Monday, 27 December 2010

Android Community

Android Community

Dell Streak 7: Spotted and headed toward T-Mobile

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 11:04 AM PST

The "5-inch go anywhere tablet" now has a big brother. The new specs for the 7-inch Dell Streak are largely unknown but it is almost certain it will be sporting a webcam on the front as well as the previously included rear camera and dual LED flash.

dell_streak_7

Like the original 5" Dell Streak, it will be running Android OS. The version is yet unknown; but seeing as how Dell has been selling these units with the latest and greatest, it will most likely be operating either 2.3 Gingerbread or 3.0 Honeycomb. CES is imminent and there is a good chance the Streak 7 will have its own seat reserved at the Dell/T-Mobile tables.

[via UnwiredView]

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Notion Ink Adam HDMI and Browser Tech Demoed Over Holiday Weekend in Videos

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 10:44 AM PST

Presents for everyone! Look at this little batch of videos sent out by Notion Ink over the holiday weekend, just jamming away as the release date for the tablet comes ever closer. The hardware AND the software are showed off in a lovely set of vids that also includes an HDMI demo as well as a demo of a “false digitizer” over a Wifi connection. Benchmarking against an iPad, iPhone and other Android browsers too!

As Chris notes, there seems to have been some confusion in the past about what’s going on as far as digitizer tech in the Adam. There will be no active digitizer, instead the 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen will be able to act as a massive trackpad for your computer. Also instead, if you’ve got a capacitive stylus, you could use the device for drawing if you’d like. Will it replace a Wacom graphics tablet? Probably not.

It seems as though Adam will be able to work with USB modems in the future, the biggest obstacle being drivers being developed for them to work properly with the system. In the videos here you’ll se a demo of the Adam boot-animation as well as the browser, and you’ll see that all the controls are running down a narrow bar on the left side, pop-out buttons for tab management appearing as well. As far as benchmarking goes, Adam scores 51,049 in Rightware's BrowserMark benchmarking tool, versus the iPad's 38,620 and the Nexus One's 23,726. That’s freaking amazing. And there’s multitouch, of course. Look, look, look!

Notion Ink Adam boot-screen

Notion Ink Browser Demo:

Notion Ink Adam Hardware Demo:

[Via SlashGear]

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CyanogenMod 7 on the Horizon, Nexus S Alpha Version Already Out!

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 10:20 AM PST

Those super cool developers of CyanogenMod are whipping up a new version as we speak, XDA letting us know that there’s an unofficial alpha version available for Nexus S now. Christmas day there was a tweet from the folks at Cyanogen that said they’d not released an official version of 7 because they’d not fixed the camcorder yet. Later that day, a fix did indeed occur. XDA Developers forum member Koush released an alpha version with the fix, the real deal undoubtedly now heading up quick.

The release date for the real deal CyanogenMod 7 is yet unknown, but as Santa delivered Gingerbread to Cyanogen’s tweeter’s EVO, it’s looking like SOON is the answer. The alpha build for CyanogenMod 7 can be found over on XDA Forums.

[Via XDA]

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Samsung Vibrant and Fascinate acquire Android 2.2 in Canada before the rest

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 09:29 AM PST

With Froyo recieving less attention than Gingerbread in the spotlight lately, some Android users with anything less will undoubtedly feel left behind. Fortunately, Samsung's Galaxy S line in Canada is currently receiving 2.2 updates for the Telus Fascinate and on three versions of the Vibrant sold by Virgin Mobile, Bell, and SaskTel.

Samsung_Vibrant

Only time will tell whether the official Samsung update to 2.2 or a stable fan-made ROM will reach these US phones first. There is already a decent ROM made by developers “Team Whiskey” for the T-Mobile Vibrant titled I Can’t Believe It’s Not Gingerbread that has proved to be substantially stable. Other updates are soon to follow.

[via Engadget]

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SoundHound app now gives unlimited music IDs

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 06:23 AM PST

Music identification company SoundHound has unlocked the free version of its software to support unlimited track IDs. Previously, SoundHound – which is available for Android devices as well as iOS devices – only supported five IDs per month in the free version, requiring an upgrade to the premium app for any more than that.

The app also shows lyrics, artist information and previews the top songs. SoundHound is still offering the premium app, for those who don’t want adverts.

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Cheap Intex Android phone heading to India soon

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 05:51 AM PST

In the US, we tend to like Android devices with lots of features and most of us don't mind paying hundreds of dollars to get the device we want. In other countries people like smartphones based on Android, but they want cheaper options too.

A company called Intex has an Android phone that is set to land in India packing in Froyo, a 2.8-inch touchscreen, and a 3.2MP camera. The smartphone is set to land the first week of February and will cost about Rs. 5,500 or about $122 in the US.

“We will launch an Android 2.2 phone in the first week of February and it will be priced around Rs. 5,500,” said Sudhir Kumar, asst. general manager of Telecom Division for Intex.

Via TechTree

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VLC player for Android coming soon

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 05:43 AM PST

The open-source video player known as VLC hit the iPhone back a few months ago. Android fans have wanted the app on their OS as well and that is set to happen soon. The VLC player will let Android users play all sorts of video formats on their devices.

At this point, we don't have an exact date for the launch of the player with the developers only offering that the app is coming in a “Matter of Weeks”. The project to port the app to Android has been going for weeks.

The port really gained momentum when Google released the NDK. At this point most of the VLC libraries have been ported to Android. As many have found out with some game apps, not all Android handsets play as well as others when it comes to apps and VLC will be no different. The devs warn that the VLC player will not work as well on some handsets.

Via Andorid Guys

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Pics of new smartphone thought to be the Sony Ericsson Hallon leak

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 04:18 AM PST

We have a bit of a strange occurrence here. According to the rumor that goes along with these leaked photos the pic here is leaked shot of an unannounced Sony Ericsson smartphone and the camera phone used to take the photos of the unannounced device is itself another unannounced model from SE. Weird.

The handset that shot the photos is going by the model number LT15i and is thought to be an 8MP device. One of the users of the Picasa site where the test photos were dug up is listed as “Rachel.tester” short of a lady having the perfect name for a hardware tester, the name is thought to be a codename for a new phone mode. The Xpreia X10 used Rachel as its codename.

Speculation on the pics has lead to some suggesting the device taking the photos is the SE Anzu. The catch is that the pics look decidedly low res and the Anzu is reported to have a 12MP camera. Either the rumor is wrong or the test camera isn't shooting in full res. The phone in the pics is thought to be the SE Hallon MT15i. It has a curved top with a USB port on top and appears to be running Gingerbread. Sony Ericsson is expected to launch several new handsets at MWC in February so these may be two of them.

hallon-1 hallon-2

Via Pocket Now

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Dell Streak 7 (aka M02M/Looking Glass) hits FCC with T-Mo/AT&T 3G

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:29 AM PST

Dell’s M02M Looking Glass tablet has been caught crossing the FCC, complete with UMTS/WCDMA support for both AT&T and T-Mobile USA. The filing for the M02M – which is believed to have a 7-inch display and run NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 chipset – also lists WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR.

There’s also a SIM card slot and an SD card slot, both accessed via a door on the side of the Looking Glass; it’s unclear at this stage whether the tablet will be able to make voice calls, like the Dell Streak or not. It also seems that the back panel is non-removable, suggesting a non-user-replaceable battery. We’re expecting to see the Looking Glass launch at CES 2011 next month as the Dell Streak 7.

[via Engadget]

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MOTOBLUR 3.0 for DROID 2 gets unofficial release

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:16 AM PST

MOTOBLUR 3.0 has now sprouted an unofficial release for the Motorola DROID 2, after showing up on the DROID 2 Global and DROID Pro. The handiwork of MyDroidWorld, the Motorola Build Blur (3.0.0) System 2.2 has been deodexed, busyboxed, and given root privileges.

Motorola is yet to announce when – or if – the DROID 2 will get an official MOTOBLUR update, so for now this is probably the best way to enjoy the new UI.

motoblur_3_3 motoblur_3_2 motoblur_3_1

[via IntoMobile]

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Dell Streak worst product of 2010 claims Walt Mossberg

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 03:09 AM PST

Bearded uncle of tech, the WSJ’s Walt Mossberg, has pushed out his list of the best and worst reviewed products for 2010, and an Android device tops the charts for the most mediocre. According to Mossberg, the Dell Streak is “a tweener” that isn’t big enough to be a successful tablet but is too large to be a smartphone.

Android did show up in Mossberg’s top gadget list, however, with the Samsung Galaxy S tied for third place with the iPhone 4.

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Samsung Froyo-based Galaxy Player PMP due at CES 2011

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 02:31 AM PST

Samsung is planning on bringing a PMP-only version of its Galaxy S smartphone to CES 2011, with the 4-inch media-player having roughly the same specifications as the phone aside from no cellular connectivity. According to Samsung Hub, the Samsung Galaxy Player YP-GB1 runs Android 2.2 Froyo on a Super LCD display, and has WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0.

There’s also T-DMB, SoundAlive audio-enhancing DSP and a 3.2-megapixel rear camera, along with a front-facing camera for video calls. It also gets Android Market access, despite not having 3G, along with Samsung’s own appstore, and there’s a microSD card slot and GPS. We’re guessing there’ll be more details, such as pricing, early next year.

[via Gizmodo]

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Nexus S Limited Edition masses an Android army

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 01:33 AM PST

We’ve already seen what the careful application of some spray-rubber can do to the Nexus S’ battery cover, but a supposedly “limited edition” version of the Googlephone is even more appealing. Up for order at Negri Electronics, the difference is in the replacement back panel, which is covered in tiny Android logos.

The regular Nexus S panel has a far more dull, generic pattern to it, so we much prefer this limited edition back-plate. It’s not entirely clear whether it’s the handiwork of Samsung, Google, or a third-party, but what we do know is that it doesn’t come cheap; Negri is asking $843.50.

[via Twitter]

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What to Get for my Android Phone or Tablet: 2010 Holiday Gifts Edition

Posted: 26 Dec 2010 07:34 PM PST

SO it’s nearing the end of 2010 and you’ve either just got an Android phone for a gift OR you’ve decided to spend that sweet holiday cash on that sweet Google smartphone you’ve had your eye on – what do you do next? I mean, you’ve got it, and you’re looking around on it and you see some pre-installed apps and you’ve maybe seen what they can do, you’ve gone to the Android Market and you’ve glanced around and maybe downloaded a top free app or two… but now what? Let us show you the way with this seasons must-do list.

1. PHYSICAL CARE: After you’ve taken a look at your phone, carried it around for a few days, seen how well it fares in your pocket, be sure to take a look over the device to see if it’s got scratches, dings, or any sign of wear. If there ARE signs that the device isn’t going to survive the keys, coins, and other metal objects in your chosen phone carrier (pants, purse, etc,) consider grabbing a case. Especially if this is your first smartphone, you may be unused to protecting your phone beyond the obvious no-dunking-in-water method. If you’ve just invested $100+ in a phone that has our favorite pal Android inside, you’d be smart to toss a few more bucks in just to make sure your lovely will fare well through the new year.

2. ESSENTIAL APPS: Let me right now let you in on the apps I always download very first: Advanced Task Killer, Google Maps, Compass, Google Sky Map, Barcode Scanner, Metal Ball, and QR Droid. All of these apps are TOTALLY FREE. Lets go through them each in a nutshell here:

  • Advanced Task Killer There is no quicker and easier way for you to close all the applications you’ve got running. You’re probably aware from using your home computer that when you’ve got too many things open at once, things start to run slower. The same thing is true here on your new phone. With Advanced Task killer you’re given a list of the things you’ve got open, all you’ve got to do is select the ones you’re not using and press a button to close them.
  • Google Maps The very best map system in the world if you ask me, constantly updated and working best on your Android-based phone. Why? Because Android IS Google, working in close collaboration on how to best bring you live maps and navigation from your phone.
  • Compass As simple as the title implies, opening this app brings up a live working compass that’ll lead you straight outta the forest.
  • Google Sky Map Open this app and point your phone up to the sky. See all those constellations of stars? They’re actually up there, your phone now acting as a map so you can tell what you’re seeing in the night sky. Coolest feature? Time travel – allowing you to see what was up there hundreds of years ago.
  • Barcode Scanner Use this to scan any barcode from any product you’ve got in front of you to find results (like prices) from different sources. Good use: bring this to a rummage sale to see if the $5 pricetag on that book is actually worth it, or if you’ll be able to get it cheaper online.
  • QR Droid Your one-stop QR Code decoder and encoder. If you have no idea what a QR Code is or cant remember a single time you’ve ever seen one, don’t bother downloading this. If you want to be cool and part of the future, feel free!
  • Metal Ball This app is as simple as they come – all it consists of is a metal ball that rolls around on your phone in a box. When it hits the side, it makes your phone shake as if it were real. This app is like a gateway drug, making you want to explore all that’s possible with your phone in the future.

3. ADDITIONAL APPS: After you’ve checked these out, you’ll want to keep downloadin! Where can you get tips on all the sweet new apps as they come out? Why, SlashApps of course! Grab a review, download at your leisure, or join in on the fun and add your own feedback!

4. HELP: As you continue on your Android journey, certainly some questions will pop up in your mind. As they do, you can find a heaping helping of fun right here with us! For all your simple-to-advanced questions, feel free to ask in our Android Community Forums – a friendly place where everyone will greet you with quick answers and handshakes.

5. HACKS: Inevitably, you’ll find yourself wondering if there’s anything you can do thats against the system. What’s possible with this machine that the manufacturer and sales team never intended? For that, there’s a plethora of hacks. Take a look through our hacking archive to see what’s REALLY possible with your handheld device.

6. UPDATES: Finally, of course, there’s always updates as they happen. For all the news and fun tips as they are revealed to the world, on the spot and up to date, stick with us! Android Community is your friendly neighborhood group dedicated to bringing you the latest and most essential Android bits right to your eyeballs.

Most importantly: have fun! Welcome to the community!

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