Saturday, 2 July 2011

Android Community

Android Community

Android Community Weekly : July 2, 2011

Posted: 02 Jul 2011 07:22 AM PDT

Welcome to this early July issue of Android Community Weekly! Early on this Monday @CyanogenMod informed the masses of his CyanogenMod 7.1 RC1 release; for specifics, navigate here. Later on, we discovered the next "Nexus" phone to run Ice Cream Sandwich may include a Super AMOLED Screen. Could this next phone in the Nexus lineup also be made by Samsung? Only time will tell.


Perhaps the most interesting news to hit this week was the launch of Google+. This private beta has proved to be very polished and may be a viable threat to Facebook when publicly released. Some official videos concerning different aspects of how the Google+ social landscape will play out were revealed Tuesday. Accordingly, the Google+ application was later released that day in the Android Market. After the Android Community team tested the application out, Chris Burns released an official Android Community hands-on and review of Google+. Though Google+ currently operates as a private beta, there is a working Google+ invitation work-around to help you all join in. Also, don't forget to check out the Google+ widget included after you download the app.

Developers have succeeded in allowing HSPA+ data speeds on the Galaxy S II for AT&T's network. As if the Galaxy S II wasn't powerful enough, we've gotten word of an even speedier version to be released simultaneously as Apple releases the iPhone 5. It is said to be named the Samsung Galaxy S II PLUS and run a 1.4GHz dual core processor. And we all thought the Galaxy S II was future-proof enough…

Expect a Droid Charge Gingerbread update soon, as it may have been spotted in a YouTube clip. Also leaked was a Droid Charge compatible version of Netflix; it doesn't get better than streaming off of Verizon's fast LTE network. Over on Twitter, HTC is staying true to their word by working hard to allow users to unlock their bootloaders. Fortunately, TeamWin let the public know about an exploit in the newly released HTC EVO 3D's kernel that would allow root access. Surely enough, they successfully rooted the EVO 3D.

If you've been looking for a bluetooth device to pair with your smartphone, Chris Burns recently reviewed the SuperTooth HD. He was very pleased with the functionality as well as overall build quality. Chris Burns also had a close look at the Samsung Dart. Both a hands-on and comparison were conducted; should Samsung have escalated the quality of this device?

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 has recently hit the FCC accompanied with either AT&T or a Canadian carriers radios – it's still too early to tell. Ubuntu flavored Linux was successfully ported to the 10.1 version as of Wednesday, and this particular Linux port looks like something more users would be interested in. It runs at a 1280×800 resolution so expect this to feel more like a proper port of the OS. In other news, the developer of the highly popular home-replacement application Launcher Pro, has released a beta of his music app. It looks slicker than many other current music players on the market so try downloading it on the market while it's free.

Skype has finally given Android users the ability to video chat on select devices. Does Skype video chat work on your device? Be sure to let us know within the comments section below. Finally, don't forget to register to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" over at Taco Bell.

)


Motorola Droid 3 Officially Coming July 7th, In Stores July 14th

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:11 PM PDT

The Motorola Droid 3 has been rumored for a July 7th release ever since we saw it up on Gameloft.com but that was about all we had. With leaks about it getting upgraded to the dual-core OMAP 4 CPU then all the recent leaks like this accessory list we knew something would be coming soon.

Our friends over at Droid-Life have just learned that the Motorola Droid 3 will be available for direct fulfillment starting on July 7th and will be rolled out and available across Verizon Wireless stores starting Thursday July 14th. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed but it is safe to say it will be $199 with a new 2-year contract extension like usual.

I guess those accessories showing up at Verizon stores was a pretty good sign of things to come but this latest leak sealed the deal and can now give you keyboard fans something to look forward to. Now all we need is the official word from Verizon and it should be coming soon.

[via Droid-Life]

)


Motorola Droid Bionic passes FCC with some 4G LTE Radios?

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 04:01 PM PDT

The Droid Bionic from Motorola has had its share of delays and criticism but if this latest bit of news turns out true it may have all been with good reason. We first saw it at CES then heard it was delayed back in April for some changes and improvements. Now we are seeing it should be packing a dual-core and 4G LTE, a true powerhouse over on Verizon.

We first saw the new form factor back in June then a few days later got even more information on the device. The latest leaks suggest it will be packing a 4.5″ qHD display and now we are seeing it with those 4G radios. Everything looks pretty good so far.

Hopefully the Droid Bionic will feature the same dual-core OMAP 4 CPU that the Droid 3 will be rocking. If they opt for that this will be the best of the best regarding phones over on Verizon Wireless. Until we see more or hear more we will just have to wait for another leak, but I have a feeling one will be coming soon.

[via PocketNow]

)


LG Optimus Black Headed to a few U.S. Carriers

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 03:51 PM PDT

We have heard about the LG Optimus Black a few times and it should even be headed to U.S Cellular here sometime in 2011. A few already have the device over in Europe but it is about time we see it here in the states. It looks to be headed to multiple carriers here in the U.S. soon.

According to our friends over at PocketNow the Optimus Black has been passing through the FCC and we should be seeing it and that beautiful NOVA display soon. The Optimus Black will land on Virgin Mobile, and Alltel alongside US Cellular like mentioned above.

The Optimus Black has a 4″ NOVA Display as well as a 1 Ghz processor on board. Running Android 2.2 and shooting with a 5MP camera on the rear and a quality 2 MP camera on front for video chat, that should be better than most we have seen. Until we here more details regarding this handset we will just have to wait and see but it looks promising so far.

[via PocketNow]

)


Polygon Plummet and Big Mountain Snowboarding App Review Double-Down

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 02:44 PM PDT

It’s that time again, ladies and gentlemen, time for a double-down app review. Last time we did this we had a Wallpaper Changer and a SPB Time App, and this time we’ve got two apps that are JUST as odd if not odder. First is Polygon Plummet, an extremely simple-looking game that requires that you follow several rules for each piece of the puzzle you’re meant to knock down in as few moves as possible, the other being Big Mountain Snowboarding, a game where you – you guessed it – snowboard down a mountain in classic fashion.

Before we go much further, let me tell you, as I tell you again in the video, that these apps are not your high-class Gameprom games, you wont find them listed amongst Adrenaline 6 and they don’t have Spiderman money. That said, they’ve got a lot of potential and, should you choose to download both of them for free, you’ll find yourself chipping away at the clock for quite some time trying to beat the entirety of both.

First let’s have a chat about Polygon Plummet. This is a game where you’ve got no time limit, a set of objects, rules attached to each of these objects, and the ability to burst them. What you’re aiming to do is get some blocks bursted, other blocks felled off the screen by knocking whatever is below it away, and the rest sitting pretty. Sound complicated? It certainly can be. You’ll spend 2 minutes on one level and 15 on the next. Get ready for some complications!

Then let’s have at Big Mountain Snowboarding. This is a game that you’ll recognize even if you’ve never played it. Every snowboarding game ever made looks essentially the same as this one, and with the ability to couch for speed, jump with a flick of your device, and spin back and forth and grab your board for some sweet tricks, you’ll be right at home instantly. The scope of this game appears quite large, that being its 3D rendering of mountains you’re traveling down, and you’ll have a lovely ol’ time crashing into rocks when you fall.

Both of these games are free on the Android Market today, the BMSnowboarding game can be upgraded to a non-Lite version if you wish in the future, see them both here:
Polygon Plummet
Big Mountain Snowboarding LITE (free preview)
Big Mountain Snowboarding FULL VERSION $2.99

Have fun!

P.S. All of this is done on the Samsung DROID Charge on Verizon, a full review of which you can view from back in April. The Super AMOLED Plus just creeps back into your life when you’re not looking – watch out for that sweet LTE mang!

)


Droid 3 Accessories Show Up at Verizon Store, Verizon Asks “What Droid 3?”

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 02:27 PM PDT

Well I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m almost bored with it by now. The Droid 3 is going to be an undeniably sexy keyboard bearing phone with a dual-core prcoessor and qHD screen, but we’ve been being teased by it for months now. It may have a rumored release date only two weeks out, but we still have no word from Moto or Verizon. If this isn’t bad enough, Verizon stores are now getting official cases for the unannounced phone.

The cases pictured are a lovely assortment of colored gel and hard cases for the third iteration of the Droid. There were also screen covers, but that’s not too exciting is it? The real question is when will someone give us an official release date.

Leaks have been pointing at the next couple weeks, with both July 7th and 14th being named in rumors. While it lacks Verizon’s blazing LTE network, and spec wise is very similar to whatever we expect the 4G-bearing Droid Bionic to have when it launches, the Droid 3 will be THE device for Verizon customers who need that physical keyboard. Whatever your feelings about this phone the wait looks to be almost over, I hope.

[via Droid Life]

)


BOKU 1-Tap Billing Brings In-App Carrier Payments to Over 50 Countries

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 02:06 PM PDT

In-app billing was a pretty big deal when Google officially released support for it this spring. Carrier billing for app purchases was a pretty big deal when it came out last year. Now mobile Payment company BOKU is banking that in-app carrier billing will a big deal. Their final version of 1-Tap Billing became official today, bringing its service to 56 countries.

Android developers have a tendency not to make as much as a certain other smartphone OS’ developers when it comes to app sales. This is partly due to how many apps are free in the Android market (a lot). Luckily there are lots of other ways to monetize apps, like in-app ads and billing. Until now though, the process had to be done through Google’s APIs which used Google Checkout and was available in around 30 countries.

BOKU is a mobile payment company who is offering a way for devs to make the process not only a bit simpler, but more wide-reaching. BOKU offers a straightforward, payment option for your app’s users. After they’ve decided to make a purchase, they just confirm, and the payment is billed to your cell phone carrier.

For developers interested, check out Boku’s website, where you can sign up, and get their SDK to add the service to your app. BOKU admits that their conversion rates, as well as carrier fees are a bit steeper than Google and credit card companies’, but is confident that simplicity and greater availability will still result in a higher net income for developers. If you’re interested it may be worth your time to look at BOKU’s terms, your app’s monetization plan, and pull out that handy calculator to crunch some numbers and see if you want in.

)


More Google+ Updates Coming This Weekend

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 01:37 PM PDT

More Google+ news has just hit the Stream over in + land for those that are having fun with us on the new social network. Over the next few days and this weekend Google plans to make a few things clear. They will be adding tips and helpful notifications to show users how to show and share others posts, and that should be live any time now.

Another update we should see rollout sometime this weekend is regarding control and privacy. The video below by one of Google’s own engineers mentions all the details and you can see that below. The update this weekend will allow us to limit our posts to be public or private, as we the users should be in control of who can and can’t see what we write.

Google has already been updating Google+ and the android app just got updated as well and you can read all about that here. You can also read our Google+ Review while you are hanging out.

[via Google+]

)


Skype with Video Chat APK Available to Try on Other Devices

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 01:29 PM PDT

Skype without video chat seemed a bit absurd to me honestly, but yesterday Skype finally brought it to a few Android devices. Well developers aren’t just going to sit around and let four phones have all the fun! A version of the apk has been modified and is now up for download which is working on additional devices.

It turns out that the app itself simply had an array of devices that it was allowed to run on. The developer pulser saw that Skype wouldn’t let him video chat on his Galaxy S II, and wouldn’t have any of it. He has now published an APK which has the restriction removed.

It is important to note that just because the app will not refuse to work on your phone because of this fix, it is NOT guaranteed that it won’t be buggy, or simply force close on your particular phone. There are several devices that have reported it working though including the EVO 3D EVO 4G, Galaxy S and Galaxy S II.

There is no centralized database yet, and the reports coming in are only single cases, so custom ROMs and other modifications could alter success. For now the only way to see if it will work is to download the apk, install it and hope for the best. Follow the instructions below and let us know what phone you have and if it works or not.

1) Download the apk here. (Preferably from on your phone)

1b) Move the apk to your phone’s internal storage or SD card if you didn’t download it straight to your phone.

2) Click on the apk either in downloads, or wherever you moved it to (You will need a file manager to do this).

3) Try it out and let us know how it works!

[via VillianROM]

)


Google in Talks with HULU as Potential Buyer

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 01:10 PM PDT

HULU has been up for bids for a little while now and latest reports are showing that Google is now one of the players looking to acquire Hulu. They are now doing some preliminary talks with them just like Yahoo and Microsoft. The LA Times article cited anonymous sources close to the situation who say that Google is interested in the advertising potential behind Hulu, as they own the rights to many TV shows and could be a great way to display some ads.

We haven’t heard much other than this little bit but this would be a huge acquisition for Google and could really help them out. Can you imagine having a Google Hulu app coming standard on all Android phones and tablets. Sure would be nice but we will see.

I still don’t like the fact that when you subscribe to Hulu you still see ads, I’d expect ads to be remove if I am a paying customer. Google could offer it free for all phones and tablets and have the same type of ads it already has now. We will report back if we here more.

[via LA Times]

)


Cincinnati Bell Helps Motorola Milestone XT720 Users Root and Upgrade to 2.2

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 12:46 PM PDT

Waiting for upgrades when a new version of Android comes out can be a big pain. While many users are wondering when they’ll get Gingerbread, there are still plenty of phones out there who never even got FroYo. Well Cincinnati Bell is shattering the mold with a move that is the very definition of bold. They are providing instructions and the necessary files to root your Motorola Milestone XT720, back it up with Titanium Backup, and then flash a FroYo ROM.

Needless to say this is pretty unheard of, most carriers frown upon rooting, let alone encourage you to do it. This is also the first time a carrier has circumvented the OEM when it comes to pushing a software update. All the shock aside, I think its a great move on Cincinnati Bell’s part and even better news for XT720 owners.

Since it wasn’t handled by the OEM, the process is a bit more technical than your standard “click to download and install” OTA update. The great news is, even if you’ve never heard of rooting before, if you bring your phone into a Cincinnati Bell store, they will have staff on hand to do the upgrade for you! If you are into rooting, or comfortable enough with your technological skills to figure it out, they have a very thorough, step-by-step, guide to walk you through installing drivers, rooting, backing up, then flashing a custom recovery and their 2.2 ROM. The caveat here being that the instructions are only for Windows.

It’s been awhile since FroYo was announced so here’s a quick refresher of what the update brings. First and foremost, FroYo brings major performance upgrades, especially to the stock browser. Speaking of the web, 2.2 lets the XT720 access Flash. Another handy bonus is that you can now move apps to the SD card natively. Finally FroYo introduced native tethering, but Cincinnati Bell’s site says you will still require a tethering plan. This likely means they’ve still made some of their own modifications to the ROM so that they could turn off tethering, which is a bit of a let down. For all these lovely features check out Cincinnati Bell’s site or visit their local store.

[via Cincinnati Bell]

)


Vizio Tablet Pre-Orders Starting Today, Shipping July 18th

Posted: 01 Jul 2011 12:00 PM PDT

Vizio is more widely known for their beautiful TV’s that many of us watch our favorite NFL games on, but they are now heading into the Android tablet market with the Vizio Tablet. The tablet should go on sale sometime in July but you can pre-order now and they should ship on or around July 18th.

This information coming from the official Vizio Tablet Page the 8″ Android tablet is starting at just $399 and it comes with the Folio Case and a 16GB MicroSD card. Recently the tablet was shown off a bit and you can see that here.

For all the news as of late regarding the Vizio Tablet check out our portal by clicking here. Recently we got a look of the tablet in action with NBA All-Star Blake Griffin playing with the tablet in his home, you can see that video below.

The Vizio Tablet should launch for $349 at places like Walmart and the price at the Vizio site of $399 is a bundle deal for pre-orders. Will you be ordering one?

)


Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)