Android Community |
- LG myTouch appears on T-Mobile website
- QR code infects Android phones with Trojan malware
- Samsung Galaxy Note comes to the FCC with AT&T bands
- Sony Ericsson supports developers, teams up with CyanogenMod
- Today only: Get A Nook Color for just $150
- HTC suspends Thunderbolt 2.3 OTA update after glitches
- Virgin Mobile officially unveils the LG Optimus Slider
- Verizon may be developing a DROID loyalty program
- 10-inch Kindle Fire could be here for the holidays
- Amazon looking to buy Palm, says HP tipster
- SwiftKey X updated to version 2.1, we go hands-on
- Samsung intros Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus 7-inch tablet
- Galaxy S II X reviewed in Canada
- Gameloft sale: N.O.V.A., UNO, Assassin’s Creed and Asphalt 6 just $.99 this weekend
- X-Factor’s Simon Cowell says DROID Bionic has real star power
- ROM Maker Peter Alfonso Now Supports Nexus One
- HTC Holiday spotted in the wild, this time down under
- Amazon CEO says Kindle Fire is an end-to-end device – like the iPad
- Microsoft’s Android patents could be worth $444 million a year
- Bargain hunters, here’s your HP Touchpad for just $89… a month
| LG myTouch appears on T-Mobile website Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:50 AM PDT It seems that T-Mobile has dropped another hint regarding the upcoming myTouch line of smartphones on their network. Most likely this is only a mistake and no tip at all but what we have here is another sighting of the LG myTouch Q headed for T-Mobile. All previous myTouch devices were manufactured by HTC so this is going in a different direction.
Shown in the image above, the HTC Sensation has been replaced with some sort of unknown device. We’ve already seen this design before and it is the recently leaked LG Mytouch Q saw a few weeks back. We’ve seen leaks that suggest two models of the myTouch will be released, one being a slider but nothing has been confirmed although this is the second sighting this month.
If you look at the image above, a few Chrome users pointed out that after right clicking and inspecting the elements of the web page (awesome Chrome feature btw) you can clearly see the image being labeled as the “LG myTouch”. Looks like someone over at T-Mobile had a little oopsies and uploaded the wrong image. We still don’t know much regarding this new LG smartphone although the earlier leaks suggested a possible 1280 x 720p HD display and two models coming to town. At this rate we should know plenty more soon so sit back and wait for more details, as they are on their way. [via TmoNews] )
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| QR code infects Android phones with Trojan malware Posted: 30 Sep 2011 10:13 AM PDT
The next time you see a QR code in a public place, you might want to think twice before opening up Google Goggles. According to researchers at Kaspersky, a new Trojan has been found that uses the popular barcodes to steal Android users’ hard-earned cash via a text message scam. The problem is not widespread at the moment, but the precedent highlights a disturbing trend of exploitation towards Android users.
It works like this: a hacker leaves unassuming QR codes in well-traveled areas, knowing that with the rapid expansion of Android’s market share, someone’s bound to scan it in. The code is a URL linking to a malicious website that exploits a weakness in the Android browser to install a piece of Trojan software. Once the software activates, the user’s phone sends text messages to a premium line, charging the user’s phone bill $6 each time. One of the disadvantages of the open nature of Android is that it’s, well, open. The source code can be examined by criminals and exploited fairly easily, and when a security hole is found they take advantage of it. The best way to protect yourself from malware is to only install apps from sources you trust – it seems that this policy now extends to scanning QR codes as well. With more and more vulnerabilities being found in Android’s core software, it’s more important than ever that users stay diligent and that carriers update their phones. [via ZDNet] )
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| Samsung Galaxy Note comes to the FCC with AT&T bands Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:48 AM PDT Rejoice, stylus enthusiasts and fans of unreasonably large smartphones! The Samsung Galaxy Note is now in the hands of the FCC. The hardware they’re looking at has an HSPA+ radio for AT&T’s wireless frequencies, and that’s the first solid evidence yet that Samsung’s uber-phone is coming to these United States.
Samsung made a splash earlier this month when it announced the Galaxy Note, a variant of the popular Galaxy S II platform with an enormous 5.3-inch screen. Perhaps even more impressive, the resolution on the Super AMOLED + panel is a jaw-dropping 1280 x 800, a size that was relegated to the laptop category just a few years ago. The Galaxy Note also features a unique capacitive stylus and customizations to Android 2.3 Gingerbread to take advantage of it, with various note-taking and drawing applications shown. The Galaxy Note stole the show at IFA (along with its only slightly bigger cousin, the Galaxy Tab 7.7) and gadget fiends all over the world have been clamoring to try out the tablet/phone hybrid. While a Samsung representative previously stated that they had “no plans” to bring either device stateside, it appears that at the very least AT&T is interested in a potential release. An FCC filing isn’t a confirmation by any means, but it’s a promising indication that the Galaxy Note will be released on AT&T, possibly in the spring of 2012. Device Info
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 [via SlashGear] )
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| Sony Ericsson supports developers, teams up with CyanogenMod Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:43 AM PDT Earlier this week we briefly mentioned the highly popular CyanogenMod 7 would be coming to a wide array of Sony Ericsson smartphones thanks to a group effort by the devs of Cyanogen and FreeXperia, today we have now learned we have one more to thank for the continued support — Sony Ericsson. They’ve teamed with CM and FreeXperia and we have the details below.
CyanogenMod announced full CM7 support for 10 Sony Ericsson smartphones earlier this week including the Xperia Play, Arc, Neo, X10 and more and now we are learning a bit more details. It seems SE has decided to show full support to the developer and modding community be helping with the development of CM7 and other ROM’s for their smartphones.
Karl-Johan Dahlström (pictured above), Head of developer relations for SE, posted all the details and outlined their full support recently over on the Sony Ericsson Developer Blog. Basically SE has decided to help and assist CM and FreeXperia to both share knowledge, as well as learn a thing or two from the community developers. SE has provided technical know-how, specific device hardware support, even debugged and rebuilt camera binaries to help expedite the processes and keep things running smooth and stable throughout. Sony Ericsson does make it very clear on the blog however, that once you root and install custom recoveries and ROM’s your warranty will be void, and you’ll be provided with no official support. Then again anyone flashing custom ROM’s and CM7 nightlies already knows this right? Karl goes on to end on this note:
What a great move by Sony Ericsson, it is nice to see manufacturers moving in this direction just as Samsung and HTC have done in the recent past. Get ready Sony Ericsson users, you’re about to be treated to some full out CyanogenMod 7 very soon! [via CyanogenMod] )
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| Today only: Get A Nook Color for just $150 Posted: 30 Sep 2011 09:17 AM PDT The Nook Color is a favorite of Android modders, and for today only, you can get one for a cool $100 off the retail price. Daily Steals has a refurbished version of Barnes & Noble’s versatile wifi 7-incher for just $150 – only a few dollars more than an e-ink Nook or Kindle, and well below any brand-name Android tablet you’re likely to see at the moment.
The sale ends at midnight, or presumably as long as the stock holds out, so if you’re in the market for a Nook Color don’t delay. Then again, if all you’re looking for is a capable 7-inch tablet that’s ripe for modding, you may want to wait for the Amazon Kindle Fire‘s November release – it will only be $199, if you can find one. Also, Barnes & Noble is due to update the Nook Color to a newer model in the next few months. Root enthusiasts and custom ROM users have been having their way with the Nook Color since it was released last November. While the tablet itself runs Barnes & Noble’s locked-down reader version of Android, it’s unique boot priority makes it a snap to load up custom software on a MicroSD card. Modified versions of 2.2 Froyo and CyanogenMod 7 are popular among advanced users, and adventurous types can even load up a version of Honeycomb cobbled together from the desktop emulator. If you’re ready to buy, head over to Daily Steals now – there’s no telling how long the current stock will last. Device Info
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[via Android Police] )
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| HTC suspends Thunderbolt 2.3 OTA update after glitches Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:41 AM PDT HTC Thunderbolt owners can’t catch a break. After months and months of waiting for Verizon to push out the official Android 2.3 Gingerbread update, customers were all set to get their new software yesterday. Unfortunately, it seems like over half a year wasn’t long enough, and Verizon has halted the upgrades to work out a few more bugs.
Users reported a variety of new and annoying issues, including voicemail playback bugs, camera glitches, issues with the HTC Sense interface layer and the phone locking up. Both HTC and Verizon are working to resolve the voicemail issue (though a Verizon representative made no mention of other complaints) and intend to resume with a revised software update “soon”. Customers will be notified of availability through Android’s native OTA update system. The possibility that Ice Cream Sandwich might be out by the time Thunderbolt users get a stable version of Gingerbread is regrettably not out of the question. The latest in a long line of delays highlights one of the flaws in the current Android ecosystem: the software relationship between Google, manufacturers and carriers. When Google releases a major Android update, manufacturers have to get it working with their hardware, then add any customized software that they want (in HTC’s case, Sense UI) and then send add in any software the carrier wants (in Verizon’s case, quite a lot). This makes getting timely software updates to customers a headache for all involved – and a major incentive to investigate rumors of a Google-supported Verizon Nexus Prime. Device Info
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| Virgin Mobile officially unveils the LG Optimus Slider Posted: 30 Sep 2011 08:09 AM PDT Virgin Mobile will be the first carrier in the US to let its customers get a hold of the LG Optimus Slider, a mid-range QWERTY Android phone. Online customers can order the phone for $199.99 on a pay-as-you-go plan starting on October 16th. Best Buy and Radio Shack will have the phone on October 31st, with Target following on November 6th.
Unfortunately we still don’t know what resolution the 3.2-inch touchscreen is using, though a quick estimate in Photoshop puts it at either a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. The screen size means that this is a different and likely earlier bit of hardware than the Optimus Q2 revealed a couple of weeks ago. The back camera is 3 megapixels, which should be good enough for some quick daylight shots, and the flash will cover party-goers at night. The phone measures in at 4.52 x 2.23 x .58 inches, appreciably small if thick. Virgin calls the slider “perfect for the heavy social networker,” and backs that up with a customized Virgin Mobile Live 2.0 lifestyle application. This grants users access to Virgin’s exclusive music stream with GJ Abbey Braden, though it’s not mentioned whether this will cost extra a la V-Cast. The app also interfaces with Facebook and Twitter, naturally. [via Virgin] )
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| Verizon may be developing a DROID loyalty program Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:31 AM PDT Plenty of Android users are fiercely loyal, to the platform if not to any particular brand. Verizon is hoping to keep it that way, and they may be taking some proactive steps in that direction soon. According to an anonymous source at Droid-Life, the US carrier is looking into developing a loyalty program that rewards customers who buy DROID phones on a regular basis.
While many would say that US carriers’ penchant for subsidized phones and restrictive multi-year contracts is a sort of an anti-loyalty punishment program, there’s real value for Verizon in keeping its customers on Android. The carrier has invested heavily in marketing and development – without Verizon’s big push for the original DROID back in 2009, Android might not be where it is today. Not to mention the wide range of premium services Verizon offers on Android, like V-Cast and NFL Mobile. The source doesn’t divulge many details, but a discount on newer phones and/or a shortened window for subsidizes would be ideal. Many DROID users are tech enthusiasts who love having the latest and greatest hardware, which is something that a 24-month upgrade window tends to discourage. With what seems like a new flagship phone coming from each manufacturer every few months, a reward for customers indulging in their gadget lust would be a compelling way to keep them coming back for more. The program is said to be in the early stages of development, so even if the tipster is spot-on, it could be a while before Verizon customers can reap any new benefits. )
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| 10-inch Kindle Fire could be here for the holidays Posted: 30 Sep 2011 07:05 AM PDT Amazon made a splash when announcing its new Kindle Fire tablet, but if you think the 7-inch slate is all that the company has got up its sleeve, I’ve got a bridge in Manhattan to sell you. Rumors persist of Amazon’s full-sized tablet aspirations, and according to at least one source, a 10-inch version of the Fire could be coming sooner than expected. DigiTimes says that Foxconn, one of the world’s largest OEMs and the primary manufacturer of Apple’s iPad, is preparing a 10-inch Amazon tablet for production and distribution before the end of the year.
The current Fire is set to release on November 15th on a modified version of the Blackberry Playbook hardware. While there’s nothing wrong with the platform (or its almost impulse-buy price of $199) insiders have speculated that it’s very much a 1.0 product, paving the way for more specialized hardware in the future. While releasing a new 7-inch tablet only a month or so after the first would be a foolhardy move, a larger tablet in a well-known form factor could be an excellent way to expand the Fire line quickly. Take the rumors with a grain of salt. Even the most well-established hardware seller might balk at pushing out two major products in the same category so soon, and Amazon isn’t as interested in actual hardware sales (though they’re certainly getting them) as luring customers into its media ecosystem. All signs point to a full range of Kindle Fire tablets coming to market eventually, just like the quite robust range of e-ink Kindles now. And even if Amazon wants to get a larger slate out in time to shove it in a few stockings, the realities of production may not allow it. Device Info
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[via SlashGear] )
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| Amazon looking to buy Palm, says HP tipster Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:32 AM PDT If sources can be believed, the last parts of what used to be Palm will soon be housed within the Amazon corporate empire. A VentureBeat tipster claims that the online retailer is looking to buy some or all of the storied handheld manufacturer from its current owner, HP, who wants to recoup at least some of its losses from its disastrous run with WebOS. While HP has been trying to offload the subsidiary and its properties for some time, Amazon is said to be closest to an actual purchase.
It’s easy to see why Amazon would want what’s left of Palm. Despite WebOS’s failure to find a foothold in the mobile market, it’s a solid operating system, at least as good as Android in a lot of ways. Palm’s engineering and design teams (what’s left of them, anyway) are comprised of at least a few former Apple employees. While Palm hasn’t had a reputation for stellar hardware for the last few product cycles, it does have an impressive stable of mobile hardware and software patents, a lucrative commodity that HP won’t be needing once it exits the hardware business. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Amazon would outright revive the flat-lining WebOS. The retailer is on the verge of launching a version of Android on their Kindle Fire tablet, so utilizing WebOS in any meaningful way would mean redesigning from the ground up, and that’s just not going to happen. Still, seeing Palm’s UI expertise going into future versions of the Kindle Fire OS could only help, and a company investing heavily in mobile can always use a relevant patent portfolio. Some of the engineers at Palm have been making hardware for decades, and would make an excellent addition to Amazon’s internal Kindle team. Neither HP nor Amazon has commented on the speculation. Device Info
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[via SlashGear] )
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| SwiftKey X updated to version 2.1, we go hands-on Posted: 30 Sep 2011 06:01 AM PDT The popular keyboard SwiftKey X by Touchtype has been receiving a lot of attention in the world of Android, and with good reason. It is one of the best alternative keyboards available and has recently been graced with some updates making it even better. Today SwiftKey has just announced the new update version 2.1 for their popular keyboard after receiving some changes asked for by their community and from the private BETA. We’ve been able to look it over and I truly love SwiftKey X, especially on my tablet. More details and pics below.
Shown in the image above is the default style and theme. With many different options for themes and colors, they even have a split key option for tablet users that don’t want to do the whole “hunt and peck” thing across the larger screen of a tablet. SwiftKey X launched back in July and you can see our more in-depth review here. A few of the main things that make SwiftKey X that much better is they use TouchType's fluency 2.0 AI engine to learn from the user, and then think like you to help predict words as you type. They also have a cloud learning feature where the app will learn you tying style from Gmail, Facebook, Twitter and now with the latest version 2.1 — your own personal blog. This enables SwiftKey X to get a feel for its user and predict words in a much more controlled, and personalized manor making this one of the best keyboards around.
Like I mentioned above I really love the split key view for tablets, it makes the entire typing experience easier and faster. Once you get used to it you no longer feel like you are searching for keys, and typing comes naturally without having to remove either hand from the device. Here’s a shot of my favorite theme and the split key view below.
Now we all know plenty about SwiftKey X as it’s been available for some time. Today they’ve announced (and released in the Android market) the newest version 2.1 for both phones and tablets. Here are a few of the features you can expect, and for those that haven’t purchased SwiftKey X yet — they are why you should. New Features with version 2.1 SwiftKey X Tablet v2.1 hands-on As usual with any update you can also expect a wide array of usability and stability improvements. Correct toggling of “go” and “next” buttons while typing and inserting email addresses and more. SwiftKey has added some general layout fixes as well as cut down on memory usage making SwiftKey X even more efficient in prediction.
One of my favorite new features listed above is the option for users to track there stats. Basically when SwiftKey X does its job and predicts words, finishes sentences and all those other awesome things it does, it also saves the stats so you can see just how useful and convenient it really is. I’ve been using it all week and my stat could was HUGE until I reinstalled it to take screenshots and lost my progress. Either way check out the stat list below for an idea of what you can expect as well as a few of the new heat-mapping tool to see how accurate you are — or aren’t.
So far from using SwiftKey X on both my phone and tablet it is the clear choice for me and what I’ve used for months and months. The latest update to v2.1 brings a few awesome changes that makes this keyboard just that much better. Being a Android fanatic, having Swiftkey X sync to my Twitter account it already knows words like Kindle, fire, adb, xoom, Galaxy S II, HTC, and all those other terms I’m typing regarding Android on a daily basis. Once synced to my Twitter and my Gmail I didn’t need to add anything to my dictionary as it does all the work for me — from names, weird words and more. It truly is awesome and I recommend everyone give it a try, then buy the full versions. Both SwiftKey X Keyboard and SwiftKey X Tablet are available in the Android market by clicking here, and the newest version 2.1 should be available for update any time now. Go ahead and get the latest version and let us know what you think, because we love it.             [via SwiftKey X] )
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| Samsung intros Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus 7-inch tablet Posted: 30 Sep 2011 03:31 AM PDT Samsung has revealed a new 7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, seemingly targeting a cheaper price point than the recent Galaxy Tab 7.7. Packing a 7-inch LCD IPS display running at 1024 x 600 resolution (rather than the Tab 7.7′s Super AMOLED HD 1280 x 800 panel), the Tab 7.0 Plus also offers triband HSPA+, WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz) and twin cameras.
On the back there’s a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash, while a 2-megapixel camera is on the front for video calling. Inside there’s Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi Direct and WiFi Channel bonding support, USB 2.0 and USB Host, and a microSD card slot to augment the 16GB or 32GB of onboard storage. It’s 193.65 x 122.37 x 9.96 mm and weighs 345g. Power is courtesy of an unspecified 1.2GHz dual-core processor, paired with 1GB of RAM, and there are the usual proximity, accelerometer, digital compass, gyro and ambient light sensors. On top of Honeycomb, Samsung’s TouchWiz interface delivers its media, social, ereading and other hubs, together with some custom widgets and software like Kies Air.
No word, at this stage, on exactly how much the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will cost. The company says it will land in Indonesia and Austria first, at the end of October, before seeing a progressive roll-out globally including Southeast and Southwest Asia, US, Europe, CIS, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Japan and China.             [via SlashGear] )
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| Galaxy S II X reviewed in Canada Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:10 PM PDT The crazy Canucks at MobileSyrup have gotten their sticky mitts on a Telus-branded version of the Samsung Galaxy S II X, with a super-sized 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. They’ve put it through the regular paces and not found the phone wanting, particularly praising its build quality, which surprisingly exceeds the vanilla Galaxy S II.
If you’re reading this post, odds are you want to know about that massive screen adorning the front of the Galaxy S II X. Good news: It’s everything you expect from the awesome Super AMOLED Plus technology, just a little bit bigger. Though the Galaxy S II X features the same 480 x 800 screen as other recent Samsung models, the reviewer notes that black levels are perfect, brightness is excellent, with no visible pixelating or distorting. It’s a solid phone, scoring extra points for its high-quality feel and grippy battery cover. The extra room means there’s plenty of internal space for a big battery, which lasts longer than average – until you start using the incredibly speedy HSPA+ connection to the fullest. The camera and video are better than just about any Android phone out there, and even beat out some of the point-and-shoot cameras on the market. A lack of bloatware is much appreciated.
Disappointingly, the Galaxy S II X actually scores lower than its slightly older brothers. The larger phone scores considerably less on the GPU-intensive Sunspider and Qualcomm Vellamo tests, despite its speedy 1.5GHz processor. This isn’t a deal-breaker, since modern “superphones” can handle just about anything a typical user can throw at them, but speed demons had best look elsewhere.The phone tends to idle at a surpringly high RAM load.
Overall the Galaxy S II X shares a lot in common with the world-conquering Galaxy S II, there’s just more of it to love. If you’re looking for a big, solid phone with a great display and fast data speeds (in Canada), you couldn’t ask for anything better. If, however, you need to have the fastest phone on the market or the phone with the highest pixel density, you may want to wait for the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S II HD. Be sure to check out MobileSyrup’s massive 20-minute video review if you want all the details. T-Mobile customers, take note – this one’s headed your way soon. Impulse buys should remember that the even more gigantic Samsung Galaxy Note may be in the pipeline. [via MobileSyrup] )
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| Gameloft sale: N.O.V.A., UNO, Assassin’s Creed and Asphalt 6 just $.99 this weekend Posted: 29 Sep 2011 06:32 PM PDT Gameloft, the Android game publisher that’s so good you almost don’t mind that none of their games are on the official Android Market, is having a closeout sale on some of its top-tier games this weekend. First-person shooter N.O.V.A, card game UNO, stealthy-stabby adventure Assassin’s Creed and the well-loved Asphalt 6 are all just a buck through Sunday, October 2nd. Gameloft announced the sale via their Twitter account, @GameloftAndroid.
If you’ve never bought a Gameloft title before, understand that the publisher sells its games directly to bypass the fees in the Android Market. You can pay the company on their website with any major credit card, then insert your phone number and model to start the download. All four games are available in their HD versions, so they’ll look great even on your shiny new Galaxy Tab 10.1 or Transformer. Though some of these games have been superseded by newer versions (like N.O.V.A. 2), they’re all solid choices and well worth a single greenback each. Note that, unfortunately, not every game is supported on every phone. Check the Gameloft device lists for more details. )
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| X-Factor’s Simon Cowell says DROID Bionic has real star power Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:59 PM PDT Ah, cross-promotion. Surely one of the finest institutions of the modern marketing machine. In Verizon’s latest bit of salesmanship, they’ve ditched the football fans and tae-bo urbanites for an American icon all the way from the UK: Simon Cowell. The cellular carrier employed the laser-tongued musical personality in a commercial you’ll likely be seeing a lot of in the next few weeks, promoting both the DROID Bionic and Fox’s new talent show X-Factor.
In the latest DROID Bionic commercial, the famous judge lays the smack-down on some generic-looking smartphones with his signature lack of tact. “Rubbish!” he cries. “Useless!” he moans. Until, of course, he comes across the DROID Bionic, for which he’s The beach-goers sell it for me, though. They find a pile of discarded, nameless phones in the sand and are just about to pick them up, when Cowell, like the ancient god out of the machine, commands them from on high to abandon such worthless trash. Even the dog obeys. That’s real power, folks – even a $5 million recording contract can’t buy that. Device Info
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| ROM Maker Peter Alfonso Now Supports Nexus One Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:30 PM PDT The venerable Nexus One is coming up on its second birthday (which is practically octogenarian by smartphone standards), but like the OG Droid, it’s still got its loyal users. Count ROM cook extraordinaire Peter Alfonso among them. He’s begun supporting the Nexus One with new nightly builds of his self-branded series of Gingerbread ROMs.
Previously Alfonso supported the original Motorola Droid, the Motorola XOOM tablet and the Samsung Nexus S. The Google-branded Nexus One will be his first HTC device, with hopefully more to come like the very similar Droid Incredible or Desire. Alfonso began his work on the “Passion” (the codename for the HTC hardware) just a few days ago, meaning the project is still very much in nightly form. Nexus One users who are happy with their current custom ROM may want to hold off for a week or two before trying it out. The adventurous among you can head over to Peter Alfonso’s website to check out the latest builds of “Peter Alfonso Gingerbread” for the Passion. Given his previous work, Alfonso is likely to update the ROM every day or so, so keep an eye on the download page. And remember, you lords of the custom recovery: be sure to keep a Nandroid backup handy. Device Info
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| HTC Holiday spotted in the wild, this time down under Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:45 PM PDT The HTC Holiday keeps popping up its head for everyone to see and today it has done it again. It was first spotted way back in August after someone sold it on eBay, and since has seen countless leaks. Today was no different and it was spotted in Australia soaking up the sun and running some impressive 4G speeds.
Even today the Holiday was spotted clearing the FCC on its way to the US on AT&T rocking 4G LTE. In the image shown above it’s still being called the HTC Holiday and we are now hearing that is just the internal codename given by HTC. It will in fact be called the HTC Raider 4G on AT&T, and HTC has confirmed that as well. I actually liked the name Holiday although it does seem a bit weird for a smartphone name. Raider 4G gives it that tough and powerful sound, right Oakland Raiders fans?
Shown in the image above from the Australian version running on Telstra it seems to be blazing along with those 4G LTE radios. The Holiday will be the first 4G LTE smartphone for Telstra in Australia according to recent leaks and for those waiting for a good phone this will certainly be it. With an aweome 4.5″ qHD display, 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MP camera and more this is a top-end smartphone that is for sure. If you look close you can see Brisbane Australia listed in the speedtest application. We are seeing some mighty impressive speedtest results thus far, hopefully they will be the same when it launches and networks get crowded. [via CNET Australia] )
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| Amazon CEO says Kindle Fire is an end-to-end device – like the iPad Posted: 29 Sep 2011 04:31 PM PDT Amazon’s Jeff Bezeos is understandably proud of the Android-based Kindle Fire, but perhaps not for the reasons you might think. He’s quick to highlight how the branded device is a world away from other Android tablets on the market, and more like Apple’s iPad. The end-to-end business model, where consumers depend on one company for hardware, software and content, is just what the Kindle Fire needs to put it above the crowded tablet space, at least according to Amazon.
Bezos goes so far as to say that he doesn’t consider the Kindle Fire a tablet at all. “We think of Kindle Fire as an end-to-end service," he told an interviewer, saying that the Fire is a wrapper meant to consume a wide array of digital media, from books and magazine to video, apps and music, all while staying constantly connected to the cloud. It’s hard not to think of Apple’s strictly-enforced walled garden of hardware and software when one hears about an end-to-end service. And while that may sound like a sour note to the Android faithful, there’s no denying that it’s allowed Apple to dominate the tablet market, with the iPad holding on to an 82% market share even as Android tablets become more and more advanced. Amazon may even have an advantage over Apple in the long-run, since the heavily-customized Kindle Fire relies almost exclusively on cloud services for a la cart and subscription content. As more and more consumers get access to ubiquitous broadband internet, services like Amazon Instant Video will become more and more popular. Shoppers sure seem to think so: the Kindle Fire jumped to the top of Amazon’s product list as soon as pre-orders were made available. Device Info
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[via Seeking Alpha] )
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| Microsoft’s Android patents could be worth $444 million a year Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:50 PM PDT
Microsoft has been collecting licensing agreements from Android manufacturers like Samsung and HTC for months now. According to ZDNet, this adds up to some serious dinero, to the tune of $444 million every year. With Android continuing to dominate in markets around the world, that number can only grow.
In today’s litigious IP environment, it’s often wiser for a company to pony up to patent holders rather than fight an extended court battle, even if they’re not entirely sure they’re in the wrong. Microsoft has banked on that, and a Goldman Sachs analyst estimated that every Android phone sold with a licensed manufacturer nets the technology giant between $3 and $5. Of course, not everyone’s thrilled with the arrangement. Google objected to Microsoft “extorting” Android original equipment manufacturers, saying that they hindered the progress of innovation. Microsoft executive succinctly replied on Twitter with a single word: “Waaah!” I’m sure that the manufacturers themselves aren’t thrilled with the arrangements, and neither are consumers or carriers, who will share the burden of a more expensive product. And to be perfectly honest, Microsoft would probably trade the relatively small amount of kickback money they’re getting for a phone platform that wasn’t stuck in the “other” section of the market share pie charts. To sum up, nobody’s very happy with the state of licensing fees — Microsoft’s just unhappy all the way to the bank. [via ZDnet] )
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| Bargain hunters, here’s your HP Touchpad for just $89… a month Posted: 29 Sep 2011 03:12 PM PDT Bummed that you didn’t pick up a HP Touchpad when it went on an insane $99 fire sale? Disappointing that you won’t get to play around with CyanogenMod’s upcoming Gingerbread port? Well buck up, deal seeker. You can find a dirt-cheap Touchpad at your local Aaron’s appliance rental center for just 89 greenbacks and one horrible, horrible catch.
That’s right: for only $89.99 a month for twelve months you can own what might be one of the very last Touchpads ever to be sold at retail. That’s a downright steal at just $950 and change. Of course, you high rollers don’t want to deal with the hassle of sending in checks every month, so you can just pay the every day “low” price of $1424.99. Man, it’s going to be a hard choice between one unsupported tablet, almost three iPads, seven Kindle Fires, or 1,400 Slim Jims. But on the plus side, you won’t need to go through any credit checks. P.T. Barnum said that there’s a sucker born every minute. If he were alive today, he might say they were born across the street from Aaron’s.  [via Reddit] )
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