Tuesday 8 June 2010

Android Community

Android Community


SIM-free MILESTONE XT720 dated – arrives in the UK on July 2nd

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 08:13 AM PDT

Yesterday we showed you the XT720 by Motorola. Today you can preorder this handset from Expansys. This device will be shipped to you unlocked and SIM free, it should ship on the launch date, July 2nd, or maybe a few days early if you lucky.

Motorola XT720 is 10.9mm thick and features Android 2.1. It has an 8-megapixel autofocus camera with Xenon flash and 720p HD video recording, HDMI port, 3G/HSPA and a 3.7-inch capacitive touch screen. If you like the Droid but want an all touch device, this will fill that void all while offering a few upgrades.

If you remember, UK's Expansys was the exclusive original launch partner for the first MILESTONE. This is a continuation of that relationship as no other site is currently accepting preorders of this new Android device. This is a great device and will give the Galaxy S a run for its money.

[via eurodroid]

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MIPS Technologies launch Dalvik Turbo virtual machine for Android

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 07:56 AM PDT

A few months ago Myriad Group introduced a new way to speed up Android's Dalvik Virtual Machine to drastically improve the speed of the system. Since then there hasn't been much information on the progress of this project until now. This system works on the MIPS architecture and could potentially replace the Dalvik VM completely.

With Dalvik Turbo VM, MIPS licensees can create SoCs with faster, more complex applications and richer game graphics optimized for Android smartphones and other high-performance consumer devices without requiring significant increases in device memory. The VM also provides substantial battery life improvements when running resource intensive tasks, all while retaining full compatibility with existing software. Myriad's Dalvik Turbo VM is operational on all current versions of Android up to and including versions 2.1 (Éclair) and soon to be available for 2.2 (Froyo).

This new system promises speed increases up to 5 times faster than stock. It does a similar job as JIT which is responsible for the speed increases that is found in Android 2.2. It is said that this technology is compatible with every version of Android. If this is the case imagining how fast a phone would be with Froyo and this laid on top of it. That would be either a blazing fast phone or it will crash due to incompatibility. Guess we'll have to wait to see if it can work in conjunction with JIT. If you would like to help develop the MIPS system you could head over to MIPSAndroid.org and get started.

[via intomobile]

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HTC Intruder Heading To AT&T? (Rumor)

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 07:41 AM PDT

First it was the Aria then the Liberty now the Intruder could be making its way to AT&T.  Are these 3 HTC devices the same? Nobody knows at this point, AT&T could be on an all out Android assault now that they are done with the iPhone presentation.

There is currently now image of this device, there's only a screenshot of the device in AT&T's inventory. The latest rumor says this will be another Android 2.1 handset and the screenshot is taken from a Radio Shack.

The off contract price of this device is $699 while you can have it for $129 on contract. That's a huge swing in pricing and it gives a few hints on what type of device it may be. If it's worth $699 off contract than it could pack in some really impressive specs and be a high-end device. But the on contract price points to a low-end or midrange device. This is quite odd, HTC does make a few WinMo devices so this could be a new Windows Phone 7 device.

[via tjcrew]

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Fully Boot Android in One Second? – Video

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 07:27 AM PDT

This year's Computex featured a lot of exciting new things in the world of Android. QuickBoot by Ubiquitous aims to shorten the time it takes to boot up Android to a fraction of the current time. It usually takes 30 seconds of more to for Android to boot up, this video has a device that does it in 1 second.

This isn't an actual cold boot, the software loads an image that it has saved in a previous shutdown. It then restores that image similar to the way your desktop does with "sleep" mode of "hibernate" for your laptop. It's still an impressive feat and will be a welcome addition to every Android device.

This technology could possibly make its way to an Android near you. Ubiquitous is providing the SDK for QuickBoot to OEMs and it could potentially be implemented into upcoming handsets. I would love to have my phone boot up that quick, this is another great innovation by the Android development community.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via Chris Pirillo]

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Battery Tips from Sprint To Maximize Life On The EVO 4G

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 07:10 AM PDT

One of the few gripes people is having with the new EVO 4G is short battery life. While on 4G and medium to heavy usage, I've seen the 4G go from fully charged to almost dead in 4-5 hours. This is unacceptable for today Smartphone's. It should last at least 8 hours or more if you're not a heavy user.

1. Add widgets to your HTC Sense homescreen to control the radios (Bluetooth, WiFi, 4G)

2. Use the widgets to turn off select radios when not in use. If you’re not using 4G, switch it off and fall back on 3G instead to gain better battery life.

3. Turn off network roaming. By default, roaming is turned on for the HTC EVO 4G out of the box, which means that the phone scans for the strongest CDMA/EV-DO signal. If you’ve got great Sprint coverage where you are and don’t need to roam onto one of Sprint’s partner carriers, turn off roaming so the phone doesn’t need to constantly search for the best signal.

4. Turn on automatic brightness so the screen can adjust in light and dark environments rather than having brightness turned all the way up. Alternatively, you can also set the screen brightness lower by default.

5. Turn off live wallpapers–they’re pretty, but they do use a little bit of extra processing power.

6. Carry an extra battery or plug into a car charger when you can.

Give these settings a whirl and see if it improves your battery life. Post a comment on your experience with the EVO's battery and the things you do to improve the battery life. These settings should work but in the mean time, keep you charger handy especially if you live in a 4G area.

[via pocketnow]

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Samsung introduces the Corby i5500 Android 2.1

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 07:00 AM PDT

Besides releasing the highly anticipate Galaxy S all across the world, Samsung has a few other Android devices in the making. They have just introduced the Corby i5500. This is a mid-range handset that runs Android 2.1 and will be available shortly in Europe.

This device has a 2.8 inch QVGA TFT LCD touch screen, 600 MHz ARM processor manufactured by Samsung and a 2 MP camera. It also has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G. This handset will be really affordable, it will retail for 199 Euros. It should be cheaper when you get it with a plan.

The Corby 15500 will replace the current TouchWiz Android devices. It features the new TouchWiz 3.0 interface. This UI shares a lot in common with the UI that is on the Galaxy S. most of Samsung's new Android devices, including MID and Slates, will feature some variant of this new UI.

[via frandroid]

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The New Sony Walkman?

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 06:47 AM PDT

Last week we let you know that there may be a new Walkman by Sony in the works. Today a leaked picture of what could be the new Android powered walkman has surfaced. The rumor said the device will look similar to an X10 Mini and the device in the picture fits that description.

This device in the picture looks strikingly similar to an X10 Mini, the only distinction is the Walkman logo plastered on the device. It appears to be running the same Rachael UI that is found on the X10. This small MID goes by the codename Teacake, the official name is rumored to be the Sony Ericsson W150i.

Early specs have this device running Android 2.1 that isn't even on any X10 yet. It also has a 2.6-inch QVGA touch screen display and a 5-megapixel camera. Rumors state that Sony will introduce this device next month. Hopefully when they do it includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a microSD slot. These are needed features if Sony hopes to revitalize the Walkman series.

[via unwiredview]

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eyeSight Brings Natural User Interface to Android Devices

Posted: 08 Jun 2010 06:31 AM PDT

Most sophisticated mobile phones these days use some form of gesture based communications. This technology has been growing over the past few years. It takes the way we communicate with our phones to a whole new level. The people at eyeSight Mobile Technologies look to take this to a whole new level.

EyeSight's software lets you control your mobile phone without actually touching it. It uses the built-in camera to manipulate the phone in many different ways. Newer phones with front facing camera will benefit the most from this technology. It can be used to silence an incoming call, activate their MP3 player, navigate between GPS menus, play games and carry many other tasks by simply swiping their hand over the device.

“A good technology is an invisible one. eyeSight’s Touch Free Interface technology for Android-based devices introduces exactly that – a new level of interaction that is natural, intuitive and simple to use,” said Itay KatzeyeSight’s Founder & CEO. “Users are looking for ways to ease, improve and enjoy their day to day interaction with their mobile phone, ideally aiming to gain effortless control of the device’s applications and functions, which is where eyeSight’s solution comes to place.”

You would think something like this would be taxing on your battery life but it's the complete opposite. It has been optimized for mobile platforms with low CPU and RAM. This translates into low power consumption and should not affect battery life all that much. This technology has been developed to work with many Android phones and existing apps and should be available shortly.

PRESS RELEASE:

eyeSight Brings Natural User Interface to Android Devices, Creating a New World of Hand Gesture Interaction

eyeSight’s Technology Uses the Built-in Camera to Track Hand Gestures and Convert Them Into Commands. It Allows Handset Manufacturers to Expand Their Offerings and Improve User Experience
HERZELIYA, Israel, June 8 — eyeSight Mobile Technologies, a developer of Natural User Interface (NUI) solutions for mobile phones and consumer electronics devices, launched today an innovative technology allowing Android device manufacturers to offer their clients for the first time control over their handsets by using simple hand gestures.

eyeSight’s solution utilizes the device’s built-in camera, advanced real-time image processing and machine vision algorithms, to track the user’s hand motions and convert them into commands. Users of Android devices can now silence an incoming call, navigate between GPS menus, activate their MP3 player, play games and carry many other tasks by simply swiping their hand over the device.

eyeSight’s technology is a pure software solution, highly optimized for mobile platforms, offering low CPU and memory requirements, which directly translate to low power consumption. The expected introduction of new Android devices with front-facing-camera by Motorola, HTC and Google will enable to fully utilize the benefits offered by eyeSight technology. The solution enables users control their phones and navigate in documents, web pages or maps by using gesture recognition technology.

“A good technology is an invisible one. eyeSight’s Touch Free Interface technology for Android-based devices introduces exactly that – a new level of interaction that is natural, intuitive and simple to use,” said Itay KatzeyeSight’s Founder & CEO. “Users are looking for ways to ease, improve and enjoy their day to day interaction with their mobile phone, ideally aiming to gain effortless control of the device’s applications and functions, which is where eyeSight’s solution comes to place.”

eyeSight provides a natural and intuitive way to control portable devices and applications. As the number of applications continues to increase, users spend more time navigating complicated menus. So for instance, when using a mobile navigation system, instead of looking for a specific key or clicking specific areas on the screen, the driver focuses on the road, and controls the device by a simple hand gesture. Moreover, while playing mobile games, eyeSight’s technology enables playing by using hand motions emulating real life actions such as – throwing a ball, catching a boomerang, blocking enemy’s attacks and more. The technology has been developed to work within many Android phones’ apps and provides a new, fun, and exciting way for users to easily control their favorite activities.

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Sony Ericsson “Shakira”?

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 05:31 PM PDT

The device you see in the picture below is the rumored "Shakira". It isn't as sexy as the singer but it does look good. This device will be coming soon and is the little brother of the X10. If the X10 is too big for you and the Mini’s are too small, this will fit your needs if you like the styling of the X10.

There are currently no solid specs on this device. It is said that is has lower specs than the X10. Hopefully it has a strong processor, a better screen and double the RAM of the X10. The screen size is likely 3.2-3.5, personally I think 3.5 would be the sweet spot. If this phone does have lower specs than the X10 no matter how it looks, it will flop. How you feel about this potential device? Would you get one if it has lower specs than the X10?

[via se-blog]

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TCL has announced the first Android-based Internet television in China

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 04:29 PM PDT

The Google TV isn't even out yet and there are a few competitors that will have a similar television on the market before Google releases theirs. This TV is from TCL which is a big electronics manufacturer in China. That will be the home of television if it makes it past all the censorship drama that is brewing between Google and the Chinese government.

This has some of the functions of Harmony Link for Google TV. It has the ability to sync with existing products in your home entertainment system and control them from one source. It will also have the ability in the future to sync with other products made by TCL like MID's and handset so they can be used as a remote as well.

This television has internet and Android Market access. It also has a web browser, video on demand, video chat and interactive games. TCL has been working on this Android-based TV since 2008, it should be available for purchase soon. There is currently no price set or exact release date.

[via chinitech]

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EVO 4G Is The Best Selling Phone in Sprint’s History

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 03:53 PM PDT

This is no surprise, the EVO had the biggest opening day of any phone that has ever been offered by Sprint. There has been reports of this handset selling out everywhere from Sprint store's, Radio Shack's and even a few Best Buy locations. The EVO out sold both of the previous record holders, the Palm Pre and the Samsung Instinct.

Sprint did not give specific numbers but they did say it sold twice as many both the previous record holders combined. New shipments are said to be arriving daily, if this does sell out everywhere the wait for more handsets could be as long as 30 days.

HTC has been known recently for not being able to keep up with demand. The HD2 sold out fast, the Gender myTouch 3G was unavailable for awhile. There are still a lot of customers waiting on their Incredibles. Hopefully this device isn't stricken with the same fate of it predecessors and it remains readily available.

[via slashgear]

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Install Android 2.2 Froyo on iPhone 3G

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 03:50 PM PDT

Before 2.2 makes its way to Android phones "officially" it has been ported to the iPhone. Now you can have Froyo on your Droid, Nexus One and on the iPhone. This is a work in progress, it has a few bugs that need to be worked out.

This mod is mainly just for show, it's not stable enough for a daily driver. You can send SMS and make calls but everything else is extremely buggy if it works at all. There is no Wi-Fi connection and it doesn't recognize the phones GPU. And like the previous Android port, power management isn't working so the phone will get hot after a few minutes. If you would like to help develop or just play around with it click here and get started.

Click here to view the embedded video.

[via gadgets dna]

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The Associated Press launches FIFA World Cup 2010 Android app

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 03:13 PM PDT

All of you Android users that love soccer can now rejoice!! The Associated Press has recently released an app that will follow the 2010 World Cup. This is a free app available in the Android Market.

If you're a Sprint customer you can watch it live on ESPN Mobile, so if you recently purchased an EVO you can enjoy FIFA World Cup 2010 on your handsets large display. For those of us non-Sprint customers this is a great app for every soccer fan no matter what team you're rooting for.

Feel the excitement of the games with AP’s 2010 World Cup Coverage! Follow your team throughout South Africa and enjoy live game scores, schedules, standings, and more. Available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, AP 2010 World Cup Coverage is the most trusted source for the World Cup action!

[via androidlibs]

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Motorola Milestone Coming to Cellular South

Posted: 07 Jun 2010 02:25 PM PDT

Cellular South has officially announced that the Milestone will be available soon. A little over a month ago they placed a promotion on their site with an unknown Android handset under a veil. Now that veil has been lifted to reveal the Motorola Milestone.

The Milestone has a 3.7-inch display, 8GB memory card and a 5 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash. It comes preloaded with Android 2.1 and all of the Google Experience apps. There's no word yet on if and when Android 2.2 will be pushed to the phone.

If you don't know, the Milestone is the Droid with GSM instead of being CDMA. The press release didn't give a specific release date or pricing information but it is coming. Cellular South also stated that this is the first of many Android handsets for them so stay tuned, there might be a few more surprises for you Cellular South customers.

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