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- AT&T 4G LTE speedtest results: HTC Vivid and Galaxy S II Skyrocket
- ASUS Transformer update rolling out now, Netflix included
- LG Prada K2 hits the FCC, sports NFC
- Motorola XOOM 2 gets SwiftKey X pre-installed
- Can Android compete with the iPod Touch, and does it need to?
- Motorola DROID RAZR rooted already, no surprise
- Samsung Galaxy Nexus system dump with recovery and boot images available
- AT&T says HTC Vivid and Samsung Skyrocket will get ICS updates
- DROID RAZR Scavenger hunt and Extraction games are live, win one now
- Best Buy offers free HTC phones with Modern Warfare 3 purchase
| AT&T 4G LTE speedtest results: HTC Vivid and Galaxy S II Skyrocket Posted: 05 Nov 2011 10:06 AM PDT The Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and the new HTC Vivid are AT&T’s first 4G LTE smartphones, not to be confused with HSPA+ “4G” devices they’ve launched in the past. AT&T’s 4G LTE just went live back in September and so far they only have 5 markets currently with 4G LTE although 4 more are coming this weekend. We decided to give their relatively small 4G LTE footprint a run for its money and see how she performed. Details and speedtest results are available after the break.
Sadly we had to take a short road trip to even get access to a 4G LTE network as it’s currently only available in San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta and Chicago today and they’ll be adding Boston, Washington D.C., and a few others come tomorrow and Monday. Below are the results we found down here in Texas, both smartphones were next to each other and were ran one after another for a fair fight. This isn’t really Skyrocket vs Vivid — but more just an overall test of AT&T’s 4G LTE on two completely different devices. The tests were performed later in the evening so might not have been fully loaded, if that matters to anyone. Our recent DROID Bionic review unit 4G LTE tested around 10-12 Mbps down in our tests, and T-Mobiles “4G” Amaze 4G received around 9-10 Mbps down on average for a small comparison. From initial tests AT&T 4G LTE was blistering fast, although not many users currently take advantage of it so that might also be taken into consideration. The HTC Vivid averaged well over 17 Mbps down and peaked at over 20 — impressive to say the least.
One thing to note on both the image above and below is the upload speeds we achieved with AT&T LTE. They are extremely fast and the Vivid (above) averaged around 9.4 Mbps Up, something Verizon nor T-Mobile even come close to. Our Bionic was getting around 2-3 Mbps upload speeds if it was lucky. Again, AT&T’s network is new and not under duress but these are some mighty fine results if I don’t say so myself. Next, we have the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. The tests were performed in the exact same location for as close to accurate results as possible and it held its own quite well too. The Skyrocket averaged around 16 Mbps download speeds while peaking around 19, and it also had exceptional upload speeds approaching 8.5-9 Mbps.
Now, obviously speedtest results don’t necessarily show us real world results for daily tasks such as web browsing and downloading games or applications but we experienced great speeds there too. Streaming Netflix movies or even 1080p video from YouTube was basically instant, and loading up web pages we saw a noticeable improvement over standard AT&T HSPA+ devices with load times. As usual, these results will vary from location, time, and user but so far we are pretty impressed with the small, but stable AT&T 4G LTE network.
4G LTE data plans you ask? They're exactly the same as AT&T's current 3G and "4G" HSPA+ plans. That means that you're still limited to a maximum of 200MB, 2GB or 4GB of download and upload before getting charges for overages, unless you're lucky enough to be grandfathered in on an unlimited plan or are paying that premium. Obviously being on the new 4G LTE these devices require a new LTE sim card, but did in fact work with older regular SIM cards under AT&T’s normal 3G and HSPA+ operating frequencies. These phones will come with new LTE sim cards so this shouldn’t be an issue but was worth mentioning. We have handled and unboxed both the Samsung Skyrocket and the HTC Vivid this week (links at the top) and you can expect the usual full, in-depth review of both coming soon and maybe even this weekend if you’re lucky. Be sure and check back soon as the reviews will be live shortly.     Device Info
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| ASUS Transformer update rolling out now, Netflix included Posted: 04 Nov 2011 04:44 PM PDT All of you lucky ASUS Eee Pad Transformer owners should be happy to know an OTA update is hitting devices today. No, this is not Ice Cream Sandwich sadly but there are a few changes and improvements and so far we are hearing good things. The Transformer was updated to Android 3.2.1 Honeycomb late September, the latest version of Honeycomb and today that hasn’t changed but we do have build version 8.6.5.18 in a small incremental update.
So far ASUS has been mighty impressive with the amount of updates, and the speed at which they’ve brought them. According to sources the new update brings a slew of performance enhancements, bug fixes, and apparently a new app backup implementation. Apparently non ASUS apps can be backed up and restores to another ASUS tablet so users wont lose that all important game data and progress on Angry Birds, or anything else for that matter. Here is a list of updates according to the ASUS Facebook page.
Right at the top you’ll see the new App backup, and that the popular Netflix comes pre-installed. Sadly this is the recently updated version of Netflix only and we still don’t have an official Honeycomb tablet UI. There are some major improvements to battery consumption especially while using the dock, along with some Wi-Fi improvements. Then we have tons of applications that have been updated in this latest OTA update but all of that is listed above. The new OTA update for the ASUS Transformer should be hitting devices over the next few days. As always, users can manually go into settings > about tablet > and check for updates themselves should they not want to wait for an OTA notification. Enjoy the latest update and feel free to let us know how things go in the comment section below. I can’t wait for the Transformer Prime myself, especially with the awesome update history ASUS has shown thus far.    Device Info
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| LG Prada K2 hits the FCC, sports NFC Posted: 04 Nov 2011 04:08 PM PDT We still don’t know a whole lot regarding the new LG Prada K2 smartphone but apparently its already hitting the FCC this week. This ultra-thin device codenamed the P940 is the third iteration of the Prada name and won its FCC approval today and could be headed to markets soon with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
It was first spotted in the wild late last month in a few leaked photos looking very sleek and actually quite nice. Rumors have it to be packing a 4.3″ 1280 x 720p HD display and possibly a dual-core processor but for now those details are still under a lock and key because the FCC filing sure didn’t reveal much. One thing we did learn, the LG Prada K2 should be rocking some NFC capabilities whenever it comes to the market, but we still aren’t even sure it will see a US launch.
In the rest of the leaked photos linked to above we see an ultra-thin design, a front facing camera and what we are hearing is also an 8 megapixel shooter around back. LG has used Qualcomm chipsets in the recent past and we are expecting a similar 1.5 GHz dual-core processor on board here like many recently released HTC smartphones — but again that has not been confirmed. Packing GSM/EDGE bands 850 and 1900, as well as the 1900 WCDMA band. It is also only 8.8mm thin so should be giving the Galaxy S II a run for its money. When we hear or find more details we’ll be sure to update. Head to the source link below if you’d like to dig through the filings yourself. [via Wireless Goodness] )
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| Motorola XOOM 2 gets SwiftKey X pre-installed Posted: 04 Nov 2011 02:09 PM PDT SwiftKey is making in-roads in the OEM market, just like Swype did before it. The third-party keyboard will be pre-installed on the upcoming Motorola XOOM 2 and XOOM 2 Media Edition, presumably in its tablet version. The software keyboard has become popular for its word prediction AI and easy customization. SwiftKey Tablet X is a $5 download in the Android Market, making it a slight value-add to the new XOOM.
Developer TouchType has been hard at work improving SwiftKey since it debuted this summer, and it looks like the work is paying off. In addition to bug fixes and special themes, they’re adding in a new feature in an upcoming release: multitouch support. Currently only paying users of SwiftKey X can access the alpha download, and it will only be active for the next two weeks. It’s good to see that the devs aren’t resting on their laurels. Unlike Swype, which markets directly to OEMs (not that it’s impossible to get otherwise) SwiftKey is available to just about anyone on the Android Market, and the Amazon Appstore to boot. That might make it harder for TouchType to get it pre-installed on a wider range of devices because of a perceived lack of differentiation. But the XOOM 2 is a good start, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for future devices with SwiftKey, and other 3rd-party keyboards, built in. Device Info
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| Can Android compete with the iPod Touch, and does it need to? Posted: 04 Nov 2011 01:32 PM PDT Earlier this week we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0, an Android device with the iPod Touch squarely in its crosshairs. It’s not the first, either: Samsung, Archos and innumerable smaller companies have released phone-sized Android devices designed primarily for media and app consumption, just like the Apple device. So far, they’ve failed to make a dent in the low-cost, high-function section of the market.
Part of the reason is that Apple so kicky dominated it when the iPod Touch was released in 2007. That isn’t to say that Apple invented the large-screen media player; Archos had a solid following for its codec-rich media players before, and they still do. But the combination of a low price and access to thousands of apps proved hard to resist, especially for those who didn’t want or couldn’t afford a smartphone’s monthly data plan. In that sense it’s perfect device for kids, who might not be trusted with a phone that costs $500 to replace. To date, the iPod Touch has sold more than 60 million units. Despite an Android app environment that’s quickly become just as rich as iOS, the Touch is still untouchable in its market space. Android media players have better specifications, more capable software, expandable memory, and until the latest generation, better screens as well. What makes Apple so unbeatable here? Part of it is certainly the phenomenal marketing machine at Cupertino, but that alone has failed to stem the tide of Android on smartphones, and more recently, tablets.
In many ways, Android is a victim of its own success. With entry-level Android phones mostly free on contract, who would want to buy or carry around an extra device? And for someone willing to spend $200-300 on a new iPod who wants an Android alternative, low-priced tablets like the Nook Color and the upcoming Nook Tablet provide a similar experience with a much larger display at a similar price. With the 3-5 inch media player market squeezed from the bottom and the top, there isn’t much room for an in-between gadget like the Galaxy Player. But does there need to be? For someone budget-conscious who’s committed (or stuck) to the Apple universe, there’s only two avenues to iOS without signing a contract: the $200 iPod Touch, or the $500 iPad. That’s a big gap in price and functionality. Switching to Android opens up your options considerably, mostly in the cheap tablet space. Unless you’ve absolutely got to have a WiFi device that fits in your pocket – like a phone, without the phone – why wouldn’t you go bigger?
And things are only getting better for Android tablets, especially on the low end. Right now if you’ve got a maximum budget of $300 for a tablet, odds are you’re getting Gingerbread, not Honeycomb. But once Ice Cream Sandwich is open sourced, all the cheap inexpensive tablets and in-between devices should start shipping with an interface that’s meant to be used on a 7-10 inch screen. Again, you sacrifice some portability, but in a device that can’t connect to a cellular service without help, does that really matter? In short, Android tablets aren’t competing with the iPad, at least on the low end. They’re competing with the iPod Touch. And if the pre-orders of the Amazon Kindle Fire are any indication, they represent a serious threat to Apple.
Tablets are naturally good at what the iPod Touch does: simple, cheap consumption of media, web and apps. So far Froyo and Gingerbread tablets have been cut off from official support for the Android market, barring a few high-profile exceptions like the HTC Flyer and the original Galaxy Tab. But with the Amazon Appstore showing up on more devices, not to mention the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire itself, access to apps and media is becoming less and less of a problem. Maybe Google will even relax its requirements and allow more device to carry official Google apps once Ice Cream Sandwich becomes open-source. We’ll see. Is there a space for small Android media players? Certainly. The problem is that that niche and the mindshare is filled so perfectly by the iPod Touch that manufacturers have a hard time justifying the competition. With Android tablets coming into their own and filling the media player segment, the drive towards creating phone-sized media devices is smaller and smaller. Tablets make great media consumption devices, and cheaper ones will begin to invade the iPod Touch’s market very soon. If on the other hand you’re one of the few Android enthusiasts who’d prefer a WiFi device to a phone on the same form factor, be sure and lets your desires be known – preferably by purchasing one. )
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| Motorola DROID RAZR rooted already, no surprise Posted: 04 Nov 2011 12:29 PM PDT Well, I can safely say I saw this coming. Today a picture has surfaced showing none other than the new Motorola DROID RAZR rooted — shocking I know. This is basically nothing new and its using the exact same exploit that also rooted the Bionic. The method is actually a very simple 1-click root tool that was developed for the DROID 3 and all the details are right here.
The bootloader may still be locked down under a chain and key (see image above) but at least users patiently awaiting this new RAZR sharp and thin smartphone can check one thing off the list — root privileges. The image below while doesn’t reveal much, it shows that the device has been successfully rooted. How can we tell? The tiny little # symbol will appear after you type “su” into a terminal application granting access, and the image shows just that.
It appears that 1-click-root for the DROID 3, Bionic, and many others is working great for this newest device from Motorola. What this tells me is any device coming from Motorola with the same Android 2.3 Gingerbread build they have now will all be rooted with this same method until Motorola figures it out and closes the exploit — Apparently they’ve not done that yet. For all things RAZR check out our DROID RAZR Portal, win your own in the RAZR scavenger hunt, and enjoy the hands-on video below. Motorola DROID RAZR hands-on: Device Info
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[via Droid-Life] )
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| Samsung Galaxy Nexus system dump with recovery and boot images available Posted: 04 Nov 2011 11:56 AM PDT The time is slowly getting closer for the Galaxy Nexus to hit the shelves. Is it just me or does the days seem to be dragging on for when we can finally enjoy the Nexus? Anyways, for now you can enjoy a full system dump with the boot and recovery images, as well as the full system image. All thanks to Paul at MoDaCo.com.
This is just a development build and not what we’ll be seeing when the phone finally is released, but I’m sure plenty of you can’t wait to dive in and see what you find. Paul also posted up root instructions and details and you can see all the information regarding that here. Although it is as easy as “OEM Unlock” we appreciate Paul’s work and love everything he has to offer the Android Community as a whole. Plenty of ports are in the works at the moment for Ice Cream Sandwich and we can expect to see a few hacked up ROM’s and builds be helped out from this release as it contains both the boot and recovery images. Head to the source link below or MoDaCo.com for the download files. Samsung recently confirmed the UK release date for the Galaxy Nexus and we’ve been hearing November 17th on Verizon here in the US, hopefully we have some confirmation soon as I can’t wait to get this bad boy with Verizon 4G LTE. While you wait, enjoy our hands-on videos below! Galaxy Nexus Hands-on Ice Cream Sandwich Hands-on Device Info
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[via MoDaCo] )
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| AT&T says HTC Vivid and Samsung Skyrocket will get ICS updates Posted: 04 Nov 2011 11:48 AM PDT AT&T’s first two LTE smartphones both run Android Gingerbread, but they’ve got the unfortunate luck of being released just a few weeks before Ice Cream Sandwich lands on the Galaxy Nexus. AT&T has confirmed that both the HTC Vivid and the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket will be updated to Android 4.0 eventually. No specifics were mentioned, but a nebulous “early 2012″ should see the rollouts begin.
The news isn’t altogether surprising, since both phones offer high-end hardware and have a place of distinction in AT&T’s lineup. AT&T doesn’t want the prospect of handsets stuck on outdated software (for too long, anyway) to deter sales, set to begin this Sunday. Even so, the confirmation is appreciated – all too often Android enthusiasts are left to wonder about this sort of thing. If the timeframe seems long, it’s probably because both Samsung and HTC need to integrate their custom user interfaces with Ice Cream Sandwich. HTC is quoting a Q1 timeframe for the ICS update to the Rezound on Verizon. Both TouchWiz and Sense are pretty extensive modifications of Android’s base code, so the wait could be a long one for almost all of each manufacturer’s phones. For a better look at each of these new phone,s check out our hands-on coverage of the HTC Vivid and the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. Device Info
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| DROID RAZR Scavenger hunt and Extraction games are live, win one now Posted: 04 Nov 2011 11:29 AM PDT I’m sure many of you have been following along the many scavenger hunt games in the past, but now the time for the DROID RAZR is finally here. The folks at @DroidLanding have started the first round for the DROID RAZR scavenger hunt so be sure and follow them for all the details. The DroidDoes.com site has also been initiated with a game of its own. The details are still a bit blurry but once everything gets under way we’ll be sure to update everyone.
Just like the previous games be sure to follow @DroidLanding for all the details as they tweet them. This time around appears to be another scavenger hunt just like with the Bionic only we still aren’t sure exactly what that entails yet. They’ve sent out a few tweets but haven’t revealed much. The first clue and tweet came last night, and says to dial **RAZR311 which will get you a voice clue along with an image. Apparently that brings you some coordinates that lead you to a map but you can figure that all out yourself. The latest tweet has just gone out this morning and here it is:
After dialing **RAZR813 you’ll get another image, and you’ll probably be just as confused as I am. Today things will probably really start heating up as this entire hunt gets under way so stay tuned to Twitter for up to the minute updates for your chance to win. Here is the latest image for those interested in a little hunting.
If you manage to break down and figure out the above picture feel free to send us a few tips or clues in the comment section below, and help out your fellow hunters although I’m sure you all want to be first and win your own DROID RAZR. Then, like mentioned above is the DroidDoes.com extraction game. The picture at the top is what you’ll get at the site and we have a pretty tricky little game going on their too. It’s simple, just use the extraction claw and pull out the DROID RAZR to win — only it isn’t that easy and I keep getting zapped by those Mission Impossible laser beams. (Where’s Tom Cruise when you need him?) It appears the DroidDoes game is using the power of Facebook and if you share and “like” the game with your friends it will deactivate a few lasers, improving your chances of winning. So for those looking to blast their friends up with the DROID RAZR and cover peoples wall in Motorola feel free to like it up and hopefully you win. Good luck and happy hunting — or extracting. @DroidLanding Motorola DROID RAZR hands-on: Device Info
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| Best Buy offers free HTC phones with Modern Warfare 3 purchase Posted: 04 Nov 2011 11:23 AM PDT Oh, Best Buy, you’re always reliable for a retail publicity stunt. Less than a week after tying some of the last retail HP TouchPads in the world to full computer purchases, the big box retailer is offering free HTC smartphones to gamers who purchase the upcoming mega-release Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Naturally, you’ll have so sign up for a new two-year wireless contract to qualify.
Android models on offer include the EVO 4G, the DROID Incredible 2 and the Inspire 4G. Naturally these aren’t late-breaking smartphones – don’t expect to go into Best Buy on November 11th and walk out with MW3 and a new DROID RAZR, unless you’ve got an extra three c-notes in your pocket. That being said, this could certainly be a fortuitous opportunity for a select subset of gamers who also want a mid-range phone, and happen to be contract-free at the moment. Once you get your new HTC phone and your hands stop shaking from the PTSD brought on by the game, you can install the official MW3 Android app. It’s not a mobile game in and of itself, but it allows you to modify your soldier’s weapons and equipment loadout, and it will be compatible with all major versions of Modern Warfare 3. If you’re still itching for some pint-sized world conflict, try the totally-not-Call-of-Duty-inspired Modern Combat 3. )
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