Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Android Community

Android Community


HTC Providing T-Mobile Stores with MicroSD Cards for Phone OS Updates

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 11:06 AM PDT

T-Mobile has been busy this summer upgrading some of their popular phones to the latest and greatest in the mobile OS world and that is Android 2.3 Gingerbread. This news is a bit different and comes as a surprise though. Apparently HTC is now providing T-Mobile retail stores with Micro SD cards pre-loaded with select handsets update so users can either do the upgrade at home OTA, or opt to head into the nearest T-Mobile store and let the employee’s give it a shot.

This is a different approach that is for sure. This shows us the myTouch 3G Slide is getting 2.2 Froyo but in retail stores only, no OTA. The myTouch 4G is getting Android 2.3 Gingerbread even though it has already started rolling out last week. You can update it yourself or head into a store to use this new SD card method. The T-Mobile G2 is also on the list getting the same treatment.

The G2 Gingerbread build was leaked last week too, here is the details. While I like the idea of this I can’t help but wonder who all is doing the upgrades and if they’ve been properly trained. Otherwise that really nice young brunette could accidentally flash the wrong SD card and brick your new myTouch 4G instead of adding Gingerbread.

I guess this is for those so smartphone challenged (like my parents) that can’t hit the simple “OK” button when the OTA update arrives front and center on their screen. I guess it is better to have the option than nothing at all right?

[via TmoNews]

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Samsung Galaxy S II Slide from AT&T Photos Leaked

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:44 AM PDT

First thing yesterday we saw a render of what appeared to be an unknown Samsung Slider headed to AT&T. We were speculating here in the office if it would be a Galaxy S II variant or not but it appears that has now been confirmed for us. Today the real deal popped up for the camera and we have some clear pictures that look exactly like the previous leaked render.

What you see above is the Samsung Galaxy S II Slider with a full QWERTY keyboard and it’s headed for AT&T. Other than the slide out keyboard the specs should be the same as the original SGSII with that dual-core 1.2 Ghz CPU and that amazing 8 MP camera on the rear just to name a few. First the HTC Puccini leaked for AT&T This morning, and now this Slider. My next question is will this version of the Galaxy S II have AT&T’s new 4G LTE inside because that would be awesome.

Featuring the same 4.3″ super AMOLED display and running on Android 2.3.4 this phone should rock. Being a slider it might not be as thin as its siblings but Samsung leads the pack in terms of keeping things small so hopefully it will be much thinner than the Samsung Epic because it felt like a brick in the hand. For more details on what is inside this beast here is our Galaxy S II full rundown, review, and benchmarks.

While the rest of the world is enjoying the Samsung Galaxy S II over here in the U.S. we have yet to see it hit the shelves. Most recent news suggests it should start hitting stores this August so we should be seeing and hearing more about this phone as well as other versions for the rest of the U.S. carriers very soon. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.

[via SlashGear]

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T-Mobile G2x Gingerbread Update is Officially Rolling out OTA Today

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 10:04 AM PDT

We have been getting reports in this morning that the LG G2x is now getting the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update over the air (OTA) today from T-Mobile. It leaked just last week for manual download and plenty of users jumped over to get the latest taste of Android but now users can do it the easy way via the OTA update.

With all the troubles and issues the G2x faced I’m glad to finally see the update arrive, it’s a shame it took so long although they did original say “coming this summer”. Yesterday we heard it was going to be available in stores again and come out of the box with Android 2.3 Gingerbread but we still have no confirmations regarding that. Early reports are claiming almost all issues have been fixed and the device is speeding along as it was originally intended.

Not only are you getting the speed and user interface updates from Gingerbread but T-Mobile and LG have addressed the random reboots, the lock ups that required battery pulls, as well as the spastic battery life. My G2x was so inconsistent that I never felt comfortable without a charger around. Users should be able to go into settings and check for the update right on their device and it should begin downloading over the air. Make sure to have pretty full battery life and a good 10 minutes to wait for completion.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : G2X
    Manufactuer : LG
    Carrier : T-Mobile
    Announced Date : March 22, 2011
    Release Date : April 15, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.00 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.90 Inch
  • Width : 2.50 Inch
  • Depth : 0.40 Inch
  • Weight : 142 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 400 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 512 MB
    Internal Storage : 8192 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :

[via T-Mobile Support]

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HTC Puccini Tablet Press Shots Leaked

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 09:47 AM PDT

What an amazing way to start this bright Tuesday wouldn’t you all say? Leaks of the upcoming HTC Puccini tablet should help get the week going. While we still don’t have any official or leaked specs for the device at least we are getting a few press photos to look at while letting our minds wonder about the rest. Looking at the photos they might be press shots or really impressive mock ups, I’m still debating.

After looking at the above photo we can clearly see what appears to be stereo speakers and then an additional speaker for conferencing of some sort maybe. Then the 8 megapixel camera and dual LED flash. That’s about all we have to go on. We can assume a few of the specs with regards to current market offerings, as well as HTC offerings. Most likely we will be seeing a Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon CPU running around 1.2-1.5 Ghz, Android 3.1 or 3.2 Honeycomb, HTC Sense UI overlay and it will most likely come in 16 and 32GB offerings.

With some of the fancy and elegant cases we have seen in the recent past for tablets I hope HTC has something better than what is pictured above. Then they have that all popular stylus being shown as well. I don’t think I’d actually use it much myself but for education or personal uses it could come in handy. While we are looking at the front you can clearly see the AT&T branding. We recently saw the Puccini hit the FCC packing AT&T’s new 4G LTE so this could very well be their first LTE tablet.

These are fresh off the press and we are still waiting for more details. Now that these have leaked and it’s hit the FCC we should hopefully be seeing this tablet in the next month or two. I’d like to see just how thick and heavy it will be so I can compare to current offerings. HTC has been known for great build quality and this should be no different.

[via SlashGear]

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Wind River rolls out new Android device testing software

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 08:10 AM PDT

Wind River has a new Android software testing suite that it is talking about. The new test suite allows the testing of Android devices using automation scripts that are able to replicate the things that real world users would do on the device. The goal is to help makers of smartphones provide good user experiences.

The Wind River UX Test Development Kit is an Eclipse-based dev kit that is made to test human interactions with user interfaces and it works for applications and browser-based web content. Automating the tests via scripts promises to make the time needed for manual testing much less.

The dev kit has abstract tests for standard Android tests for things like the browser, camera, contact, media player, and email integrated. It also has apps for things like Google Maps, Facebook, and Twitter. Developers can also create custom scripts to test other things the standard tests don't cover. The app also allows benchmarking of handsets as well.

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Android return rate 30-40% on some handsets according to sources

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 07:06 AM PDT

I think that some of this is anecdotal, the more devices you ship the larger the number of returns due in part to sheer volume. With Android smartphones, shipping in larger volumes globally than the iPhone it would make more sense to some extent to see more returns on Android devices. TechCrunch reports that some sources are claiming that the return rate on some Android smartphones is many times that of the iPhone.

TechCrunch pegs the return rate of the iPhone 4 at 1.7% counting the issues with the antenna. The return rate for some Android smartphones is pegged at as much as 30-40% according to sources familiar with the return rates for several manufacturers. The exact handsets or even the brands are not noted.

I could see the return rate for some Android devices being quite high, especially some of the lower-end devices that people new to the platform might buy first and then find the device can't do what they wanted it to do. I would like to know what devices have such a high return rate.

[via TechCrunch]

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Twilio Client lets devs add VoIP to any app

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 06:28 AM PDT

If you have ever used an app and wished it had VoIP integration built in, a new Twilio Client will let devs add that feature. The new client will allow the addition of VoIP to any application directly. The thing that makes the app so cool is that it allows the integration of VoIP functionality by devs without having to work out the VoIP infrastructure.

The app would let you do things like start a VoIP chat between people in LinkedIn for instance, assuming the LinkedIn folks integrated the feature. The web version of the Twilio client is what is available today for integration into websites. However, there are two mobile Twilio Clients.

Android gets one of the movie clients and iOS devices get the other. This will let mobile apps get their own VoIP calls. The client has the same basic functionality as Skype Voice. The downside here is that the service isn’t free. Twilio costs a quarter of a cent per minute for VoIP to VoIP calls. VoIP to a mobile or landline are two cents each minute.

[via TechCrunch]

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Onkyo unveils new home theater receiver remote control app for Android

Posted: 26 Jul 2011 03:31 AM PDT

Onkyo has a large line up of home theater and audio receivers that allow you to get movie theater sound in your home. The company has announced a new app for Android smartphone users that will allow you to control all the functions of your Onkyo home theater AV receiver right from your smartphone. The app also allows for some other really cool functionality using the Onkyo receiver.

The app allows the users to stream any music stored on their Android device to the receiver over a WiFi network. The user will also be able to browse networked content from their device and play it on the Onkyo receiver as well. The remote app also allows the selecting of inputs and to control the zone audio plays in.

The app will land in August and will be a free download. It will work with all the Onkyo AV receivers launched in 2011 including the TX-8050 stereo network receiver. The app sounds really cool and I would assume you could listen to audio like Spotify streaming over your home theater system with the app as well.

onkyo-android-1 onkyo-android-2

[via Onkyo]

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Web Based Android Market Now Shows Graph of App Install History

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 05:51 PM PDT

The Android Market has came a long long ways in just a short time, wouldn’t you all agree? The web-based version is quite nice for those that don’t use it often. Showing things like featured apps, feature tablet apps, top paid, top free and more. I like seeing the top new apps to discover things I’ve not seen yet. Today we have a little surprise and now we are seeing a visual graph next to the installed numbers.

Now instead of just showing an arrow and the amount of installs said app has, it shows a fancy graph (pictured above) showing the install history over the past 30 days. Pretty neat huh? Looking at the graph for Google+ shows it had a pretty solid few weeks when first announced. Even though the developers might not like this part it’s also fun to see the chart take a nose dive after the app is the “Amazon free app of the day”. Just like shown here on SwiftKey X Tablet.

I was excited when we got access to the new Market app for our phones a few weeks ago. You can see the new market in our full review. while the new market app might be more exciting I’m pretty stoked about these graphs. Its another easy way to visually see what is new and fresh in the Android market. The graph might not be extremely practical but I still like it either way.

My favorite feature on the web-based market hands down is the ability to install apps remotely to multiple devices. Right from the web market I’ll send the same new app or wallpaper to my phone and my tablet(s) all at the same time so when I pick them up it is already installed. That is all for now, what do you guys think of the graph? Cool new feature or no biggie and we should move along?

[via Android Police]

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Motorola Xoom 4G LTE Upgrade will be here in “no time flat”

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 03:43 PM PDT

So the Motorola Xoom launched and all those 3G Verizon models were promised a hardware upgrade to 4G LTE within 3 months I believe was the time frame given. I don’t know if my math is wrong but I’ve had mine for far longer than 3 months. We have been kept in the dark regarding the hardware upgrade for the most part back in June users started getting emails for the upgrade.

Sadly those emails were a mistake and they were most likely testing the system before the upgrade goes live. We still are waiting for some official comments from Motorola because as it stands they haven’t said much of anything. With the Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE launching this week there is more than a few angry Xoom owners so Motorola and Verizon better get busy.

I reached out to Verizon Support late last week and all I got in reply was check out this link. I don’t think that is anything new, it’s simply just an email sign up page. Singing up you get the same story in your inbox — “Coming Soon” and they leave it at that. (Shakes finger at Verizon)

Even though the sign up page says the upgrade will be here in no time flat, I’m still having a hard time believing it. So for now I’ll sit here with my sad face and hope Motorola and Verizon get on the ball sometime this month — or next.

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : XOOM
    Manufactuer : Motorola
    Carrier : Verizon
    Announced Date : January 05, 2011
    Release Date : February 24, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.10 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 9.80 Inch
  • Width : 6.61 Inch
  • Depth : 0.51 Inch
  • Weight : 730 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 6500 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 3.0.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
    Messaging:
  • SMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1024 MB
    Internal Storage : 32.768 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • CDMA
    CDMA Band:
  • 800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :

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T-Mobile G2x Launching Again? Should be in-stock soon and running Gingerbread

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 03:05 PM PDT

For those that have been following along with the entire T-Mobile G2x “situation” you probably have had your share of issues. First we heard it was pulled from the online store for quality control issues, later it was said this was due to demand and nothing was wrong but the device has been out of stock online and in T-Mobile stores since that first ran back at the end of May. It appears T-Mobile has the 2.3 Gingerbread update ready to go, and will be re-launching the phone in stores this week.

Last we heard the update was “coming soon” and that T-Mobile was not allowing exchanges on the troubled handset. Now that LG has fixed the multiple issues and are ready with the Android 2.3 Gingerbread update things might be changing soon. We are hearing T-Mobile should have the G2x in-stock at stores nationwide this week and reports are suggesting they will be pre-loaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread already. We can’t confirm this til we see the phone in stores.

Last week the G2x Gingerbread update was leaked to the public and available for manual update via the new LG Software Update Tool. Hundreds of users have already flashed the leak and so far things seem stable, fast and overall much better than before. So while the update isn’t actually official yet, the tool is still working and users have been updating all weekend.

It will be very interesting to see if the device does end up showing up in stores with 2.3 Gingerbread pre-installed. I personally think that would be a good decision after dealing with all the freezes and reboots on the original release. How the first release made it through quality control beats me. It sounds like things are much better this time around so hopefully we get full details direct from T-Mobile any day now.

[via TmoNews]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : G2X
    Manufactuer : LG
    Carrier : T-Mobile
    Announced Date : March 22, 2011
    Release Date : April 15, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.00 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : LCD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.90 Inch
  • Width : 2.50 Inch
  • Depth : 0.40 Inch
  • Weight : 142 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 400 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MID
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 512 MB
    Internal Storage : 8192 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :

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LG Thrill 4G Will be $99 at AT&T, Released in the “Coming Weeks”

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:46 PM PDT

Just a few days ago we saw pricing and launch dates appear for the LG Thrill 4G from RadioShack suggesting the phone will launch on August 7th, and be just $80 dollars. Pretty amazing price for a dual-core 4.3″ device that also manages to shoot and record in 3D too. It appears that AT&T is now giving out a few more details regarding this glasses-free 3D phone.

Today AT&T released details regarding all current 2011 Android phones stating that all phones from 2011 will be updated to Android 2.3 Gingerbread. That same press release they also briefly mention the LG Thrill 4G and even though they’ve still not said anything about a release date, they did mention it will be just $99 at launch. This is an extremely good price and most phones are $199 with a new 2-year contract so offering it for $99 is new to me.

For now we will just assume it will be launching on or around August 7th like RadioShack suggested but we wont say anything official til we hear it from AT&T. Lucky for us before it became the LG Thrill for AT&T it was known as the Optimus 3D and we already were able to do a full hands-on review so feel free to check that out before its release to help you decide if it’s right for you. AT&T should update us any time now so we will report back when the time comes.

[via AT&T]

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Samsung Galaxy R Pops Up in Video

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:31 PM PDT

Samsung’s budget version of the Galaxy S II, the Galaxy R, is supposed to be getting official soon. A video showing off the Galaxy R and its Super LCD screen has found its way over to YouTube. The Galaxy R, also known as the Galaxy Z is meant to be a cheaper alternative to the sexier (if not a bit more cost inhibitive) Galaxy S II.

The Galaxy R cuts back a bit on some of the Galaxy S II’s most awesome hardware to cut the price back. This means you’ll be giving up the GSII’s Exynos 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 4.3″ Super AMOLED+ display. The alternatives are the Tegra 2 dual-core processor and a 4.2″ Super LCD screen. To get a glance at how the two work together, take a look at the video below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Galaxy R was rumored to be launching in the UK soon, but Samsung is now claiming that its unconfirmed that it will launch in England. It now looks like Europe will be receiving the device first, followed shortly by Asian countries. We don’t have exact word on pricing yet. What would you pay for the GSII’s little brother?

[via SammyHub]

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HTC Sensation Gets ClockwordMod, CM7 Coming Next?

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:28 PM PDT

I have some exciting photos for those with an HTC Sensation 4G. It looks like the developers we all love are hard at work with the device. Even though we don’t have full root or S-OFF yet progress is already being made. HTC promised to unlock bootloaders come August but the developer community is already most of the way there and we have S-OFF and temproot it just isn’t ready for the masses yet.

Yes that photo is the HTC Sensation 4G running ClockwordMod. Not only were review devices sent out as S-OFF, but CyanogenMod developer kmobs recently received the Sensation thanks to T-Mobile and he is currently working on it also. Along with him and a few other developers they have made huge progress over the weekend and are not only rooted and running clockworkmod, but they also have some CM7 booting. I want it now!

That last image is the HTC Sensation 4G booted into CyanogenMod 7 running off what looks to be an early build. For the latest news on the Sensation (aka Pyramid) make sure you follow Ed Carrigan on Google+ as he was nice enough to post the above images earlier today to tease everyone. I personally can’t wait for CM7 for my Sensation because I just love Vanilla Android and everything the CM7 team brings to our devices. This is all fresh news and we still don’t have an official way to get S-OFF for everyday users yet but things are moving along plenty quick. Hopefully I’ll be running CM7 on my Sensation 4G in the next few weeks.

[via Ed Carrigan]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Sensation 4G
    Manufactuer : HTC
    Carrier : T-Mobile
    Announced Date : April 12, 2011
    Release Date : May 19, 2011
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 4.30 Inch
  • Resolution : 540x960
  • Screen Type : qHD
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 4.96 Inch
  • Width : 2.57 Inch
  • Depth : 0.44 Inch
  • Weight : 148 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 1520 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 350 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.3.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
Hardware
    CPU : Snapdragon
    CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 768 MB
    Internal Storage : 4 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :8 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 3.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :

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HTC Ruby Confirmed as Android Phone and Headed to T-Mobile

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 02:06 PM PDT

We recently saw an unknown device that obviously has the HTC design characteristics in the reflection of a HTC Flyer tablet. After a bit of digging around it appears that the phone is in fact a HTC handset called the HTC Ruby and it will be headed to T-Mobile with some Android on board. We didn’t know what OS it would run but now all signs are pointing to Android after seeing the camera app on screen.

That my friends is the HTC Ruby running on Android and the T-Mobile logo we can ever so slightly see tells us some of the story. We don’t know if this will be a T-Mobile US, or a UK phone. The camera app obviously looks like Android but it isn’t what we are seeing on the latest version of HTC’s Sense UI so a few others have reported it to be something other than Android but I know for a fact that is an HTC version of the camera app. We recently reviewed the myTouch 4G Slide and it has the exact same look.

Most likely the HTC Ruby will be a T-Mobile branded HTC device similar to the T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide and the T-Mobile G2. It will have the T-Mobile Espresso UI overlay on top of HTC Sense just as the myTouch 4G Slide does. That also means it will probably run Android 2.3 Gingerbread at launch. We don’t know any other hardware specs other than it has a front facing and rear camera with dual LED flash. This may be a mid-range phone but it also might be a dual-core packing beast like the HTC Sensation 4G. Most mid-range phones in the past only had a single LED flash but things could be changing. We wont know more until something official is released or we get more leaks so stay tuned.

[via Phandroid]

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Get Your Own Android Collectible Toys on August 1st

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:30 PM PDT

I’ll keep this short and sweet for those interested. We have these cute little Android mini collectibles that we use daily in our hands-on unbox videos as well as reviews (See photo below). Our man Chris Burns has plenty of them and you can see them in his Toshiba Thrive Review too. These Android Mini Collectibles are made by the guys at DZYPlastic also known as Dead Zebra, Inc.

Recently with our tablet giveaways as well as recent reviews we have received a lot of replies and comments regarding the android robot toys we use. So this is a reminder post to let everyone know where they come from, and how to get their own. Like I mentioned they come from DZYPlastic and here is the link.

They sell out extremely fast and for series two I was a few hours short and they were sold out that fast. So when they do appear you better hurry. Now you wont be able to get any of the previous series 1 and 2 unless you head to ebay, but they are releasing the newest lineup on August 1st. This time around they are special edition toys so the amount will probably be even more limited than before and will most likely sell out blazing fast. Whoever is first to the checkout button will be getting these bad boys first. For more details and pictures of what will be for sale on August 1st check out the source below.

[via Dead Zebra Inc]

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Samsung Flagship Keyboard Phone Going to AT&T

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:08 PM PDT

Well what do we have here? Well its not a Galaxy S II, so that’s upsetting. It IS a render of a Samsung slider phone supposedly headed for AT&T sometime in the near future. Will this just be another mid-tier phone, or could it be a Galaxy S II variant (a la the Epic 4G)?

Last week we talked about the upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro possibly headed towards AT&T. For those of you looking for a little more power under your hardware keyboard, this Samsung slider may be for you. BGR claims that the phone will be a flagship device, suggesting that it will be a bit more cutting edge spec-wise.

It’s about time we started hearing about some new phones, even if we’re still waiting for the release of some of the last batch (ahem Galaxy S II and Droid Bionic…). We don’t know much about this phone other than what we can gather from this picture.

Clearly the big feature here is its keyboard. Like the Epic 4G, this phone has physical versions of the four Android buttons on the keyboard as well. Finally there’s a front facing camera. We’ll have to wait for some more details before we can draw any real judgements.

[via BGR]

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Tabletpalooza Week 3: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Giveaway Final Countdown!

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 01:01 PM PDT

Who’s excited by a show of hands? Err a show of comments I should say. This is the final stretch and the last week of our amazing NVIDIA Tabletpalooza Giveaway. Sadly this is the last week of our NVIDIA giveaway and even though this is coming to and end we have plenty more freebies going on now, and coming in the future. This last week we are giving away the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to one lucky reader.

First off everyone should thank NVIDIA for making this possible. Last week we gave away the ASUS Transformer and a G-Slate. These tablets went pretty fast that is for sure, almost as fast as those powerful Tegra 2 processors inside. Feel free to read our Week 1 & 2 Winners post. This same giveaway is also possible over on SlashGear, our sister site and you can get all the details right here.

So you know what you’re winning don’t forget to read our full review of the Tegra 2 powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 so you are fully aware of its capabilities. Then you’ll need to follow the rules and guidelines below for your chance to win.

To enter, you must:

1. Add +Chris Burns (url:https://plus.google.com/108112318495739623290/) AND +Cory Gunther (url:https://plus.google.com/100702593269534557770/) to your Circle(s) on Google+*
2. Comment in our Android Community Tabletpalooza Week 3 thread with a comment tagging +Chris Burns and +Cory Gunther : this will count as your entry, and note that you may only enter this giveaway ONCE – all additional entries beyond your first will be deleted.
WEEK 3 G+ ENTRY THREAD URL: https://plus.google.com/108112318495739623290/posts/1pngJhJgKZm?hl=en
3. You are now entered into the Android Community Tabletpalooza Week 3 contest for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1!

For a complete listing of everything the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and many other devices have to offer you can see the full specs list at our new device.ac site. I’ll make it easy, here is the Galaxy Tab 10.1 details below.

Full Rules:

Giveaway begins July 18th, 10:01 AM CST, and ends July 31, 11:59PM CST barring any complications finding winners.

WINNERS will be given the opportunity to submit a review of their tablet and have it posted on the front page of SlashGear or AndroidCommunity.com! *Reviews may be edited or modified before publication and are considered works for hire under the 1976 Copyright Act. Submissions will be ineligible for payment or remuneration.

Competition is open to residents of the US or UK over the age of 18. One entry per person. Family members of Google and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified Android Community Google+ Page; entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. One entry per person (and yes, we check). Winners of the July 2011 Android Community Tabletpalooza giveaway are ineligible to win the July 2011 SlashGear Tabletpalooza giveaway, and vice-versa.

The winners will be contacted by a SlashGear or Android Community staff member upon being selected and will be expected to respond to that staff member (it'll be Chris Burns) ; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, NVIDIA, SlashGear, and Android Community.

Prize consists of five NVIDIA Tegra 2-powered tablets to be announced at the start of each weekly period, distributed between SlashGear and Android Community. One prize per winner. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and NVIDIA reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

Giveaway provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizing provided by NVIDIA. Any questions regarding this should be directed to Giveaway @ SlashGear.com

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : Galaxy Tab 10.1
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier :
    Announced Date : March 22, 2011
    Release Date : June 08, 2011
    Also Known As : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition
Display
  • Screen Size : 10.1 Inch
  • Resolution : 1280x800
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 10.09 Inch
  • Width : 6.81 Inch
  • Depth : 0.34 Inch
  • Weight : 595 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 7000 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : 120 hours
Software
    Android OS:
  • 3.1.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MP3
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM
Hardware
    CPU : Tegra 2
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 2
    Ram : 1000 MB
    Internal Storage : 16, 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution :3.2 MP
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
    CDMA Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1900
  • 2100
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :

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Android Community Archos 70 Internet Tablet Giveaway

Posted: 25 Jul 2011 12:09 PM PDT

At Android Community we’re always keen to help people “keep taking their tablets”, and so when Archos offered us its 7-inch Archos 70 Internet Tablet, we thought we’d offer it to our readers in a new giveaway. The Android slate is a mere 10mm thick yet still packs a 1GHz processor, and is idea for web-browsing and multimedia playback.

Open to Android Community’s US readers, entering is incredibly straightforward. To take part, you must:

1. Add +Vincent Nguyen (url: http://vincent.tv/+) to your Circle(s) on Google+*

2. Comment in the Android Community Archos 70 Giveaway thread with a comment tagging +Vincent Nguyen : this will count as your entry, and note that you may only enter this giveaway ONCE – all additional entries beyond your first will be deleted.

3. You are now entered into the Android Community Archos 70 giveaway!

*if you don't already have access to Google+, send your name and email to giveaway @ slashgear.com

Rules

Giveaway begins July 25 and ends August 1, 11:59PM CST barring any complications finding a winner.

Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. Family members of Archos and SlashGear/Android Community are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified Google+ Page — entries left in the comments section of this or any other post will not be recognized. One entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be contacted by a SlashGear or Android Community staff member upon being selected and will be expected to respond to that staff member; they will be expected to respond within 24 hours else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, Archos, SlashGear, and Android Community.

Prize consists of one Archos 70 Internet Tablet. There is no cash alternative or any other alternative for prize winners unless this prize should become unavailable, in which case SlashGear and Archos reserve the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

Giveaway provided by SlashGear/Android Community. Prizing provided by Archos. Any questions regarding this giveaway should be directed to Giveaway @ SlashGear.com

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info
    Device Name : 70 Internet Tablet
    Manufactuer : Archos
    Carrier : SIM-free
    Announced Date : September 03, 2010
    Release Date : October 25, 2010
    Also Known As :
Display
  • Screen Size : 7 Inch
  • Resolution : 480x800
  • Screen Type : TFT
Dimension & Weight
  • Height : 7.91 Inch
  • Width : 4.49 Inch
  • Depth : 0.55 Inch
  • Weight : 400 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 2.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.264 / AVC
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
Hardware
    CPU : ARM Cortex A8
    CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz
    Core : 1
    Ram : 256 MB
    Internal Storage : 8 or 250 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
    Bluetooth:
  • Bluetooth 2.0
    FM Radio :

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