Monday, January 31, 2011

Canalys: Android overtakes Symbian as world's best-selling smartphone platform in Q4 2010

One day somebody will write a book called "The rise and rise of Android" and this moment will be highlighted in bold. Canalys' latest smartphone sales figures show that Android phone makers managed to shift a cool 32.9 million handsets in the last quarter -- more than any other smartphone platform out there, including the previous leader, Symbian, which sold 31 million units. That's a mighty leap from the 20.3 million Android devices the stats agency estimates were sold in Q3 2010. Symbian itself grew from 29.9m in Q3 to 31m in Q4, but Android's pace of expansion has been so rapid as to make that irrelevant.

Google plans to hire mobile-app experts: Report

NEW YORK: Google Inc plans to hire dozens of software developers to create applications for smartphones and other mobile devices , a new strategy aimed partly at helping internet search titan counter Apple Inc in one of high tech's hottest sectors.

Attributing to people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported that Google plans to hire dozens of software developers to create applications for smartphones and other mobile devices.

The internet company has begun recruiting software engineers, product managers, user-interface experts and others who have ideas for mobile applications, the report noted.

Besides, some current Google employees have changed jobs to work on the effort, it added.

According to the publication, Benjamin Ling, a Google product - management director, has been leading recruiting efforts.

World-wide, revenue from mobile applications is expected to triple this year to USD 15.1 billion, including paid downloads and advertising revenue generated by free applications, according to research firm Gartner Inc.

Besides the potential of making money directly from such creations, more and better applications can help devices powered by Google's Android operating system continue to gain ground on Apple's iPhones and iPads .

The Google software is still playing catch-up when it comes to applications. Android users can access an online market with more than 100,000 applications available for download, but Apple's app store has more than 350,000 applications.

Google executives in October said the company was on track to generate USD 1 billion a year in mobile-related revenue, Besides, the company had last week said it planned to hire more than 6,000 employees this year.

Android gains 22% tablet market share: Analyst

NEW YORK: Google Inc's Android software won a 22 per cent share of the tablet computer market in the fourth quarter, biting at the heels of Apple Inc's iPad, which still has a massive market lead.

Research firm Strategy Analytics said Apple's share of the global market for tablets fell to 75 per cent in the fourth quarter from 95 per cent in the third quarter while the overall market increased 120 per cent to almost 10 million units.

The Galaxy tablet from Samsung Electronics was the main competitor to iPad in the quarter as it was on sale in dozens of countries, according to the research firm.

Samsung has said it sold 2 million Galaxy tablets in the last three months, still putting it far behind Apple, which sold more than 7 million iPads in the last quarter. It was not immediately clear whether both companies were referring to the exact same time period.

Strategy Analytics expects Android to increase its tablet market share further in the first half of this year as new devices such as the Xoom from Motorola Mobility are expected to go on sale during that time.

However, Canada's Research In Motion will add yet more competition to the burgeoning market when it launches its PlayBook tablet toward the end of this quarter.

The United States was the biggest tablet market by far in the fourth quarter, Strategy Analytics said.

Motorola Defy Android Handset Hits Indian Market

Demand for Android handsets is increasing in markets all round the world and Indian market is no exception. Of late several handset manufacturers have launched Android handsets in the country and the latest Android phone to join the list is Motorola Defy.
Features Of Motorola Defy
Motorola Defy powered by 800MHz Cortex-A8 processor and TI OMAP3610 chipset [...]

RanDinger For Android Brings Music Discovery Via Ringtones


Want a fresh method for discovering new music?  Look no further.  RanDinger, by Twisted Castle brings you just that.  RanDinger allows you to receive random new music content by delivering you a different tune based on genre, artist or top chart hits, all via a ringtone.  The app is powered by 7 Digital’s 10 million song music library.  After you hear the preview, you have the option to either purchase the song or just close it out.  RanDinger then offers more music based on your choice. The app also comes with three different theme options to deliver a custom UI for your phone.  So, if you’re ready to purchase your music in a new, easy and fun way, then head on over to our apps database for more info.  
Twisted Castle offers a free version of their app along with a paid version for $2.99 which offers a ton of extra features.  Let us know what you think of the app in the comments below.

Android Theme Gets Added To Gmail

If you’re a big theme guy like me and you love Android, you’re definitely going to appreciate this one.  Although these have been out for a while, we thought it would be worth noting for those of you who might have missed it.  Gmail has added several new themes to the mix, one being an Android theme.  I’ve gotta say, not too shabby.  Over the years I have come to appreciate themes because they can give an old UI a new and freshly updated look, just ask any old Windows Mobile user.  It’s also the reason why I love the Android platform.  If your one year old Nexus One is feeling a little outdated, there is always a ROM or a theme within arm’s reach to freshen up the device.  Now, how cool would this be if we could change the theme in Android’s native Gmail app?
So, if you want to switch out your old theme, make sure you’re running the latest version of Gmail and head on into “Settings”—> “Themes”—> and pick the “Android” theme.  Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Android 3.0 Honeycomb Full Preview Guide [USER FEATURES]



Hello there and welcome to your full guide and preview of Google’s new Android operating system version 3.0, also called Honyecomb, also known as Android’s first tablet-centric OS. The first of two main points we’ll be going through here are is New User Features. The second of two points is covered in a second post – New Developer Features. We’re going to break it down for you in both technical terms and layman terms so everyone can have a crack at understanding what’s going on here. Shall we begin?

NEW USER FEATURES
First we’ll be going through User Features – what’s this mean? It means that this is the part anyone who DOESNT plan on getting into developing apps, games, or hacks will be seeing and using. Everyone should pay attention though, as this is the face of the future of tablets in Android, and everyone knows that the face is half of the body.
New User Interface
The folks at Android are saying they’ve designed this new UI from the ground up. They’ve optimized this system to work on devices larger than your average smartphone, the same way you design a giant poster different than you design a business card. More space, different design. In doing this, Android has introduced a new “holographic” UI design (which we’ll get into later) as well as a content-focused interaction model. This means that while smartphone versions of Android did have content on them, apps, games, this tablet is living in that world wholeheartedly. Android versions of the past, on smaller devices, devices that still have their hearts in communicating with other such devices, this Android is made to be utilized as a fuller work and play machine. A comparison can be made to a letter and a book, if you catch my meaning.
Android 3.0 claims to be refining such things as multitasking, home screen customization, widgets, and notifications. All of these items in Honeycomb have been looked at, poured over, and modified – integrated and expanded into this new 3D experience, one that will seem at first to be brand new, but will quickly feel familiar, even when you’ve got your fingers on features that are completely new. Apps written for earlier platforms should translate perfectly well to this new environment, and new apps will have the opportunity to make use of a new set of UI objects, new media capabilities, and more powerful graphics.
Action Bar — Application Control — TOP
At the top of your screen in every application, the Action Bar will give you access to contextual options, navigation, widgets, and more. This bar is of course controlled by the open app rather than the system, just adding another component for developers to take control of an use to add functionality to their apps. For example – Android supposes this feature will be used where apps otherwise used overflow dropdown menus written individually for each app – now there’s no longer a need for that.







 System Bar — Global Status and Notifications — BOTTOM
At the bottom of your screen always*, apparently even while you’ve got apps open, the System Bar will be open, sending you notifications, system status, and some soft navigation buttons (back, home, menu.) *The one time this bar will be invisible is “Lights Out Mode” which is essentially a “full screen” situation for when apps and movies wish to take up the entire real-estate.




Customizable Home Screens
If you’ve never customized the way your home screens look, you’re in for a treat. Where apps such as ADW Launcher EX are used for home screen replacement now, on Honeycomb that sort of functionality will be built in. Honeycomb allows you to have five customizable home screens (that means each screen can be whatever you want it to be, where home screen replacements now only do universal changes.) Each of these five screens can have widgets and apps as normal, but also a dedicated visual layout mode, wallpapers, and more.  


Lots of shadows and subtle visual cues help improve visibility while layouts of both app shortcuts and widgets are being arranged. Each individual screen also offers access to your launcher (with all of your apps) as well as a search box for universal searching of apps, media files, web, contacts, and more. 

Recent Apps
A feature everyone in the world uses 100 times a day, recent applications, is available here now to help you rock and roll with speed to the apps you use most. This feature is in place to help you multitask by rapidly finding the app you need by showing you a snapshot of the actual state the app was in the last time you used it. How helpful! This feature can be found in the System Bar.

AT&T to Launch Massive Amount of Android and 4G Devices in 2011

SO we’ve just received an image stamped with the mark of our pals over at Phandroid, an image that appears to detail the future of AT&T through 2011. This sheet notes that AT&T is the fastest network, that their HSPA+ network blasts content out at 4x the speed of the networks they’ve already got in place, that this HSPA+ aka 4G network will be deployed to “virtually” 100% of their networks through this year, that AT&T allows for talk and data simultaneously while Sprint and Verizon don’t, that AT&T is the only HSPA+ AND LTE committed US company, that even when customers go off of LTE they’ll still have faster mobile broadband speeds with HSPA+, and something fantastic that matters more than all of this. Actually three things, if you think about it. What three things, you ask?
First, AT&T is saying they’ll have two EXCLUSIVE 4G devices in the first quarter of 2011 and will have TWENTY by the end of 2011. Of course this could mean anything, right? They could all be webOS devices. Naw. The third and most awesome note noted on this sheet is that AT&T is committed to Android and will have 12 new devices by the end of 2011. Gotta catch em all!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

HTC Considers Opening Up Retail Stores

Who can deny that HTC has produced some of the hottest phones to ever hit the industry?  The Taiwanese company is single-handedly responsible for delivering some intense innovation when it comes to sleek and streamlined mobile products.  So, is it any wonder that the company is considering opening shop?  Due to the company’s success, it looks like HTC is interested in opening at least three flagship stores to push their products.  The company is also working with various channels and vendors to open up over a hundred retail shops.  This could be huge for the popular handset maker, if they do it right.  I wonder if HTC is going to mirror another company who has been successful in opening up their own retail stores, Apple.  I have to admit, it would be a sweet deal if, when you’re at the mall, you could just pop in for technical support, view, demo and purchase new devices, and even maybe pick up an accessory or two for your HTC phone (or tablet).
It’s no surprise that starting a retail chain can be challenging, not to mention difficult to make successful, but if anyone can do it, HTC can.  Here’s to hoping they take a few pointers from Apple by allowing people to demo live handsets.  People want to try it before they buy it! Cough, Cough… Nexus One.  What do you think?  Would you like to see an HTC store in your area?  Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Google Announces Android Event For February 2nd, Touts An In Depth Look At Honeycomb And More



Is there anything better than waking up to your inbox and receiving some good news?  Yeah, how about an inbox with an email from Google inviting you to an Android event at the Googleplex in Mountain View?  That’s right, Google has stated on Feb 2nd, they will be holding an event to discuss “an in-depth look at Honeycomb, Android ecosystem news and hands-on demos”.  We can’t help but wonder if Google has something new in store for us.  It’s not like Google to just hold an event for a mere summary of Honeycomb.  Maybe we’ll hear some discussion on all of these 2.4 sightings or whether or not Honeycomb will be configured to operate on a smartphone?  We can hope can’t we?  Yes we can, and shall.  In any event, stay tuned to Talk Android because we’ll be covering the event and reporting back to you first hand.
Google has also provided a way for you to stream the event live, for those of us who sadly, can’t make the event.  What do you want to see come out of all of this ?   Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Everbadge, A Social Network For All Things Android

If you thought Facebook and Twitter were all the craze lately, well, then, you’re right.  However, there is a rapidly growing mobile social network site that is putting a slight twist on things, and that is, they are gearing it towards Android users and developers.  I recently had the pleasure of signing up for Everbadge, by GamerShots.com and instantly had easy access to innumerable amounts of badges, wallpapers, tons of games and apps along with some pretty laid back Android folk.  The site touts a free and easy environment for developers to showcase their newly developed apps.  You can also meet new people and decide to follow or chat with them, exchange ideas, or just flat out argue over which Android device is better.  
You can create a profile and upload your own mug shot or use one of their free Avatars.  The site, to date, touts over 97,000 members and offers over 9,000 plus gaming wallpapers for your device.  So, if you’re ready to try something new and grab a few new Android friends along the way, or if you’re a developer and you want to expand your fan base with a new app or idea, then head on over to Everbadge and sign up for free.  In addition, there is a free app on the Android Market for you to keep track of things like friends, chats, news, reviews, forums, followers, wallpapers and more.  Head on over to our apps database for more info and to check out some screen shots.  Don’t forget to leave a comment letting us know what you think.





Android 2.3 Shows Security Bug, Can Gain Access To Content On microSD Cards



It looks like a bugs life can be pretty busy now a days, especially when they continue to infestate the Android OS.  In addition to still bearing some SMS issues, it looks like 2.3 Gingerbread has found a new gaping whole in the software.  According to Xuxian Jiang, a security researcher at North Carolina State University, the Android 2.3 firmware has revealed a new bug, one that could possibly allow malicious sites and attackers alike to gain access to the content of your microSD card.  Jiang is also an assistant professor with the school and has stated in an advisory that pertinent and vital content like banking info, photos and voicemails could be extracted and routed to a remote server of choice.  In an email sent to eWeek, Jiange also adds that his findings were not particularly difficult to implement and only requires basic knowledge of JavaScript and Android.
It was thought that a similar bug as this one was resolved in previous versions of Android, however, Jiang states that this fix can easily be bypassed.  So, in a sad state of affairs, it appears as though there is nothing you can do to prevent the leak, with the exception of just flat out removing your SD card or staying away from malicious links, if you can.
A couple of days ago, Jiang brought his findings to Google’s attention.  A spokesman from Google stated that their teams have developed a fix for the issue, which will be rolled out in an upcoming Android 2.3 maintenance update.  However, the spokesperson was unable to provide an approximate date or time for the update.  So, if you’re running 2.3 on your device, be aware of what sites you’re visiting and let us know what you think in the comments below.

HTC Thunderbolt May Be Dropping Feb 14, or 24?




The rumor on the street, according to IntoMobile, is that the HTC Thunderbolt may be hitting the street on the 24th…which made a lot of sense to us, seemed about right. However, Android Central has gotten their hands on an internal screenshot that reports it may be more like the 14th. That shot was pulled internally, though, so it may not be accurate.
We’ll probably get a firm street date at Mobile World Congress, but it’s likely that this phone will be on store shelves within the next 2-3 weeks. We’ll keep you posted!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Samsung announces four new Galaxy Androids: Ace, Fit, Gio and Mini

Samsung has sold 10 million Galaxy S Android phones – that’s a big success, and it’s understandable that the South Korean manufacturer wants to take advantage of the popular Galaxy brand name. Four new Galaxy handsets have been announced by Samsung: the Ace, Fit, Gio and Mini.None of them are high-end devices, so they will come in more affordable packages, but one or two seem pretty promising nonetheless. Of these new Galaxy Android phones, the Ace is most similar to the big brother S, but it has a smaller screen with a lower resolution and a little less powerful CPU.
All of the new Galaxy phones have standard Android features such as aGPS, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, magnetometer and proximity sensors. Swype comes preinstalled, and the devices all run Android 2.2 with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI on top.

Galaxy Ace

  • 3.5-inch 320×480 HVGA touchscreen
  • 800MHz processor
  • 5MP camera with LED flash
The Galaxy Ace will be available right away in Russia. Europe, India and China will soon follow.
Samsung Galaxy Ace

Galaxy Fit

  • 3.31-inch 240×320 QVGA touchscreen
  • 600MHz processor
  • 5MP camera with auto-focus
Samsung Galaxy Fit

Galaxy Gio

  • 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen
  • 800MHz processor
  • 3MP camera with auto-focus
Samsung Galaxy Gio

Galaxy Mini

  • 3.14-inch QVGA touchscreen
  • 600MHz processor
  • 3MP camera with auto-focus
Samsung Galaxy Mini

Free weather app for your iPhone or Droid


14 News, the Tri-State's News and Weather Leader is proud to announce a full featured weather app for Apple and Android devices.
Our new weather app has an interactive radar, 10 day and hourly forecasts for any city.  Plus, you can get urgent weather alerts sent to your phone!
To get the app in the Android Market, just search "14FirstAlert". The app is free.
Features
∙ Highly responsive interactive map optimized for 3G and WiFi performance
∙ Vertical and horizontal map display with looping
∙ NOWrad, the gold standard for radar in the weather industry
∙ Highest resolution satellite cloud imagery available
∙ Exclusive patent pending Road Weather Index
∙ Color coded weather alerts arranged by severity
∙ Fully integrated GPS for current location awareness
∙ Integrated compass overlay for 3GS models
∙ Most accurate 10 day forecasts with both daily and hourly detail
∙ Ability to easily save your favorite locations
∙ Full featured and user tested
∙ Earthquake plotting - tap on an earthquake to display its detail
∙ iOS 4 compatibility

Android App Developer Interest Increases With Wave of New Tablets




While Apple’s iPad dominated tablet sales in 2010, there may be room for change in 2011. Enthusiasm for Android app development is rising fast in the coding community.
And that means the apps available to Android users is set to grow — fast.
A recent global survey of app developers by research firm IDC shows 74 percent of respondents as “very interested” in developing for upcoming Android OS-running tablets, up from 62 percent three months ago.
The survey, which questioned over 2,200 app developers around the world, cites the surge in new tablet debuts for 2011 as the reasoning for increased developer interest. At CES in January, manufacturers debuted 85 new tablets, the majority of which were running Android.
“My intuition is that Android is picking up that Linux, open-source crowd that feels excited to move from iOS development to an open platform,” Andreas Schobel, CTO of popular Android app developer Catch.com, told Wired.com in an interview. “The way you can weave Android applications together with Intents makes it a very sexy platform, but one that requires a lot more discipline and effort. Like a powerful, yet complicated, science kit.”

And they’ll be cranking out the apps at a breakneck pace. Respondents to the survey plan to develop an average of 6.5 apps in 2011, almost twice as many as last year. Apple’s App Store has over 400,000 apps currently available for download, while the Android Market offers around 200,000 apps.
2010 was Apple’s year to shine in the tablet market. In the company’s recent earnings report, Apple reported 7.33 million iPads sold in the fourth quarter of 2010. We’ve yet to see that type of traction from an Android tablet — Samsung reported sales of 1 million of its Galaxy Tab in December.
And the iPad still leads the tablet pack in terms of developer interest, with 87 percent of respondents expressing interest in it. But developers aren’t necessarily beholden to one specific platform. Those surveyed plan to develop apps for four different devices on average, the big four being the iPhone, iPad, Android phone and Android tablet.
Although the pack seems eager to produce more Android apps in the coming year, developers aren’t without their concerns. About half of the respondents expressed concerns around version fragmentation. Google has been in the habit of pushing two Android updates per year, which means multiple versions of software for developers to configure for multiple platform versions. Handset manufacturers tweaking the firmware for each model of phone can also be hell on a developers’ workload.
It’s the cost of doing business with an open platform like Android. And judging by IDC’s numbers, it’s a cost developers are willing to pay.

Google I/O 2011 Info: Registration Opens Up February 7th


February 7th is shaping up to be a big day for Android.  Sprint is announcing something big at an event in New York City. We will have all the coverage for you of course. Also, Google I/O 2011 general registration will open up on February 7th as well.
Here’s a quick rundown…
Google’s annual developer event called I/O will be held on May 10th and 11th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA.
If this is your first I/O you may want to consider attending I/O boot camp which will be held on May 9th at the Mission Bay Conference Center. Bootcamp is a more intimate event meant for beginners and first time atendees. Bootcamp is a full day of lectures and labs such as Android 101, writing and developing for Android. The smaller more intimate setting means more hands on time for atendees.  For more information on I/O Bootcamp visit here
Then the big show.
I/O is two days worth of technical sessions, panels, lectures, the developer’s sandbox, community networking and a kick ass party.
There are over 80 technical sessions in the tracks you can choose from that will give you penty of lecture and Q&A time on the latest Google developments.
The Developer Sandbox will feature 100 developers and their apps. The developers will be on hand for demonstrations of their apps and to answer questions and share ideas.
Day 1 is rounded out with a party that can’t be beat.
You can’t register yet but make sure you mark your calendar for February 7th because I/O will most likely sell out that day.
Important Links For Google I/O
Google I/O Main Website
Google I/O Bootcamp Site
Google I/O official twitter
Google’s Victor “Vic” Gundotra
Hotels (click these links to take advantage of Google I/O Group Rates However you may want to make sure you score a ticket to I/O before you book the room)
San Francisco $209/night Mariott Marquis
W San Francisco$239/night Click Here
Westin San Francisco $225/night Click Here
Intercontinental San Francisco $235/night Click Here
Source: Google

App developers growing more interested in Android, Google TV interest waning

About 2,000 app developers were surveyed recently on their interest in developing for various devices; the results for Android were pretty solid.
According to the survey, 92% were interested in iPhone development, 87% in Android Phone development, 87% in iPad development, and 74% for Android Tablet development. Other competitors, such as Windows 7, garnered only 36% interest.
Developer interest is waning for Google TV, however. Developers are showing less interest in Google TV and Apple TV, which dropped from 44% and 40% interest all the way down to 33% and 30% interest, respectively.
This doesn’t mean that internet TV is bound to be a failure altogether, though. Google TV has plans to launch Android Market, which undoubtedly is the reason developers became interested in Android smartphones and tablets.

Kongregate Makes a Few Tweaks, Returns to Android Market

Within a matter of hours, we saw the release of the Kongregate Arcade app to the Android market, and then its subsequent removal from said market. We were surprised to see it get pulled so quickly, but Google did cite the “non-compete” clause, and we had to admit that it definitely seemed like a method to distribute other apps.
Well, Kongregate scrapped the “download to SD” portion of their app, and they have resubmitted it to the Android market. This seemed to be the part of the app that Google objected most to, so hopefully this app will stick around a while this time.

Google Allows Number Porting to All Google Voice Accounts

A few days ago, we discovered that Google allowed number porting into Google Voice on limited accounts, for a very short down. Within hours, however, the service was no longer available. If that’s the one thing you’ve been desperately waiting for to make your Google Voice account everything you’ve ever wanted, you’ll be happy to know that the porting capability has been reinstated.
A word of advice: Porting your number to Google Voice isn’t the easiest, smoothest process ever. You’ll want to talk to your carrier for to ensure that you can do this without incurring charges for breaking your contract. Also, keep in mind that MMS isn’t supported at this time, so make sure anyone who wants to send you picture mail knows to send to your ACTUAL phone number, not your Google Voice number. Also, there’s a one-time fee of $20 for this service. Still, if this is something you’re interested in, be sure and hit the source link, do your homework, and let us know in the comments how you feel about the service.

Facebook Makes it a Priority to Improve the Mobile Experience in 2011

The “Inside Social Apps” Conference was held today, and Bret Taylor — Chief Technology Officer of Facebook — made a few statements about what Facebook is looking to accomplish in 2011. Primarily, they’re looking to improve the mobile Facebook experience.
If you’ve had a few different phones over the last few years, it’s possible you’re familiar with several different versions of the Facebook mobile site. You may remember m.facebook.com, and on your Android phone you’ve probably been to touch.facebook.com. And if you’ve paid any attention at all, you are probably aware that Facebook also has apps for the iPhone operating system, Android OS, and Blackberry. Also, outside the US in markets where carrier data is still very expensive, they have a 0.facebook.com mobile site that is free to use. While all these sites have been created to better serve Facebook users, the reality is that not only can it be confusing to the users, but it’s difficult and not cost-effective to try and keep all version suitably up-to-date.
So in the upcoming year, says Taylor, Facebook will be looking to streamline and standardize their mobile experience. HTML5 will play a critical role in creating a consistent user experience. Also on the horizon will be a further rollout and improvement in the “Places” side of the Facebook mobile experience, which the company views as progressing very well so far. This adaptation seems natural to the CTO, as he views mobile devices as being inherently social. According to Taylor, they “already filled with your contacts and your friends, and they also have access to your location.” This does make location-based social networking a natural evolution of the mobile experience

Xperia Arc Up for Pre-Sale in UK

We’ve been looking forward to the release of the Xperia Arc since CES. It’s got a very sleek look to it, plus some pretty impressive hardware, to boot. And it looks like our wait may not last much longer.
The Xperia Arc has just gone up for pre-sale in the UK, at £459.99 — and keep in mind, that’s not a carrier-subsidized price, but full retail. It appears that the phone will become available on April 1st, and it’s likely that when it actually hits shelves it will be a bit cheaper, as that is usually the case with pre-sale deals on phones. That’s certainly not a low price on any handset, but for one with specs like this, and carrier-unlocked, it may be worth your money. If you like in the UK and can’t wait to get your hands on one, hit the website where it’s up for pre-order, and be sure and let us know how that purchase goes!

Release Dates Confirmed For LG G-Slate, Dell Streak 7, Vibrant 4G?

Looks like those sneaky ninjas over at TmoNews have done it again.  Tony Toni Tone would be proud.  It appears that our previous predicted release dates are a hammer on the nail.  And thanks to the spy shot above, we are looking at seemingly credible release dates for the Dell Streak 7, the Vibrant 4G and LG’s G-Slate tablet.  The leaked doc also confirms our announcement of the Jan 19th release date of the Motorola Cliq 2, which is now available on T-Mobile’s website for purchase.  So, here’s to hoping this all pans out soon and these devices will be in the hands of consumers no later than late March some time.
The above pic by TmoNews reveals the following release dates for these devices:

Samsung Fascinate Froyo Build Teased By Developers





A couple of developers have tweeted on their Twitter accounts that they’re currently working on an official Froyo build for Samsung’s Fascinate.  However, it’s not ready for you just yet, so please do forgive me for the teaser.  But be patient folks, you’ve been waiting this long!  Either one should be around the corner soon.  The reason we’re even running with this post is because we find it interesting to note, which will come first?  The official update from Samsung themselves?  Or, the @punkkaos and friends’ build?  The race is on.  It should be “Fascinating”, get it?  Alright, alright, geez.  Tough crowd.  Will you take the build if it comes before the official Samsung/Verizon update?  Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Google IO 2011 site goes live – registration starts Feb 7

Google has put up their Google IO 2011 site for registration which starts Feb 7th. You can go to the site and get a good look at the sessions planned along with the schedule buy clicking on the Sessions tab, and the Agenda tab. The conference will cost attendees $450 until April 16th, then $550 afterwards until the event which lands on May10th – 11th 2011. Students and faculty will only need to pay $150, as well as an optional Bootcamp session for another $100. Awesome!
So what does Google have in store at the IO this year? If you happen to make your way to the Sessions page, you’ll see schedules for Android and web app building for Google TV, a highlights session on Honeycomb for Android tablets, as well as sessions for programming and development tools. Just what every budding developer needs to survive.

T-Mobile Pushing out Froyo to MyTouch 3G now – for real this time

It looks like after T-Mobile let out they were setting the myTouch updates to Froyo out of the cage, only to keep it on a leash and never let it out, They’re promising to push out the update again. This time, myTouch users hope they aren’t disappointed again.
T-Mobile started rolling out OTA updates to bring myTouch 3G 3.5mm Jack and the MyTouch Fender LE oday, so users should see this coming in waves over the next few days, be sure to watch for it if you have one.

Android increases share in business deployments

According to Forrester Research, Android is making some strong gains in the business sector, in a report showing the mobile operating system breakdown within businesses for the latter part of 2010. Android gained from 2% penetration up to 13% by the end of 2010 from the end of 2009.
Most of this is attributed to Android’s popularity boost in mid 2010, but also for the loyal Android nerds working in IT departments pitching Android over Blackberry to their businesses, just like us.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Samsung Galaxy Tab Dropping to $250 on T-Mobile

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With a lineup of tablets that’s about to get pretty deep, T-Mobile is doing what it can to keep sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab lively right up to the minute the Dell Streak 7 (and eventually the LG G-Slate) launches. After already getting the Galaxy Tab’s price down to $ 299.99 on a 2-year contract, the carrier has decided it could do $ 50 better. Come this Wednesday, January 26th, Samsung’s first Android slate will be priced almost as low as a typical Android handset when the cost is slashed to $ 249.99.
It’s some kind of shame that the Galaxy Tab is finally falling to a price where most would eagerly snatch it up only to be faced with the release of several high-powered, highly desirable Android tablets. Still, none of those will cost nearly as little as the Galaxy Tab will on T-Mobile, so get it while you can.

Best Android apps of the week





Are you craving our regular best Android apps of the week feature? We’re as dependable as clockwork, and far more reliable than an Android 2.3 update schedule. Yes, we’re back once again with a run-down of the apps all you Android fans should be checking out.We have one for the gamers, one for the gamblers, an app for you readers and even one for those of you that like a spot of booty shaking of an evening. Get your fingers primed, your SD card de-cluttered and your battery charged, because here they come…

As ever, it’s a good idea to have the Barcode Scanner app installed on your Android blower before you attempt to snatch these, some of the best Android apps known to mankind. You can just point your phone’s camera at the QR codes below and BLAM! – instant linkage.
Sony Reader
Now that the Amazon Kindle has finally broken into the mainstream gadget-loving audience’s most-wanted list, Sony’s eReader range is starting to look a little unloved. And expensive.
Now you can get the eReader experience right there on your Android phone for free, with the just-released Sony Reader app. Like the Kindle app, you can buy books from the Sony store, but you can also read your own ePub and PDF format eBooks. It’s not a bad little reading package either, letting you add your own bookmarks, change the font size and highlight parts of the text. In fact it’s one of the best Android apps for ebook reading you’ll find.
It’s not often that Sony gets to play the underdog card, but with Amazon looming over it like a ruler-wielding school bully, it’s where the tech giant has found itself this time.

William Hill

Like a cheeky bet every now and then? Does the idea of putting a Monkey down on a Double Carpet when watching the nags get your heart racing? You should hunt down the new William Hill app from the William Hill site or Getjar.
One of the best gambling apps out there, it’ll let you place bets, and manage your current bets, on over 40,000 events and matches. The one thing that ruins the odds of you being able to satisfy your betting desires with the William Hill Online app is that it requires an Android 2.2 device.

If you’re not yet up-to-date with current-gen gaming, you can also use the Official PlayStation app to read up on PS2 and PSP games. One of the best Android apps yet for console gamers jealous of all the Xbox Live love on Windows Phone 7.

Spectral Souls
Here’s a surprise-and-a-half. Spectral Souls is a massive Final Fantasy-style adventure that’s available for Android, but not iPhone. This is no cheap indie game cobbled together by two students living with their parents either – it was released for Sony PSP way back in 2006.

Official PlayStation
Chasing achievement points or trophies is the hobby of many a gaming geek, and now Sony’s finally come up with a way to let you Android-owning PS3 fans keep up appearances with your mates all day long.

Perhaps it’s for the best though – imagine what the other half would say if you accidentally bet a grand on The Tourist winning movie of the year while your phone’s nestled away in your pocket.
The Official PlayStation app won’t let you play LittleBigPlanet 2 on the bus, but it does let you keep an eye on your friends’ PSN profiles, and check out what trophies you still have to hunt down.
At around nine quid, you’d better don your JRPG fanboy hat before buying, but with hundreds of hours of gameplay claimed by the publisher, it’s not exactly bad value. In fact not only is this one of the best Android apps yet for gamers, this is probably the biggest Android game ever, in more ways than one. You’ll need at least 1.5GB of SD card storage to download this bad boy, so forget about trying to nab it over a 3G connection.
We doubt whether thousands will flock to buy Spectral Souls given the price, but it offers proof that high-end games can work on Android. One of the best Android games yet? Probably…
T-Pain’s Booty Symphony
Leave your taste at the door, discard that sense of decency, because it’ll do you no good with this T-Pain’s Booty Symphony app. It’s a good-taste vacuum.
It comes with three songs, from artists signed to T-Pain’s own label. Select a song and the screen will fill with ladies’ derrieres – all covered up with national flags, T-Pain Porn isn’t on Android, yet. Tap a gluteus maximus and it’ll add another element of the tune to the mix, as well as treating you to an ass-shaking video clip.
Something tells us this isn’t how Mark Ronson composes his remixes, but then this is T-Pain, not Pro Tools. Get that finger a tappin’ and those booties a shakin’.