back then, we were talking about a small 2.6″ TFT display with a paltry 5.1 MP camera and 600 Mhz processor. There was also talk of a tablet which has of yet to appear. It may be better late than never, but we’ve now got word that Sony-Ericsson is gearing up marketing in preparation for a 2011 WalkMan mobile launch. And here’s the poster to prove it …. Now, obviously, the state of the art has passed those specs by. And for a WalkMan launch to succeed, it would have to be more than a clever logo on a poster. Sony isn’t one to rest on their laurels so we’re betting that the new WalkMan line will sport a processor similar to the dual-core Tegra 2, with a much larger Reality display powered by Sony’s Bravia mobile engine. We’re also betting they’ll drop it’s Timescape interface on it as well as Sony’s proprietary Media center module. And while they’re at it, why not toss in that new camera chip they’re busy developing? )

Samsung Galaxy S update to Gingerbread leaked Posted: 28 Feb 2011 01:27 PM PST The German site SmartDroid has leaked a ROM of Android 2.3.2 (Gingerbread) for the Samsung Galaxy S. The ROM, available on the file sharing site MEGAUPLOAD, and features TouchWiz, version 4. There’s also speculation that the slower RFS file system has been replaced with EXT4. Take note that the Google Nexus S, a pure Google version of the Galaxy S, already has a fresher vs. 2.3.3, but those who aren’t using the Nexus S version, can try this new flavor of Android but installing it as per the instructions. Now, it’s important to remember that file sharing sites are a haven for not only pirated software, but also viruses. And with new exploits coming to cell phones more and more these days, users should always consider the dangers of using an unauthorized ROM on their Android phone. And remember that any warranty you still have left on that Galaxy S will likely be voided the minute you port the Gingerbread ROM to it. [via SmartDroid] )

Popcap Smartphone Study shows interesting results for Android game play Posted: 28 Feb 2011 12:24 PM PST The 2011 PopCap gaming survey is out and it yields some interesting results pertaining to mobile gaming demographics. The 94 page survey report states that while overall mobile game use is slightly waning, the amount of time gamers are playing on their smartphones is increasing. Additionally, nearly as many female gamers as males play mobile games on their smartphones. But the real shocking result is that the average age of mobile gamers isn’t as young as one would expect. According to the PopCap survey, the average age of a mobile gamer is nearly 40 years old. It also says that the vast majority of mobile gamers play games on a smartphone like Android. In fact, the study shows that owning a smartphone increases game play frequency with 92% playing weekly, and 45% making it a regular appointment and playing daily. 87% of smartphone users also purchase twice as many games for their mobile phones as whose who use a web-enabled phone. Mobile phone owners UK are more likely to play games on their phones than in the US, even though users in the US are more likely to play on a smartpohone, rather than web enabled phone like in the UK. Also good news for app developers is that Smartphone users spent almost $10.00 more on mobile phone games as whose who play on web-enabled or standard phones, and were more likely to upgrade a free game trial to a paid version. [via Info Solutions Group] )

You are subscribed to email updates from Android Community To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610