Thursday, 14 October 2010

Android Community

Android Community

Android 2.2 Recent Concerns

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 11:01 AM PDT

After the highly anticipated release of Android 2.2 updates for Droid X, the update from Android 2.1 to 2.2 has created concerns (and problems) for Motorola forum users. Some of the recently addressed concerns with the new Android OS are random rebooting, WiFi connection and stability issues, battery manager “force close” errors, and media not playing properly.

If you’re experiencing some of these issues and want to know how to resolve them, or you just want to know what kinds of problems users are having with their recent updates, check out the forum statement below. And be sure and look at the last line of the statement, it attempts to steer us away from the recent new Gingerbread update rumors floating around. What do you think?

If you have already upgraded to 2.2 for Droid X, you have found some new capabilities. Unfortunately, some owners also found new issues. Here are some of the known issues raised by forums members, with some information about each. It is not intended to be a complete list at this time — there are many more fixes and improvements in the works. I'll update this list as information becomes available.

Stuck on Moto logo after reboot – this was tough on a few owners. Very sorry about that. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release. If you are still experiencing this issue, click here.

Random rebooting – while there always seem to be new conditions that can cause an electronic device to panic, we do have improvements coming that address and eliminate identified panic states. They will be distributed in a future software release.

WiFi connection and stability – improvements in WiFi have been developed, to address several problem areas. They will be distributed in a future software release.

Battery Manager "force close" errors – under some circumstances, pressing the battery icon under Menu > Settings > Battery Manager results in a forced close error. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release.

Media won't play – includes "sorry the player does not support this type of audio file,” custom ringtone stop working, video won't play, etc., until after a reboot. We believe we have identified the cause of these errors. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release.

Music files cutting off the final four seconds or so – a solution has been developed. It will be distributed in a future software release.

At this time I don’t have information about when the next software update will be available — when I have it, I’ll share it here.

[via MotorolaSupportForums]

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Samsung Galaxy S Froyo Source Code Pulled from Open Source Release Center

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 08:03 AM PDT

Yesterday we brought word of Samsung releasing Android 2.2 (build I9000) on it's Open Source Release Center. It looks like now that it was published prematurely, and it has been pulled from the website.


Hopefully if you were looking to download it as a developer you got your hands on it before it was pulled or can find access to a mirror. What does this mean exactly? We aren't sure, it could mean that the release of Froyo for Samsung Galaxy S devices could be pushed off even further as we approach the announcement of Gingerbread. Only time will tell and we know it will take a fully polished OS with little bugs for Samsung to officially release a major software update.

So, Galaxy S users will just have to stick to their ROMs, for now – or stay with 2.1 until the actual release gets pushed. Hopefully it's before Gingerbread hits devices.

[Via Phandroid]

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Babylon2Go translation app hits Android Market

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 06:09 AM PDT

I am sure that there are lots of times when Android users are traveling or going about their day and they run across a word that then don't know be it in English or in a foreign language. There is also a lot of content online that we run across that needs translated.

A new translation tool for Android users called Babylon2Go has landed on the Android market for download. The app is Android native and can be downloaded free. The app supports over 75 different languages.

It has a large dictionary database as well so you can get meanings for words in your own language or others. You can grab the app right now and save yourself a trip to the Babylon website or others for translations.

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Adobe hits the 1M mark for downloads on Android

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 06:03 AM PDT

One of the big things that Android users have that user’s on the iPhone lacks is support for Adobe Flash. Adobe has announced that so far Flash player 10.1 has been downloaded on Android over a million times. Despite heavy downloads there are still some issues with some Flash content.

ZDNet reports that Disney.com videos don't work as planned on Android with the Flash player and the popular game site AddictingGames.com didn’t work either. The reason is that Disney and some other sites automatically deliver content to mobiles that lack video.

Adobe is adamant that issues like this are not a faulty of the API. Adobe’s Anup Murarka simply said, “It's not an API issue.” I guess the fix in these instances is for these sites to offer the chance to users to view the full website, not force a mobile version for the multitude of devices that can handle the real deal.

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Best Buy to Get Xperia X10 with Taylor Swift content

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:54 AM PDT

We mentioned yesterday that Best Buy would be getting the Xperia X10 smartphone along with other hardware this month. What we didn’t know at the time is that the X10 on Best Buy will have an exclusive glut of content for Taylor Swift fans. The handset is the Xperia X10 with The Essential Taylor Swift Experience.

The handset will hit Best Buy on October 14 as previously stated. It will sell for $99 with a new 2-year Verizon contract. The Taylor Swift media that is pre-loaded on the smartphone include the original self-titled album and the new Fearless album as well.

The device also has the new single Mine and includes a ringtone and the music video. Buyers of the handset will also get all of the music on the coming Speak Now album on October 25 included with the device. The white smartphone comes with a special skin and matching headphones as well. All other features of the X10 are the same as other versions.

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Retail Galaxy Tab gets video unboxing

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 05:00 AM PDT

With the Samsung Galaxy Tab already up for sale in Germany, it was only a matter of time before we saw the first unboxing videos show up.  Carrypad have acquired one of the 7-inch Froyo slates, and shot a comprehensive video detailing everything that comes in the retail package.

That includes an AC adapter, USB sync/charge cable and a wired stereo headset with in-line microphone, together with some basic documentation.  There are plenty of other official accessories, of course – including a keyboard dock and HDMI dock – but you’ll have to buy those separately.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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£599 Samsung Galaxy Tab in UK tips distributor

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 04:31 AM PDT

Another batch of retailer leaks are promising to confirm the Galaxy Tab UK price before Samsung itself is ready to announce it.  T3 heard from John Doughty, Mobile Division General Manager of trade distributor Micro P, that the 7-inch Froyo slate will be £599 for consumers looking to buy it unlocked and SIM-free.

Meanwhile the contract price is tipped to be £199, assuming you’re willing to sign up to a two-year agreement at £25 per month.  That all fits in with the last rumor, from another retail insider.

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Opera Mobile for Android due within a month: pinch-zoom & hardware acceleration

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 02:04 AM PDT

Opera has announced that Opera Mobile for Android will be released within a month, complete with hardware acceleration and pinch-to-zoom.  The company claims that the former “allows Opera Mobile to run at lightning speed” and that “navigating a page will be faster than ever, and the improvements to the UI will be momentous.”

Meanwhile, rather than the two-stage zooming in Opera Mobile currently, the new version for Android will support multiple levels of pinch-zooming.  ”Text will now be rendered at a per character level” the company says, “and zooming in will be a fluid zoom from page-width down to the text you want to focus on.”

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Froyo officially coming to the Dell Streak soon, 2.1 Update halted

Posted: 14 Oct 2010 12:34 AM PDT

The Dell streak only recently got it's own 2.1 build and now Dell has announced that it will be skipping 2.1 in the United States to focus solely on 2.2 Froyo. While this does mean that Streak users will be missing out on 2.1 features over it's currently equipped 1.6, the direct update to 2.2 will be highly worth the few days/weeks without Eclair.

We have heard that 2.2 on the Streak will be available before years end, but with halting 2.1 preparation we can expect that we will see it even earlier than expected. With Gingerbread coming up quickly device manufacturers will have to push out update quickly before they get too far behind.


Official Announcement Via Dell

“Hi Folks,

Due to resources and commitments to get our global customers the 2.2/Froyo update by the end of the year, we will not be publishing another version of 2.1 nor will we be pushing out 2.1 to additional customers.

I know many of you have requested that we publish specific dates for Android OS updates; however, because there are so many variables (some outside of our control), we cannot make a specific commitment other than we will be publishing 2.2 by the end of this year to all of our Dell Streak customers. I can tell you that our target date is NOT December 31st. In fact, the over-the-air update to 2.2 is target date is much sooner than that.

Please stay tuned here to the Mobile Devices Forum board announcements or follow @DellCares on Twitter for more information.

Thanks again for your feedback,

Amy”

[Via Dell Support Forums]

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T-Mobile Follows suit, lowers Data Cap to 5GB

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 09:07 PM PDT

Following nearly all carriers, started by AT&T, T-Mobile has lowered their data cap from 10GB to 5GB. In an effort to make their network as perform at it's best this new cap will limit heavy users and hopefully clear up some traffic for casual users, making it a more speedy experience.

Now T-Mobile states that this will only affect about 1% of it's current user base. One-perfect seems low, but for those in the 1% this is a big deal. Starting October 16th, once you hit the 5GB cap you will be notified via free SMS and your data speeds will be reduced. Once your billing month is over, your data speeds will go back to normal unless you hit the cap again.

This is a quite different approach to data overages, AT&T who has a current cap of 2GB will charge you, in 1GB increments after you have reached the cap.

If you would like to check your current data usage, check out my.t-mobile.com.

[Via TmoNews]

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Motorola Tegra2 Olympus coming to AT&T first?

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 04:11 PM PDT

AT&T hasn't been the key player in Android, we all know that. Since it has the exclusivity of the iPhone their attention to Android was minimal when it launched. Their devices were lackluster, and no big Android hardware launches even came to the network until the Samsung Captivate this summer. However, AT&T's love for Android could be growing as it nears the end of it's iPhone exclusivity.

According to a source "close to the matter" AT&T has been in talks with Motorola, and a deal has been put in place making AT&T one of the first carriers to launch their upcoming dual-core Tegra 2 Gingerbread device. This device, known as the Motorola Olympus, has been talked about from Motorola themselves and is expected to come to multiple carriers in early 2011.

AT&T being one of the first carriers to launch this much anticipated mystery device will put them into the race of embracing the Android platform, which will hopefully grow on the network. With it's iPhone exclusivity running out, AT&T needs to look to other options to stay current as well as competitive in an ever changing Android and mobile phone market.

[Via AndroidAndMe]

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Majority of Android Phones Running 2.1 and Higher

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 02:12 PM PDT

Google has updated its distribution totals and revealed to us that 73.8% of various Android OS builds are using some version of Android 2.x. Intriguing to developers, the latest data shows that the largest percentage of Android OS use is with Android 2.1 (40.4%), while the second most used OS is Android 2.2 (33.4%). Unfortunately, there are still 26.1% of Android Market users running on Android 1.6 and 1.5. Google regularly builds these charts to help developers prioritize which OS is the most common and which one their apps should support.

Reports back in May showed that the majority of users then used older Android 1.6 compared to the then-current 2.1 OS. However, the pie chart (above) was based on data collected on 14 days of Android Market access, ending on October 1. This new data clearly shows that the shift has been made from the majority of Android OS users previously running on 1.6 and older to now running on 2.1 and later OS versions. Android is improving their OS and rumor has it that they are getting ready to launch another update next week. Are you excited for the new (rumored) launch?

[via Electronista]

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Android the Up-coming Enterprise

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 01:39 PM PDT

Android-based handsets and tablets are here to stay. With Verizon’s large-scale launch of its data-oriented high-speed LTE 4G network, in 38 mobile markets across the U.S, it’s easy to see why Android is trying to take the wireless world by storm. Android OS and the handsets it runs on make it more appealing to both consumers and to enterprise managers. On the enterprise front, Verizon’s Motorola Droid Pro is among the first Android devices to offer Cisco IPsec VPN connectivity.

With the Windows Phone 7 launch this week, Microsoft's effort to build a developer base and provide handset and carrier choice set the stage for enterprise uptake. However, Android’s apps integration of corporate messaging and security systems will surely give Microsoft WP7 a run for its money. Do you think Android OS will dominate over Microsoft or Apple?

[via eweek.com]

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Chrome OS Launching before years end

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 01:10 PM PDT

We all love Android, we have it on on phones, tablets, TV's and even printers, but we all must admit that the lovable OS isn't optimized for screens larger than a mobile phone without some serious modifications. Enter Google's Chrome OS, a web browser based approach at an operating system. We have heard about it, seen it in action and now it looks like it will be hitting netbooks before years end.

Last night we saw the introduction of 4 Google-Android-Chrome equipped TVs. The end result: Flawless. Utilizing all of Google's available technologies clearly worked and the end product was stunning both with it's hardware and software. People are speculating that this integration of all of Google's offerings truly makes the product. We may see this on products in the future, launching with the best features of Android and Chrome OS to make a unique netbook or tablet experience.

"We are very happy with the progress of Google Chrome OS and expect devices will be available later this year. We'll have more details to share at launch."

With Chrome finishing up in development, it has been confirmed that we will start seeing it on devices later this year and before January 1st 2011. What does this mean for Android Market Share? Well we do not know as of yet, it could be another way to boost brand recognition, or even take some market share away from the Android platform. But how could we complain about an operating system built for devices that it will run on? We will see how it all turns out later this year.

[Via Phandroid]

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Grooveshark for Android with Improved Updates

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 12:57 PM PDT

Grooveshark, the music streaming service just released a major update to its Android application. Grooveshark fixed some of the technical difficulties it had in the past, and added several new enhancements for the music streaming application. Some of the added features include listening to playlists created by friends, stations based on genres, saving playlists as a station, and sync playlists. The app also supports a pausing session so it can resume at a later point and maintain song queues.

Grooveshark has taken it upon themselves to correct on of the biggest flaws we found in its app: frequent inaccessibility to songs in its library unless accessed through WiFi. Grooveshark has corrected this flaw and now, there are WiFI songs available over mobile networks for your enjoyment. We like where Grooveshark is going and we’re happy to see them keeping up-to-date in the Android era. Good work guys!

[via Androinica]

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Samsung Fascinate, Xperia X10 in White and Dell Streak to Best Buy Oct 24

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 12:35 PM PDT

Best Buy's getting in the mood for a wintery season ahead with the addition of Samsung’s Fascinate and Ericsson’s Xperia X10, both in white. Dell Streak is also coming to Best Buy soon, as all three devices will be available October 24. Best Buy has already begun taking pre orders for all three devices. All you need is $50 and you’ll be added to the list to get your hands on one of these devices in eleven days.

Sources have leaked that Verizon’s Samsung Fascinate and AT&T’s Xperia10 will be getting makeovers for a re-release, exclusively for Best Buy. Fascinate’s back of the phone will be white, while Xperia’s front will be white. Call me crazy, but it seems like both phones would want to match the front appearance to the back, but that’s just me. Dell Streak isn't getting that same overhaul, but it will be the first time its ever been available at a third-party retailer in the U.S.

[via phandroid]

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Lookout Premium Coming to Android

Posted: 13 Oct 2010 12:00 PM PDT

Lookout, a mobile security app, is announcing that there will be a premium version of their service some time before the end of the year. The big news here isn’t that they’ll have added features to the premium app, but that in order to keep a free version with the full list of current benefits, you’ll need to have it installed now or at least before the paid version launches.

The letter below from John Hering, CEO Lookout Mobile Security, explains as much about the new app as we know. We will keep you posted for further updates on Lookout Premium. In any case, make sure you have Lookout installed before the end of the year, or you’ll be paying for the app in the future.

Hello,

We're excited to let you know that we'll be releasing Lookout Mobile Security Premium for Android later this year. We will continue to offer our award-winning free Lookout product and we will be adding a premium offering for those of you who want added protection. While we can't reveal the details of the Premium version just yet, we can tell you what will happen for our existing users.

For you, nothing changes– unless you want it to! Because you are an existing Lookout user you can continue to use the same great Lookout product you know and love for as long as you want, free of charge. While we will continue to offer a free product, a few of our free features will become premium features for new users. Existing users like yourself will get to keep using those features free of charge for the life of your account. If you are interested in upgrading to the new Premium product, you'll have the option to do that. And if you change your mind, you can always go back to what you have today for free.

Here's How it Will Work:
- We will continue to have a great free version of Lookout
- Lookout Premium will be coming out soon (more details, including price, to come)
- You'll have the option to upgrade to Lookout Premium
- For existing users, you get to continue using all the features in your Free product today, for the life of your account
- Note: The first version of Lookout Premium will be for Android users only. Additional platforms will follow.

When we release more information about Lookout Premium, you'll be first to know. Stay tuned and thank you for supporting Lookout. If you have any questions, please send us a note at support@mylookout.com.

In the meantime, tell your friends to sign up for Lookout now!

Best,
John Hering
CEO, Lookout Mobile Security

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