Saturday, 9 July 2011

Android Community

Android Community

[Deal] Archos 70 Android 2.2 8GB Tablet $199 at Newegg!

Posted: 09 Jul 2011 11:13 AM PDT

The popular Android tablet maker Archos have a pretty stellar deal going on right now over at Newegg.com. The Archos 70 is a 7″ Android 2.2 Tablet and it retails for $279 but this weekend only Newegg has it for the low price of $199. It may not be the best tablet around but for the price and specs it is hard to beat. The deal wont last long so you better hurry. Details and code below.

The Archos 70 and 101 were popular late last year because of the price and specs. For all the pictures you’d need to see how it looks check out our hands-on pictures and videos. The Archos 70 has Android 2.2 powered by a 1 Ghz CPU, 8GB storage, MicroSD port, along with USB and HDMI Out. It has a front facing camera and we can’t forget the convenient kickstand that works at any angle.

For more information on the Archos 70 head over to Archos.com for full details. Archos has a strong dev community along with root access, and full Android Market hacks. It is available at Newegg.com and you MUST use the promo code pictured above EMCYTZT585 to get the $199 price, Oh and it comes with FREE 2-day shipping so Enjoy!

Promo Code: EMCYTZT585

[via Newegg]

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Android Community Weekly : July 9, 2011

Posted: 09 Jul 2011 10:18 AM PDT

Another week of tech news has come and gone, and in this issue of Android Community Weekly we revisit some rather interesting posts! First off, it's the 2011 first annual Android Community TABLETPALOOZA! In this first week, we'll be giving away a free Acer Iconia Tab A500; a winner will be picked every Monday so be sure to sign up soon! Chris Burns was one of the first members of our staff to adopt the new social platform Google+ last week; we finally have our entire team up and running so be sure to add us to your circles!


This past Tuesday we were further informed of Verizon's new tiered data fees that were confirmed for July 7th. Unfortunately, it is now too late to jump on the unlimited data plan for new subscribers, but previous 3G customers will still be able to get an unlimited tethering plan when upgrading to 4G LTE. For Verizon customers in the market for a new device, the HTC Thunderbolt may be available on the official Verizon website for free very soon. Wednesday, a new Motorola tablet hit the FCC that hinted the specifications of an upcoming XOOM LTE or XOOM 2. Hopefully, the 4G LTE upgrade to the original XOOM makes its way to the public prior to another XOOM release. New information on the Droid 3 surfaced this week as it's launch to a few lucky buyers was Friday. Motorola also confirmed the Droid 3 will be shipping with a locked bootloader, so underground development for the device will take off much slower. It will be priced at $199 on a new contract, and only $459 outright. The Droid 3 on the Verizon website was live as of Thursday.

A Nexus S 4G software update (GRJ90) is scheduled to come July 11th, and is said to enable the NFC secure element, include a 4G settings widget, and may even fix some of the Wi-Fi connectivity problems many users were previously facing. The Google+ Android application now has NFC support. Though very few phones have it (Nexus S 4G included), the Google+ app will allow quicker sharing of NFC tags. Other software updates to look out for are upgrades to Gingerbread for the Galaxy Tab, Vibrant, Incredible S, Desire Z, and Motorola ATRIX. You should expect these devices to be running Gingerbread at latest by the end of summer. A Gingerbread update is commencing now for the Droid Incredible 2, so be sure to watch for that OTA!

The Samsung Dart was reviewed by Chris Burns Tuesday; and surprisingly – the quality of the camera was quite impressive! It is a very basic phone with basic hardware, so don't expect it to compete with the latest and greatest. Yet another tablet reviewed this week was the BeBook Live. It proved to be a well-functioning tablet with the inexpensive hardware included, but with a few extra dollars you could buy a Galaxy Tab with much better specs.

Expect native screenshots in the latest nightlies of CyanogenMod7; to actually operate them the user holds down the power button just like powering down their phone – but instead of selecting Power Off, you choose to take a screenshot. Other development risen this week were new kernels developed for the recently unlocked Motorola ATRIX (one kernel overclocking the device to 1.2GHz). Both the HTC Sensation and EVO 3D can now be overclocked to 1.7GHz with setCPU as well. Hopefully a permanent root can be achieved for both of these devices very soon.

Nintendo issued a statement this week confirming that it will not take part in developing games for Android and iOS. Though disappointing, hopefully they reconsider soon – mobile gaming on smartphones is the future. Finally, the Android Community App of the Week is News360 – one of the most polished news feed apps that's on the Android Market.

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Google Nexus S Joins Space Shuttle Atlantis for Final Mission

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 04:44 PM PDT

The space shuttle Atlantis may very well be the last to fly to outer space by NASA for awhile but plenty of other programs like Space X are making plans to be in space plenty over the next few years. Lucky for NASA and Google apparently a Google Nexus S was lucky enough to take flight with them today. Exciting huh?

NASA cleared the Nexus S and gave it the green light to partake in a new mission abroad. The Nexus S was on board the final shuttle launch to help test a new breed of small, free flying satellites known as SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites).

With the addition of Nexus S, it allows SPHERES a wider range of capabilities on the satellites and improved communication between the land and sky. Mission control can remotely operate Nexus S-enhanced satellites to perform relatively mundane tasks such as running inventory or environmental surveys on the space station.

Now I’m starting to wonder what version of Android that Google Nexus S may be running. Could it be the recently leaked Android 2.3.5 seen here, or is it a super secret phone like our own Simms22 loves and enjoys?

Pretty interesting and unique story that is for sure, Google is everywhere! Check out the press release below for more details.

SAMSUNG'S NEXUS S ABOARD NASA'S FINAL SHUTTLE

NASA has equipped a trio of SPHERES with a Nexus S by Google
smartphone to head to the International Space Station

Kennedy Space Center – July 8, 2011 — Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), a leading mobile phone provider and the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S. 1, and Google™ today announced Nexus™ S, is aboard NASA's final space shuttle. As a leader in technology and innovation, Samsung is pleased to be a part of this moment which will most certainly be marked in history.
Nexus S from Google is part of research that will equip small, free-flying satellites called Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) used by the astronauts to provide a broader range of capabilities and give better communication between land and sky. Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone certified by NASA to fly on the space shuttle and to be cleared for use on the International Space Station. The experiment will use the smartphone-enhanced SPHERES as remotely operated robots to conduct interior survey and inspections of the station, to capture mobile camera images and video, and to study how robots can support future human exploration.
The addition of Nexus S to the SPHERES will add to the capabilities of each individual satellite while further increasing NASA's understanding and exploration of space. Lead engineer in the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., DW Wheeler, explains, "By connecting a smartphone, we can immediately make SPHERES more intelligent. With a smartphone, the SPHERES will have a built-in camera to take pictures and video, sensors to help conduct inspections, a powerful computing unit to make calculations, and a Wi-Fi connection that we will use to transfer data in real-time to the space station and mission control."
“Samsung is proud to have the Nexus S chosen to be aboard NASA's final space shuttle launch, an event that is historical,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile. “The research that is being conducted with SPHERES using the Nexus S will help monitor and communicate from the International Space Station.”
Research Overview
In 1999, a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) undergraduate students, in conjunction with the Department of Defense and NASA, built five volleyball-sized free-flying satellites. These satellites are now referred to as Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reporient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) and three of them have been on the International Space Station since 2006. Each SPHERE satellite is self-contained with propulsion, power, navigation and computing equipment. When first designed, the usage possibilities of today were far from conceivable, thus an “expansion port” was built into each of the SPHERES. Additional appendages and sensors can be added to the satellites, allowing wireless power transfer systems and cameras to become parts of the systems. Nexus S is the first commercial smartphone to become a part of the SPHERES via this expansion port.
With the addition of Nexus S, it allows SPHERES a wider range of capabilities on the satellites and improved communication between the land and sky. Mission control can remotely operate Nexus S-enhanced satellites to perform relatively mundane tasks such as running inventory or environmental surveys on the space station. Thus, astronauts will be able to dedicate more time to science experiments and other work rather than having to respond to routine maintenance demands.
About Space Shuttle Atlantis
Space shuttle Atlantis will embark on a 12-day mission to the International Space Station from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-135 mission is the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program. Atlantis' STS-135 mission will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain space station operations after the shuttles are retired.
About Nexus S
Co-developed by Google and Samsung, Nexus S features brilliant Super AMOLED touch screen technology, a 4-inch Contour Display with a curved design and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which allows information to be read off of everyday objects. The smartphone features a 5 megapixel rear facing camera and camcorders as well as a VGA front facing camera. Nexus S is powered by Android™ 2.3, the latest version of Google's Android platform, making the smartphone not merely a telephone but a powerful mobile computer at the same time. Nexus S also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi networking, as well as 16 GB of internal memory.

1Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S. claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics Q1 2011 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.

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HTCSense.com Listing a EVO 4G+ and Inspire HD

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 03:42 PM PDT

This is a bit interesting, if you head over to HTCSense.com you will find a few unique names that we haven’t seen or heard before. Hearing of new phones is always exciting because then we can sit and wonder about what lies ahead. If you look in the drop-down menu you will see an HTC EVO 4G+ as well as the Inspire HD and both are equally interesting.

First off the EVO 4G+ is a surprise because we all thought the EVO 3D was the successor to the original EVO, maybe they are planning to release another sometime soon or possibly on another carrier. Either way another EVO is always welcome because they are great phones. I think I’ve heard of the EVO 4G+ before refereed to as the HTC Rider but we will keep digging.

Next up we have the Inspire HD. The Inspire 4G is a huge 4.5″ phone headed to AT&T and this could just be an early on used name or also possibly for another carrier. What makes this unique is the fact that they are using the term HD. Does this mean we might be seeing a Inspire HD with a 720p HD resolution because that would be amazing. This is all just speculation but either way I find it mildly entertaining. We will report back if we hear anything more on either of these names.

[via Phandroid]

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Verizon Unlimited 3G Customers Will Be Able to Get Unlimited Tethering Plan on 4G Upgrade

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 02:40 PM PDT

Now that July 7th has come and gone, Verizon is no longer selling unlimited data plans to smartphone owners, but luckily those of you who already had unlimited data were allowed to keep it. The even better news is that even if your unlimited data plan was a 3G one, upgrading to 4G would not cause you to lose that plan (for now). Verizon has no wanswered a tweet to clarify 4G tethering for those same customers.

Verizon had been offering 4G hotspot tethering for its LTE phones for free up until it the same day it swapped over to tiered data plans. Those who already had 4G plans at that time had to sign up fot an unlimited tethering plan for $30 a month. Customers with 3G plans were left wondering what would happen to them.

It looks like even if it is putting the shackles of capped data on new customers, Big Red is being nice to its current smartphone customers. If you upgrade from your current unlimited 3G smartphone to a 4G phone and decide you want to pay for a tethering plan, Verizon will give you the same unlimited tethering plan it made available to those who had unlimited 4G before July 7th.

This means if you want unlimited tethering you’ll be paying $59.99 a month. I’m not such a huge fan of the fact that carriers try and charge for tethering, but in the case of unlimited 4G (which could potentially replace home internet) it sounds more fair. On the other hand unlimited tetherers may be quite a hit on what has been a blazing LTE network.

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Motorola XPRT Hands-On and Unboxing

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:57 PM PDT

If you’ll recall, a few weeks ago we got the opportunity to hang out with the fine folks at Motorola in New York City at an event that played host to several new devices, one of them being the handset you’re about to see again right this minute. This is the Motorola XPRT, an updated version of what was released several months ago on Verizon as the DROID Pro, a device who’s BlackBerry-comparing review you can see over on our sister-site SlashGear. What you’re going to see here is a very similar device with a slightly different case and insides: a patterned back, rounder corners, and some carrier-specific apps inside.

The image you’re going to see below this paragraph is one taken by Vincent Nguyen for SlashGear. It shows the DROID Pro next o the latest (at that time) BlackBerry device, that being the Torch. If ever there was a hardware competition that didn’t make any qualms about looking essentially the exact same, this was it. Now we’ve got the updated version of this pro-vision of the Android worker device and we’re even more impressed with the improvements over the dying BlackBerry brand than ever.

Not that the BlackBerry crushing is the only thing this device plans on doing, no way – with a lovely hand-loving 4.74″ x 2.4″ x 0.51″ (120 x 61 x 13 mm) bar shape, a full QWERTY keyboard below the portrait display, This device weighs in at a reasonable 5.1 oz (145 g), has a lovely and much more powerful than before 1860 mAh battery, comes with a 2 GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB if you wish), and runs Android 2.2 Froyo. Those of you hoping for Gingerbread should take into account the fact that most people aiming to purchase this phone will never have used Android before, and will therefor be just as happy with Froyo as with any more advanced version – wouldn’t you agree?

This device certainly isn’t the most powerful Android on the books, and with a generally good but not the best TFT LCD display, it’s not going to beat out a Super AMOLED, but with the utterly unique (in the Android family) form factor, will this device end up being the new business Android of choice for those on this new carrier the same way it seems to have been for Verizon? We shall see! Stick with us here on Android Community for a full review soon!

Also again check out our NYC Hands-On videos for this device for all the pre-review coverage your heart could possibly desire including a walk-through of new features and a look a the basic stands you’ll be able to hook the device up with. Master camera work included!

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HTC Thunderbolt Getting Another Update Tonight, Still No Gingerbread

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:49 PM PDT

It appears the HTC Thunderbolt is set to receive another update starting tonight. Sadly this is not the update to Gingerbread that leaked way back in May, rather some more bug fixes. Many have been experiencing random reboot issues since the last bug fix update, and this aims to fix that issue as well as add a few other improvements.

Along with fixing the random reboot issues they also state it will fix data connectivity problems, improve call history and bluetooth discovery just to name a few. Oh and fun they are also pre-loading NY Times into your bookmarks, isn’t that exciting? This update should be available to pull to your device at 8PM Eastern Time starting tonight July 8th.

The Thunderbolt is getting bug fixes while the Incredible 2 is getting Android 2.3 Gingerbread updates but we have a feeling the Thunderbolt will receive an OTA to 2.3 any time now, but for now users are stuck with 2.2 FroYo. Would you rather get Gingerbread or bug fixes first? Please note that the popular developer for the Thunderbolt @TeamAndIRC are reporting that if you are rooted or running a custom rom you should NOT take the update and wait for the developers to check it over, but you probably already knew that.

[via Droid-Life]

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HTC Panache Brings MyTouch 4G Form to Cincinnati Bell

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:38 PM PDT

Cincinnati Bell, the regional carrier that recently got attention for helping its customers root and flash an upgrade rather than wait for Motorola, is now selling the HTC Panache 4G, also known as the MyTouch 4G. It may not be as cutting edge anymore, but could be a pretty good alternative to getting a contract with one of the national carriers if Cincinnati Bell covers you.

The Panache packs a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 5 MP rear and VGA front cameras,3.8″ WVGA screen and, according to Cincinnati Bell’s site Android 2.3. The phone is listed as 4G, however the specs only list it as capable of HSDPA 7.2, which is the only spec difference from T-Mobile’s MyTouch 4G (which has HSDPA 14.4). Naturally the MyTouch apps and the “genius button” which grace the T-Mobile version are absent, with the standard search hardware button reclaiming its place.

If the Panache does indeed have Gingerbread as the web page claims it will be getting Android 2.3 before the original MyTouch 4G. We’re a bit skeptical due to some other spelling erors currently on the site (“bQualcomm Snapdragon” and 13,400 mAh Battery the most prominent). My guess is that it will end up being more similar to the MyTouch, granted its running stock Sense 2 over whatever version of Android it has rather than the MyTouch version.

The phone is available now for either $499.99 or $199.99 with a 2-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate. If this sounds like your cup of tea remember to make sure Cincinnati Bell does have coverage in your area, as they are a regional carrier.

[via Cincinnati Bell]

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HTC Desire Gingerbread Coming by End of July

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:28 PM PDT

At first HTC completely dismissed Android 2.3 Gingerbread and stated the Desire would not get the update, saying they couldn’t fit their Sense UI and Gingerbread both on the internal storage of the device. They later changed that tune after a huge outcry from the public. Newest reports on Facebook indicate all you Desire users will see Gingerbread roll out this month.

HTC said they had to remove a few pre-loaded apps in order to make room for the updates, and latest reports suggest the 2.3 update is in testing stages and is running great. It looks like HTC was able to buckle down and get the update running fairly smooth and they did it quick.

If they were able to change their mind then start and get the update done all in this much time, wouldn’t it be fair to also think they could do the same for the updates for other phones waiting to get their bootloaders unlocked? HTC mentioned on Facebook the 2.3 Gingerbread update for the HTC Desire will be out before the end of July. Hopefully the Sensation and EVO 3D see updates this month too, we will have to wait and see.

[via HTC Facebook]

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T-Mobile G2x 2.3 Gingerbread Update Less Than a Month Away?

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:14 PM PDT

Many users ran out and bought the LG G2x when it first launched over on T-Mobile. It was what we all thought to be a vanilla Android device aka Google experience device packing a dual-core chip and it would rock. Don’t get me wrong the phone is great but the software had all sorts of LG tweaks and overall it had more than a few issues. Last we heard the update to Android 2.3 Gingerbread and bug fixes was coming by summer and we haven’t heard anything else regarding the matter.

While it’s still summer we all thought it would be here by now especially since a Gingerbread build was leaked months ago. All we have heard this summer has been about quality control issues and demand shortages, and T-Mobile even issued internal documents to staff regarding some of said issues.

The picture above is from the official LG forums and a moderator giving a little indication of when it might actually come. Stating "…I'd be really surprised if it was more than a month out" regarding a comment posted on the forum. So does this mean we will be seeing the OTA to Gingerbread in July? I sure hope so because users are starting to get the run around from T-Mobile regarding exchanges from what we are hearing. Hopefully they get the 2.3 update out and fix all these issues so everyone can enjoy the dual-core goodness inside the G2x.

[via TmoNews]

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2.3.4 Gingerbread For Galaxy S II Leaked and Wrapped Up in Custom ROM

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 01:00 PM PDT

The Galaxy S II officially has Gingerbread, but it is ONLY 2.3.3. Well if this bothers you, devs have gotten a hold of a leak and now have a custom ROM to get you that 0.0.1 bump to the absolute latest version. The ROM, DarkyROM2, is available for download over at DarkyROM’s website and XDA.

Here’s a refresh of what that extra 0.0.1 means. The big feature advertised for the 2.3.4 version of Android was video chat in Google Talk, which is included here of course. Performance wise, this ROM fixes the battery drain issue that was plaguing stock versions of 2.3.3.

There is both a completely stock (Samsung, not AOSP stock) ODIN firmware file available as well as the DarkyROM2 custom ROM. The DarkyROM is deodexed, and has options available to wipe your data or not on install, include swype or not, and to strip out some Samsung bloatware. If all this sounds enticing (and you’re lucky enough to have a Galaxy S II), you can grab either the ODIN file or ClockWorkMod-flashable ROM at XDA or darkyrom.com.

[via XDA]

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Motorola Photon 4G Passes Through the FCC

Posted: 08 Jul 2011 12:32 PM PDT

The Motorola Phone 4G hasn’t been seen in the news much since it was first revealed. We were live at the event and were lucky enough to get some hands-on video with the WiMAX packing smartphone. It is now appearing again via the FCC.

The Photon 4G is very similar to the Motorola Atrix over on AT&T and sadly it has a locked bootloader like most from Motorola. The Photon 4G will pack a dual-core Tegra 2 CPU, have 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera, and feature a 4.3-inch qHD display all running with some 4G speeds thanks to WiMAX.

When first announced it was said to be coming this summer but we haven’t heard any rumors or seen as much as a leaked documents, but this FCC passing makes us believe the dual-core handset is headed to the streets soon. We will all have to sit tight and wait for more information but for now check out the hands-on posted at the top to see more of the phone.

[via PocketNow]

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