Android Community |
- Verizon’s Samsung Stratosphere rooted already
- VMware giving Verizon phones dual numbers and identites
- LG Optimus LTE comes to Bell Canada as the Eye
- Box for Android gets update for mobile workflow
- Samsung Transform Ultra slides into the low end
- 53% of Android phones pay license fees to Microsoft
- DROID RAZR arrives on Verizon’s DROID DOES site
- Acer Iconia Tabs to get Ice Cream Sandwich update next year?
- Nokia outs offline maps for Android and iOS
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Android Ice Cream Sandwich wrap-up [Video]
- Android Community Weekly: October 23, 2011
- Non-US DROID RAZR phones will have unlockable bootloader
| Verizon’s Samsung Stratosphere rooted already Posted: 24 Oct 2011 09:13 AM PDT If you want to make your Android phone work harder, there’s only one way to go: root. Verizon’s latest phone, the Samsung Stratosphere, has been rooted by some industrious modders. While the root method isn’t the easiest in the world, but it should be easy enough for most advanced Android users. For the record, the Stratosphere was only on the market for a little under two weeks before a root method was discovered.
The Stratosphere is essentially the same hardware as the Samsung Epic 4G, with a little elbow grease to move it over to Verizon’s LTE network and update the software to sweet, sweet Gingerbread. As far as hardware goes it’s strictly middle of the road, but for the moment it’s the first and only QWERTY slider phone to take advantage of Verizon’s LTE network. Interestingly, it seems to be the first Verizon LTE phone to use a Mini-SIM card, saving some small but valuable space in the phone’s interior. The phone is basically on-par with the original Galaxy S, plus some extra bulk to accommodate a full keyboard. Android Community got some hands-on time with the phone last week, and a review is coming shortly. Would-be modders should know that Samsung releases the source code for its kernels on a regular basis, so now that root has been achieved, full-fledged custom ROMs won’t be far behind. Device Info
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| VMware giving Verizon phones dual numbers and identites Posted: 24 Oct 2011 08:56 AM PDT
What this means is that you’ll be able to accept calls from your work and personal numbers on the same device, in addition to VMware’s already-announced mobile virtulization package. It works a lot like the VMware Workstation or Fusion software available on Windows and Mac, but in this case it’s managing a separate identity instead of an operating system. LG and Samsung phones will be the first to support this home/work software division. Managing separate numbers is of course already possible with things like number forwarding and Google Voice, but keeping two separate workspaces with their own contacts, emails, text messages and the like is something new. It isn’t restricted to software, either: businesses can set up their own voice and data plans for their employees, who will only use their own personal minutes and data when they’re off the clock. Depending upon how your workplace is set up this could be a positive or negative (from the employee perspective, anyway) but the idea has merit. Verizon and VMware haven’t given a timeframe for implementing the solution. )
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| LG Optimus LTE comes to Bell Canada as the Eye Posted: 24 Oct 2011 08:03 AM PDT Just a few weeks ago LG unveiled its jaw-dropping Optimus LTE to spec junkies the world over, and those living in the great white north can get a crack at it on Bell soon. In Canada the phone will be known as the LG Optimus Eye, paying homage to its 8 megapixel/1080p rear camera. That’s not what will be turning the eye of Canadian consumers, however.
No, what makes the Optimus Eye stand out is its massive 4.5-inch screen running a full 1280 x 720 screen, and with a true IPS LCD panel, the it’ll be as crisp and clear as a February morning in Ottawa. That’s an iPhone 4-besting 329 pixels per inch. The hardware hits just keep coming with this one: a 1.5GHz dual-core processor should let Android Gingerbread fly on the Eye, and 4G LTE speeds will make sure that the wireless connection is no hindrance. Bell’s retail chain The Source was kind enough to post a preview video starring a genuine “Tech Expert” (who, by the way, erroneously says that the phone has a 1280 x 760 screen): Bell is still mum on the price or availability of the LG Optimus Eye, but with an official marketing rollout expect news in the next few weeks. With this kind of top-shelf hardware you can expect a high price tag to boot, but for the time being Canadians will have to wait patiently. There’s still no word on the Optimus LTE making its way south to the United States. )
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| Box for Android gets update for mobile workflow Posted: 24 Oct 2011 08:03 AM PDT We all want to be more organized, even if those like me never really get organized. One thing that many people like is the ability to be able to access their content from wherever they are. Box for Android is an app that will let you connect to your content at the office when you are out of the office. The app has been updated to make it faster and more stabile.
The new update went live on the Android Market last Friday and can be downloaded right now. The update includes a new codebase and integration with Quickoffice. That Quickoffice integration allows you to edit documents that are saved on Box from your Android phone or tablet. The update also brings the ability to rename, delete, and share files or folders from the Android device. The update also supports local caching of content so if you are accessing a particular document frequently you won’t need to wait for it to download each time. These sound like some very nice updates, particularly for an office that has multiple users accessing the same files. )
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| Samsung Transform Ultra slides into the low end Posted: 24 Oct 2011 07:38 AM PDT There’s a lot of QWERTY slider Android phones out there if you look hard enough, but most of them are mid- to high-end, and unfortunately off-limits to the thumbs of more pragmatic text-happy consumers. Samsung is looking to fill their demand with the Transform Ultra, a low-end slider previously reserved for Boost but set for release soon on the parent network. No price is available, but given the low specifications it should be less than $100 on-contract, possibly even free.
The Transform Ultra comes with a small (for Android, at least) 3.5-inch screen pushing just 480 x 320 pixels. The 3 megapixel camera on the back is complimented by a front VGA camera, a rarity on this class of phone. The phone is a little on the chunky side at 14 millimeters thick, but that’s par for the course for Samsung sliders like the Stratosphere. A 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM should have no problem keeping up with Android Gingerbread, and access to the Android Market and other Google apps is included. 2GB of on-board storage is accompanied by as much memory as you can shove into the Transform Ultra’s MicroSD card slot, and the small phone should last a good while on a 1500 mAh battery. 3G speeds are as fast as the phone will go, but of course, you can compliment that with the A/B/G WiFi. Pricing and availability are still up in the air on this one, though given its $229.99 off-contract sticker on Boost, expect it to be very low indeed. )
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| 53% of Android phones pay license fees to Microsoft Posted: 24 Oct 2011 07:17 AM PDT Apple’s patent tyranny against every Android manufacturer they can find gets a lot of ink, but it appears that Microsoft is getting the bank. After securing yet another licensing deal with Taiwanese OEM Compal, Redmond announced that a full 53% of Android devices being made are done so with a licensing kick-back to Microsoft. Other major players which have settled with the software giant include HTC, Samsung, Acer and many more.
Microsoft is currently making at least $444 million dollars a year off of Android hardware, putting them in the strange position of making more direct profit off of Android phone and tablet sales than Google, which gives away the operating system freely. Microsoft’s mobile software patent portfolio has allowed it to bully Android manufacturers into submission with startling efficiency, leading Samsung executives to say that they can’t rely on Google for protection. For its part, Google considers the licensing agreements “extortion,” and Motorola Mobility, which is slated to become a part of Google later this year, is one of the only major Android manufacturers left that hasn’t agreed to pay Microsoft royalties. Elsewhere in the wide, wide world of technology patent litigation, Steve Jobs’ upcoming biography notes that the Apple co-founder had a hatred for Android stemming from a belief that the product was stolen. (“Good artists copy, great artists steal.”) Before his death the executive vowed to spend his last dollar and last breath fighting Android in court, and Apple’s refusal to settle in the Samsung Australian case seems to bear that out. Between Microsoft, Apple and Oracle, Google and its manufacturers still have a long fight ahead of them in the patent arena. [via TFTS] )
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| DROID RAZR arrives on Verizon’s DROID DOES site Posted: 24 Oct 2011 06:50 AM PDT Ah, DROIDDOES.com, what fond memories we have of you. The portal for the original influential DROID campaign is still the go-to destination for Verizon’s high-end android phones, so it’s altogether appropriate that the Motorola DROID RAZR find itself there. The new site offers a 3D view of the new phone showing off its slim profile, and not much else. Oh, an the Flash-only site is totally inaccessible to certain iDevices that shall remain nameless.
Unfortunately Verizon did not see fit to grace us with a release date, though November 10th seems altogether likely at this point. If you’d like you can submit your email for the marketing monkeys to alert you whenever new information comes about. The DROID DOES site doesn’t even offer specifications past the exterior details, like the device’s 7.1mm splash-proof, Kevlar-accented body or the 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen. For all the details you can see the entries on Verizon’s main site or Motorola’s product listing, or better yet, check out our post on the device’s announcement. Yesterday the news broke that the Motorola RAZR (the DROID RAZR’s globe-trotting international edition) will have a bootloader unlock available to such carriers as enable it. Verizon will not, but the fact that an unlock exists probably means that it will eventually find its way into the hands of US DROID enthusiasts. For a more in-depth look at the Motorola DROID RAZR, check out our hands-on footage below: Motorola DROID RAZR hands-on: Device Info
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| Acer Iconia Tabs to get Ice Cream Sandwich update next year? Posted: 24 Oct 2011 05:57 AM PDT With all the hubbub over the latest Android 4.0 version of the popular OS, lots of folks want to know when they will be able to get Ice Cream Sandwich on their own tablets and smartphones. Last week Asus announced that the original Transformer tablet would be getting the ISC update next year. Today news on more devices possibly getting the update next year have surfaced.
This is unconfirmed right now so take the rumor with some salt. According to Tablet-online.pl the Acer Iconia Tab A100/A101 and the A500/A501 will all get the upgrade to ICS early next year. That would be no surprise really. The details come from information presented from an unnamed source to the Tablet-online.pl site. It has been said by Android product manager Gabe Cohen that in theory any of the tablets on the market today running Honeycomb can be updated to ICS. How quickly those updates come will depend on if the device is running a custom UI that takes a while to tweak. I would expect that a bunch of devices would get the update in early 2012. We have asked Acer for an official comment and will update if Acer responds. [via Tablet-online] )
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| Nokia outs offline maps for Android and iOS Posted: 24 Oct 2011 04:37 AM PDT We have talked about the Nokia HTML5 maps that were coming before. At first, the Nokia Maps were only offered on Nokia smartphones, but that has now changed. The HTML5 version of the maps are intended to be used on both the Android and iOS platforms as well. With the roll out of the HTML 5 maps also come some new and cool features.
The maps were in beta previously and could be downloaded. They offer satellite view, public transport view, and Live traffic views. They also support pinch to zoom, routing for walking or driving, and saving of favorite locations. A pair of new features has surfaced today that are very nice and will make using the Nokia Maps more interesting for the user. The best of the features is the new offline mode. This allows you to download the maps before you head out for a trip so you can turn off your data connection. That is a big deal if you are in an area where you are in data roaming. Other new features include POI information and new public transportation directions. [via MyNokiaBlod] )
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Android Ice Cream Sandwich wrap-up [Video] Posted: 23 Oct 2011 08:12 PM PDT Samsung and Google put the eyes of the tech world squarely on Hong Kong last week as they unveiled the future of the Android platform. There they showed hardware and software that will set the tone for Android in 2012 and beyond, in the form of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone running Android 4.0, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich. Here’s everything you need to know about the new phone and the new operating system.
Galaxy Nexus Hardware To call Samsung’s newest flagship and Google’s latest developer device a “superphone” is an understatement. Without a doubt the star of the show is its curved 4.65-inch screen, pumping out a full HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. And the Super AMOLED screen is one of the best out there, despite lacking the “+” RGB specification that would result in even denser pixels. The device runs a snappy 1.2 GHz OMAP 4460 processor, which is rated for 1.5 GHz but has been clocked down, and a gigabyte of RAM. Like the Nexus S, the Galaxy Nexus will not use an external memory card, but different versions will use 16GB or 32Gb, depending upon territory and carrier preference. In addition to some top-of-the line specifications, the Galaxy Nexus has some new equipment that should make for interesting tools for developers. Despite a slower rollout of NFC than Google was hoping for, they’ve included it in the phone, as well as new temperature and barometer sensors. The latter should help acquire faster and more accurate location data. Nexus One-style electrical contacts allow for seamless docking on a desktop or car dock.
Samsung is claiming that the lower 5-megapixel/1080p camera is as good or better than the 8-megapixel shooters seen on other Android phones, and given the video we’ve seen on the Galaxy Nexus, we believe them. The front-facing camera is 1.3 megapixels. The back cover is coated in no-slip plastic that’s probably familiar if you’ve used one of the Galaxy S II phones before. Galaxy Nexus Availability Google and Samsung said at the event that the Galaxy Nexus would be available starting in November. Unfortunately, Verizon has not said when they plan to release the phone, though we know from Samsung that they’ll be the first in the US to get it. Various leaks point to a November 10th release date with a price of $299. In the UK the phone will cost £429, and NTT DoCoMo in Japan will get the first crack at the Galaxy Nexus.
As far as coverage goes, the Galaxy Nexus comes in two primary hardware versions: HSPA+ and LTE. Different versions will be used where applicable – Verizon is obviously getting LTE, whereas HSPA+ versions are probably bound for AT&T and T-Mobile. The HSPA+ version is a super-slim 8.94 millimeters at its thinnest point, but the LTE version is noticeably thicker at the base. Check out our hands-on looks at the Galaxy Nexus below: Galaxy Nexus Hands-on Ice Cream Sandwich
New features That said, there’s hardly a single part of the Android user interface that hasn’t seen a complete overhaul. Beginning with the lockscreen, notifications are now usable before unlocking the phone, and ca apps can be launcher directly from the pull-down bar. The lockscreen either unlocks the phone or takes the user to the revamped Camera app, using a modified Honeycomb ring lock mechanism. It can also be unlocked using facial recognition from the front-facing camera. Speaking of the Camera app, it’s now much, much more powerful, with things like continuous auto focus, facial recognition and more advanced user-accessible photography settings. Once a photo or video is taken it can be instantly shared to Google+ and other social networks, or any service that takes advantage of its open API.A basic Instagram-style photo editing feature now resides in the overhauled Gallery app.
The homescreen shows a lot of influence from Honeycomb as well, especially in its task manager activated from the new navigation button. In addition to quickly switching between apps, users can swipe one away WebOS-style to quit it and free up memory. The homescreen uses Honeycomb-style widgets and searching, and for the first time in a stock launcher, you can manually resize widgets. The folder feature gets some much-needed UI attention as well. Particular attention has been paid to contacts in the new People app, which displays vivid pictures in a grid. The individual listings allow contacts to be connected to their handles on various social networks, and keys into the appropriate app when activated. Google is getting a good handle on the realities of the modern smartphone market with a new feature: the data manager. It allows you to see your data use actively without any widgets or plugins, and extrapolated how much you’ll probably use in the future based on previous usage. It also allows users to automatically cut the data connection at a certain point, making for a lot of savings on data-hungry phone bills. One of the most intriguing uses of NFC we’ve ever seen is the new Android Beam feature. It allows users to instantly share links, maps, videos, apps, or indeed anything that takes advantage of the API, instantly from phone to phone. The process is a Availability Google never open-sourced Honeycomb, but they’re planning on releasing the AOSP source code to the public shortly after the November launch of the Galaxy Nexus. Developers can begin developing code for the OS now with the Ice Cream Sandwich SDK, and Motorola, HTC and Samsung are already promising upgrades for their high-end Android phones and tablets. A few adventurous modders couldn’t wait that long: they’ve already ported Ice Cream Sandwich to the Nexus S and Nexus One. The first non-Nexus Ice Cream Sandwich phones are probably months away at this point, but Asus is getting the drop on the tablet market with the forthcoming Eee Pad Transformer Prime. The follow-up to the original Transformer has already been shown off in a website and video, and the formal unveiling is scheduled for November 9th. New information on Ice Cream Sandwich (like game controller support!) is coming out all the time. Keep an eye on Android Community and @Androids for the latest updates. For a look at all of the software in action, check out our hands-on video of Ice Cream Sandwich below. Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on                     Device Info
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| Android Community Weekly: October 23, 2011 Posted: 23 Oct 2011 05:10 PM PDT With many re-caps of this week’s breaking news, this issue will focus on the announcements of the long awaited Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and the Motorola DROID RAZR! The Galaxy Nexus finally dropped in Hong Kong Tuesday, and officially claimed the its throne over any pre-existing Android device out there. Though the DROID RAZR had our jaws dropping earlier that morning, it was soon forgotten after the Galaxy Nexus hit.
The device will debut with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). This updated OS will include a ridiculous amount of improvements – both cosmetically and with systematical functioning. A completely new lockscreen, new standard homescreen, and practically every standard application has been re-wrapped with Android 4.0′s new cyan-colored theme. Like past OS updates, this version of Android will include a new collection of ringtones and notification audio tones (now available). Editing photographs is now possible within the new Gallery application, and the camera is vastly improved over previous versions. Photos are taken almost instantly, and Google has implemented a panoramic setting straight into the app. Be sure to check here for even more new features not mentioned during the official release! For the official Samsung Galaxy Nexus hands-on, navigate here. During Motorola’s showcase Tuesday, the MotoACTV and DROID RAZR were unveiled. The MotoACTV will be directly competing with the iPod Nano and even offers a bit of innovation. The device will be able to read their owners pulse through the headphones to determine songs they workout best to! The DROID RAZR will be the thinnest smartphone to hit the market come November 10th. It will have many exclusive accessories including lapdocks, keyboards and more. Unfortunately, the RAZR will have a locked bootloader and a non-removable battery; developers – don’t plan on rooting this device with ease. Be sure to check out our hands-on with the RAZR and even a benchmark comparing it to the Samsung Galaxy S II. Those hoping for an upgrade to Android 4.0 will be pleased that a number of manufacturers are working towards pushing them as soon as possible. HTC is currently looking over Ice Cream Sandwich to determine a proper upgrade plan for their current lineup. The Motorola DROID RAZR and DROID Bionic have both been confirmed by Motorola to receive updates near the beginning of 2012. Also reviewed this week was the ASUS Eee Pad Slider via SlashGear. ASUS also confirmed Android 4.0 will appear on the Transformer soon, and will surely debut on the Transformer 2 flaunted on video Wednesday! Finally, released was the price of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus without a carrier contract. The sim-free version will run at $680, a bit cheaper than I was expecting. )
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| Non-US DROID RAZR phones will have unlockable bootloader Posted: 23 Oct 2011 01:51 PM PDT
Here’s some good news for prospective Motorola RAZR owners: the phone will have an unlockable bootloader. Unfortunately this doesn’t apply to United States DROID RAZRs – Motorola is giving carriers the option to disable the unlock feature, and Verizon has jumped on the chance. Just to be clear, the phone is known as the DROID RAZR in the US and the Motorola RAZR elsewhere. Commence your cursing now, Verizon customers.
An unlocked bootloader is an essential part of the modder’s toolbox. Without it, it’s impossible to get a custom Android kernel onto a phone, which means that modders are limited to the latest version of Android that Motorola (or the carrier) is willing to provide. The last time that Verizon offered a Motorola phone with an unlocked bootloader was the original DROID over two years ago, though some Samsung and HTC models are (inexplicably) unlockable. If you’re smitten with the DROID RAZR’s lusty hardware, don’t despair. Even without an unlocked bootloader root and custom ROMs are possible, it just takes a little more effort, and some of the higher-level customizations aren’t available. Keep in mind that it’s always possible, and in this case even likely, that someone will reverse-engineer the international unlock method for United States DROID RAZR owners, opening up the path to full custom ROMs like CyanogenMod, or even more exciting, early versions of Ice Cream Sandwich. If anyone is up to the task, it’s Android hackers longing to set some high-end hardware free. Check out our hands-on of the Motorola DROID RAZR: Motorola DROID RAZR hands-on: Device Info
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[via Android Central] )
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If you’ve ever been issued a company cell phone in addition to your own phone, you know what a hassle it is lugging two devices, contact lists, et cetera around with you. 
Arguably even more important that the Galaxy Nexus was Google’ unveiling of 
lot like infrared sharing back in the old Palm Pilot days. You place two NFC-enabled Ice Cream Sandwich apps back-to-back, activate Beam, and the location, app or other information is instantly shared with the opposite phone.
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