Thursday, March 17, 2011

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans

Things We Missed, You Shouldn’t [March 17th]

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 03:45 PM PDT

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Happy Thunderbolt Day! Here is the rest of the Android news we missed:

Staples Now Taking Motorola XOOM Pre-Orders, Shipping 3/25

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 02:49 PM PDT

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Yet another retailer has opened their pre-order page for the Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi. Staples has the tablet for $599.98 and you can reserve yours up through March 23rd. Staples will begin shipping out pre-orders on March 25th, with units arriving no later than the 28th.

[via Staples | Thanks, Stan!]

In Wake of Tragedy in Japan, Sony Ericsson Expects Supply Chain to Be Disrupted

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Today Sony Ericsson issued a double-edged press statement in response to the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which wreaked havoc in Japan in one of the nation’s largest natural disasters ever. On a bright note, SE has confirmed that all 1100 of their employees working in Tokyo survived the tragedy uninjured, and their office buildings suffered minimal damage. The bad news of all of this is that SE expects the event to cause problems with the supply chain of components as suppliers recover from the disaster. They are currently in talks to assure a minimal impact.

Thankfully delays in production are all Sony Ericsson had to report during a period of time that could have brought much worse news. Our continued thoughts and prayers goes out to those affected by this terrible act of nature, their families, and the Japanese nation as a whole.

Sony Ericsson Statement on Japan Earthquake

SONY ERICSSON STATEMENT, 17 March 2011 – Sony Ericsson is closely following the situation in Japan and our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic event. The safety of our employees remains the highest priority. We have approximately 1100 employees (including consultants) at two offices in Tokyo, and we can confirm that no employees have been injured, and that there is no major damage to our offices.

The affected area in northern Japan supplies a large portion of the world’s electronics industry with components, and the current situation will impact Sony Ericsson’s business.

As part of our business continuity plan, we are in contact with all our key suppliers in the region and we are identifying the possible relocation of certain component manufacturing, and looking at secondary sources of supply. Although the full impact of the current situation on our business will take additional time to assess, Sony Ericsson anticipates disruption to its supply chain operations.

We continue to monitor our supplier situation daily, in real time, and we will keep our operator and retail customers informed about the status of their specific supply.

We will continue to update our communications as we learn more.

[via AndroidCentral]

Rumor: Motorola Atrix and XOOM Headed to Sprint with 4G WiMAX

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:49 PM PDT

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We have heard that the Motorola XOOM will be headed to at least one carrier besides Verizon when it lands on AT&T later in the year, but a new rumor says the Honeycomb tablet may end up on Sprint as well. The same rumor, originating with our good friends Android and Me, suggests the Motorola Atrix 4G will make the same journey. Both devices will apparently be outfitted with 4G WiMAX radios, despite recent stirrings that suggest Sprint may soon make the leap to LTE.

The rumor apparently comes by way of a trusted inside source, but as of yet we have heard little suggest whether or not the rumor will come to fruition. If it does, word is Sprint plans to announce the Atrix (along with laptop dock) and XOOM next month.

[via Android and Me]

Kongregate Updates Android App for Honeycomb in Anticipation of Flash 10.2

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:36 PM PDT

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Tomorrow Motorola XOOM owners should be able to download the brand-spanking new Adobe Flash Player 10.2 to their tablets, opening up a world of new content. One such area of content is gaming, and in anticipation of the new capabilities arriving on the XOOM Kongregate has pre-emptively updated their Android application for support on the tablet, opening access to 400+ games hosted by the site.

Other updates to the app include a badge browser to see the bounty you have collected during your many hours spent mashing your XOOM or other Android device’s screen, updated notification settings, landscape support for all devices, and a re-vamped homescreen highlighting new and popular games. The whole shebang is over in the Android Market free of charge.

Android Market Link: Kongregate

[via DroidGamers]

HTC Opens First Concept Store in Denmark

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:27 PM PDT

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A while back we heard that HTC wanted to take a cue from the book of Apple and other manufacturer’s by opening their own chain of retail stores geared specifically towards peddling their line of phones and mobile devices. Today marks the opening of their first concept store in Europe, as HTC welcomed a line of eager shoppers to their Copenhagen, Denmark location. The location was chosen for the strong brand recognition HTC holds in the country.

The store offers HTC’s lineup of mobile devices at off-contract prices without network subscriptions, but, according to HTC’s Nordic director Peter Frolund, does not aim to compete directly with carrier sales. They hope the store will serve more as a platform to show off their smartphones and tablets and highlight their HTC Sense user experience.

[via Mobil.nu]

Early HTC Thunderbolt Units Experiencing SMS Bugs?

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 12:13 PM PDT

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When initial rumors placed the HTC Thunderbolt as launching in February, an eventual March 17th release date suggested there was still some work to be done. Rumors were that delays had to do with problems with Verizon’s 4G network, but that doesn’t exclude other issues that may have been holding back the first LTE phone from Verizon. We have several reports coming from sister site AndroidForums and XDA claiming various SMS bugs have been rearing their ugly head.

The major issue seems to concern the dial-back number displayed when sending a text from the Thunderbolt. Instead of the recipient seeing your phone number, they see a string of digits that reportedly represent the phone’s SIM number. Because the SIM number is displayed, it might be assumed the problem only arises in 4G coverage areas (3G operates via CDMA, a SIM-less standard).

Other reported problems include the sending of duplicate texts as well as some instances of texts not going through at all. Any other new Thunderbolt users experiencing the same issues? Let us know in the comments below!

[via AndroidForums]

 

Samsung Galaxy S II I9103 Tegra 2 Variant May Swap Super AMOLED Plus for Super Clear LCD

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 10:48 AM PDT

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It is all but confirmed by Samsung that a variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II featuring an NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor instead of the in-house Exynos chip will exist under the model number I9103, but new rumors are suggesting the CPU switch won’t be the only difference between the two versions. What we may see is the I9103 also swapping a Super AMOLED Plus display for a Super Clear LCD display.

While this news exists only as rumor for now, we can think of a few reasons for Samsung to develop this secondary version of the Galaxy S II. The most obvious is possible production delays in the actual AMOLED and CPU components, leaving Samsung with no choice but to stock up on alternative components. There is also a chance the I9103 model will be offered as a lower-priced alternative in some areas.

[via SamsungHub]

Samsung and Boost Mobile to Host Event April 5th: What Might they Have in Store?

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 10:15 AM PDT

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Boost Mobile and Samsung just hit up our inbox with an invite to a typically mysterious event to be hosted in New York City on April 5th. The only inkling of a hint they are giving us is that they are “cooking up something hot” as per the invitation. So what exactly might they have stewing in the kitchen?

Boost currently offers the Motorola i1 on their pay-as-you-go network as the their only Android option, so any new devices are more than appreciated, but just what Samsung might be unveiling remains a big question mark. Boost may get their own Galaxy S variant, or perhaps a US version of the recently launched Galaxy Mini, Gio, Ace, or Fit. None of this seems to fit with the cooking motif the companies are going with, but that might be there for reasons entirely different.

There is a chance CTIA may hold some of the answers we seek if Samsung plans to show off more than just a new Galaxy Tab, but there is no guarantee anything shown there will reveal any more answers. We will be on-hand at the New York event to see what April surprise is on hand.

T-Mobile UK Getting HTC Desire S, Motorola Atrix, Xperia Play, and Samsung Galaxy Ace

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 09:49 AM PDT

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T-Mobile UK’s stocking up on Android devices pretty soon as a new crop of devices have just been announced. (And most of them are high-end mouth-watering pieces of technology.) In March, the Samsung Galaxy Ace – one of several new mid-range Android handsets from Samsung – will launch. In April, they will introduce both the HTC Desire S and Sony Ericsson’s Playstation Certified Xperia Play. The Motorola Atrix looks to hit the carrier in June. That’s quite a bit of time from now, but I’m sure the wait will be well worth this powerful handset. You can take a look at their entire slate of upcoming devices here. (Yes, the LG Optimus Black is still coming.) [via Unwired View]

GameLoft Giving UK Customers Chance to Win Free Games, Galaxy Tab to Celebrate St. Patty’s Day

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 09:33 AM PDT

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Everyone’s in the lucky spirit today. Some of us are drinking green beer, others are dressing up as leprechauns, and GameLoft is giving away stuff. Good stuff. If you buy any Android HD game from them, you’ll be able to win a prize from one of four clovers. You can either get your next game free, your next game for 1 pound, your next game for 33% off, or win a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Some are surely more rare than others, but in any case this is a great time to buy a game from them if you were already planning on doing so. (We hear that new Asphalt 6: Adrenaline is pretty nice.) You must live in the UK and the promotion ends March 22nd. Follow this link from your Android device to get started.  [via Pocket Gamer]

More Trouble for Google With “Stolen” Linux Code Accusations? [Legal Stuff]

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 09:01 AM PDT

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The last time Google was accused of stealing, this same source was defamed and his words were debunked by many. Still, the fact that he so boldly claims the things he claims gets us to listen. The latest says Google copied 2.5 megabyes of code from over 700 linux kernel header files for its Dalvik VM. After dropping a comment here and an if statement there, Google supposedly claimed the documents contained no copyrightable information.

Florian Mueller – the infamous man behind FOSS Patents – says this could be legally crippling for Google. Should Google be accused and found guilty of what Florian is proposing here, GPL rules would force them and ANY partner – including developers in the Android market – to allow their wares to be freely modified and redistributed. Right away you can see what type of issues this would cause and how big of a problem it would be for all parties involved.

I’m not sure if these claims would get Google into that deep of a puddle of mud, but it’s still scary to think about. Florian says that a rewrite or replacing of the code would need to take place but professes that it’s much easier said than done. You can read more about his claim and the implications for Android’s future here, if you want. It really is an interesting read whether or not it turns up true. (It is lengthy, though, so grab yourself a bag of popped corn and get comfy.)

Best Buy Extends $249.99 Thunderbolt Price Past March 20th

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 08:16 AM PDT

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At one point in time, we learned Best Buy would be asking for $299.99 if you wanted to walk out with the Thunderbolt and a two-year contract. Later, it was confirmed that the device would eventually cost that much, but not until March 20th – early adopters would get it at Verizon’s asking price. And now they’ve chimed in to let us know that the $249.99 price point will remain active past March 20th. We’re not sure how much longer they’ve extended it for, but you may want to jump on it now as it could jump up to $300 at any time. That or just get it from another retailer.

What Kind of LTE Speeds Are You Getting With Your New HTC Thunderbolt?

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 07:49 AM PDT

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It’s nearly 8:00 AM on the west coast and that means most people who were anticipating this phone already has it in their hands. We want to know what kind of speeds you’re getting with your brand new HTC Thunderbolt now that more than a few devices are pinging that shiny new LTE network Verizon’s put up.

Below shows what some of our tipsters have been getting just two days before Verizon officially launched it (March 15th). As you can see, these speeds rival and – in my case – surpass the capabilities of broadband cable and DSL home internet. That is absolutely amazing for a phone.

Not even a few weeks ago, speeds paled in comparison. Perhaps this is what was taking Verizon so long to release it: the Thunderbolt probably wasn’t taking full advantage of the LTE network and it had to be fixed. Those results compared to today’s are like a night and day difference.

If you remember a while back, Rob did some speed tests on Verizon’s LTE network using his data stick. Download speeds were comparable to what they are now, but upload speeds seem to have gotten a major upgrade since then.

It’ll be interesting to see how things are looking after a week or two when most of the early adopter crowd has the device in their hands. If you already have one, post your own screenshots and compare them to ours and others’.

May the Luck of the Irish (and these Apps) Find You this St. Patrick’s Day [App Roundup]

Posted: 17 Mar 2011 06:04 AM PDT

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Top o’ the morning to ya, my dear lads and lasses, for today is St. Patrick’s Day. For most, the 17th of March marks a day of drinking and revelry. For the Irish, well, it also marks a day of drinking and revelry. So whether you have plans to head to your local Irish pub or if you will take it easy at home with a nice tall glass of Guinness and a heaping serving of corned beef and cabbage, here are some apps that should help you get into the holiday spirit.

Get into the Irish Spirit


Speaking of getting into the holiday spirit, you will most definitely want to have the luck of the Irish on your Android phone. Consider the following Irish themed apps and St. Patrick’s Day wallpapers:

  • Irish Slang [Download Link] – Go ahead and put on your best Irish accent and pop open this app, which promises to get you accustomed with the working man’s Irish. Sure to make a fool out of you later in the night if you do happen to run into any real Irishmen.
  • Irish & Celtic Music Podcast [Download Link] – Nothing like a bit of traditional Celtic folk music to set the mood, right? This app gives access to episodes of the Irish & Celtic Music podcast right at your fingertips.
  • St. Patrick’s Day Droid LiveWallpaper [Download Link] – Androids drink green beer, or at least that is what this goofy St. Patrick’s Dat livewallpaper wants us to believe! What better day for good old Andy? He doesn’t even have to do much to show his Irish pride. He might just be the next best thing to a leprechaun.

Drink with the Power of Android


Now that we are feeling properly Irish, it’s time to head to the pub. If you plan on spending the night out with friends have a few (OK, maybe more than a few) beers, the following apps should help you make some sense of a night that might end up being a little hard to remember. And remember, don’t drink and drive!

  • Brewster [Download Link] – Keep a map of every beer you consume with ratings and percentage of alcohol as you crawl from pub to pub. The next morning you will have tidy a record of what exactly led to your hangover.
  • Beer Counter [Download Link] – Similar to Brewster, Beer Counter helps you keep track of your tab by allowing you to enter each beer and its price so you always know what you owe. It can also automatically update your Twitter so all of your friends and followers know just how smashed you are.
  • Blood Alcohol Calculator [Download Link] – After a night of hard drinking use this app to see which one of your friends pummeled their liver hardest. Thankfully you have used Brewster to keep track of the alcohol content of each beer. Don’t drink and drive, but if you were to make that silly decision it might be best to do a quick check of your BAC before hitting the road.
  • iBeer [Download Link] – Can’t get out for a brew or would rather skip the crowds and sit at home? iBeer has you covered with a nice frothy pint right on your Android homescreen. Not nearly as fun as the real thing, this fake beer won’t quite drown your tears of loneliness.

Games for St. Patrick’s Day


Not heading out for a night of drunken antics? Or perhaps you are looking for something to entertain you before and after. Either way, these St. Paddy’s themed games should keep you occupied.

  • Angry Birds Seasons [Download Link] – Not much more to say about what is arguably the most popular mobile game of all time. The latest update to the Seasons edition of Angry BIrds gives you a healthy dose of St. Patrick’s Day fun.
  • Bubble Blast St. Patrick’s Day [Download Link] – This fun puzzle game is given an Irish makeover with pots of gold, shamrocks, and leprechaun hats. Pop the items strategically to eliminate as many as possible.
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