NOOK Color officially drops to $199, goes head to head with Kindle Fire

Just like the leaked internal deck predicted, the venerable Nook Color is getting a price drop now that the Nook Tablet is official. The original will cost just $199, going head-to-head with the Amazon Kindle Fire while the Nook Tablet competes with some superior specs at $249. The price has already dropped on Barnes & Noble’s NOOK website.

Also included is a major update to the Nook Color software, which is still getting some impressive support a year after its initial release. Netflix support is coming in the next firmware update, with Hulu Plus support scheduled in the next few months – both of which the Kindle Fire lacks, relying instead on Amazon Instant Video.  The ebook and app libraries already on offer will be streamlined with new interfaces and social suggestions.
At this point, the two bookselling giants have products that directly compete at the $200 level, while Amazon dips below $100 with the ad-based Kindle and Barnes & Noble taking the high road with the Nook Tablet. All the models of the Nook, including the Nook SimpleTouch at a reduced $99, run modified versions of Android, making them prime targets for enthusiastic modders and ROM developers. At $199 for a light tablet with an IPS screen, the Nook Color is still a pretty good deal – unless you’re already set on Amazon’s universe of content and apps.

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NOOK Tablet vs Kindle Fire: what will you buy?

Today at an event in NYC Barnes & Noble announced the new NOOK Tablet and most of the event they were quick to point out how much better it was compared to the Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon. We saw most of the specs leak late last week on the new NOOK Tablet so nothing was a huge surprise today, either way head down past the break for the details and comparison on these two tablets.

First off lets start with the NOOK Tablet, announced this morning with a slew of top tier specs all for a great price. We have a 7″ LG IPS diplay with a 1024 x 600 resolution powered by a TI OMAP 1.0 GHz dual-core processor. Being very similar here with the Fire, this is where things take a change. The NOOK has 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage compared to just 512MB on the Fire and 8GB of storage.

“The Kindle Fire is deficient as a media tablet” William J. Lynch Jr., B&N CEO

At the event this morning, B&N CEO Lynch said the above quote while talking about the Kindle Fire and its lowly 8GB of storage, partly because only 6GB or so of that is actually usable. The NOOK offers 16GB plus micro-SD support for an additional 32GB. The entire event they were quick to take shots at the Kindle Fire — from the copycat design of the BlackBerry Playbook, not enough storage, less RAM, and being fatter. We’ll let you guys make that decision on your own, I’ll just give you the details.
The Kindle Fire features a similar 7″ display with the same 1024 x 600 resolution. We also have the TI OMAP 4 dual-core processor here running at 1.0 GHz but like mentioned above, the Kindle Fire only has 512MB of RAM — something that could play a factor in multitasking at some point. With no cameras these are mainly consumption devices, but we already knew that right.
Both devices are a hair less than half an inch thick and weigh around 400 grams (or 15 ounces). The Kindle Fire is said to weigh 413 grams compared to the slightly thinner and lighter NOOK Tablet coming in at 398 grams. While that may not matter to some, many will use these devices as e-readers and the lighter weight will help especially during one-handed use.
Both tablets run on an undisclosed version of Android, most likely 2.3 Gingerbread and have their own custom user interfaces on board. We weren’t live at the NOOK Tablet event to get a look at it for a comparison, but it looks almost identical to the original NOOK Color which ran extremely smooth so we expect the same here. Not to mention the dual-core processor should keep things speedy. Both tablets come bundled with plenty of games and applications. From Angry Birds, Netflix, Pandora Radio and more they really are tablets, not e-readers. One benefit here with the Fire is the inclusion of the Amazon App Store although that can be installed on any Android device so I’m sure we’ll have it on our NOOK fairly quick and easy.
Whether these devices will be easy to root, and run custom ROM’s like the original NOOK Color still remains to be seen so until they hit the streets we can’t comment further. Without having hands-on time with both it is hard to say what is better, but we’ll have both devices in for a full review soon so stay tuned. Both tablets offer an excellent level of performance and usage for their price. What will you buy?
The Amazon Kindle Fire is available for pre-order right now for just $199 and begins shipping November 15th. Concluding the B&N NOOK event today in NYC the new NOOK Tablet will be $249 and will also be available next week starting on the 18th. Pre-orders are available now and it will be at B&N stores as well as retail partners such as Best Buy, Target, Walmart and many others late next week.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus shipping early from Amazon, get one today

It looks like Amazon might have pulled the trigger a little early for this round of Samsung tablets. The brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 Plus was made official by Sammy in late October but with a shipping and availability date of November 13th. Amazon has been offering pre-orders since early October and look to be shipping now, with overnight delivery available too — get yours tomorrow.

The Tab 7 Plus is the replacement for the original 7″ Galaxy Tab although this time we get Android 3.2 Honeycomb rather than Gingerbread, along with a beefed up dual-core processor and more. All the specs are listed in our device database graph below. We have a 7″ 1024 x 600 resolution display (no 1280×800 here sadly), with a 3MP camera on the rear and 2 up from for video chatting. All powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and like mentioned, Android 3.2 Honeycomb.

The new Tab 7 Plus comes in both 16GB and 32GB flavors and according to the picture above, and Amazon, are available right now and started shipping yesterday. Users should be receiving their orders any time now and overnight delivery is available for those interested. Pricing starts at $399 for the 16GB model, and $499 for 32GB respectively. Pricing sounds a little high if you ask me, especially with the Transformer and Kindle Fire pricing.
Either way this is one portable and powerful little tablet, and if the price is ok with you then I’d hurry and buy one because Amazon seems to be ready to roll already. Get your own ordered today by clicking here. Feel free to send us some pictures if you get one delivered today at tomorrow by hitting the TIP US link.

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Apple CEO dismisses Kindle Fire as “more Android fragmentation”

Never let ‘em see you sweat, huh Apple? In a recent interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook, a question was posed about the disruptive power of the Kindle Fire, which many see as the first tablet to pose a threat to the iPad due to its $199 price. Cook responded that the Fire simply represents more fragmentation, and that that will lead more consumers to Apple’s walled garden of hardware and software.

There’s a bit of an issue with Cook’s reasoning, however. One, Android software is thriving despite the fragmentation issue, largely because most apps released will work on Android hardware running 2.2 or later, now comprising more than 85% of the devices sold worldwide. And two, Amazon’s approach to the Kindle Fire is basically its own walled garden – a closed-off boutique of media and software that can only be purchased directly from the company. Sound familiar? Sure, it’s technically running Gingerbread, but how many of the hundreds of thousands of people who pre-ordered know that, and how many simply care that the Fire can get them movies, music, books and apps at less than half the price of the iPad?
Apple has already lost the battle in the smartphone market, and signs are appearing that their stranglehold on tablets might be slipping. Current estimates give Android 27% of worldwide tablet sales in Q3, to the iPad’s 67%. This isn’t the first time that Cook has been dismissive of Android on tablets either: back in January he called Android competitors “bizarre” and “vapor.” With Amazon expected to ship at least a quarter-million Kindle Fires on launch day, and a capability of delivering 5 million during the holidays, it’s easy to see why Cook might want to start engaging in a flame war with a soon-to-be rival.
Don’t worry, Apple – if you lose yet another mobile market to Android, you can always just sic the lawyers on Jeff Bezos.
[via SlashGear]

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Amazon Facebook giving away 10 Kindle Fire tablets and $250 gift cards

Who is excited for the new Amazon Kindle Fire? It was officially announced in September and pre-orders should start shipping November 15th (just a few more weeks guys). To help build the hype of their new Android-powered tablet Amazon is giving away not one, but 10 Kindle Fire tablets along with $250 gift cards for use on Amazon. You better hurry the giveaway ends November 4th.

What is the catch here? Basically all you must do is simply “Like” amazon on their Facebook page and you are entered into the giveaway — easy enough right guys? If you didn’t pre-order the Kindle Fire or are waiting for some official reactions and reviews this is a good chance to snag one for free. We will be reviewing the Kindle Fire as soon as its released so be sure to also stay tuned right here at Android Community for our thoughts and pictures.
You can also increase your odds of winning by doing the same steps and “liking” their other pages such as Amazon MP3, Amazon AppStore, Amazon Instant Video and more. So feel free to head over to the main Facebook page and get started.
We were live at the Kindle Fire event when it was officially announced and were able to snag some hands-on video with the new slate and you can see all of our coverage right here, or enjoy the video below.
Kindle Fire hands-on video

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• HTC EVO 3D dressed in Purple available from Amazon for just $50 (goandroid.co.in)

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HTC EVO 3D dressed in Purple available from Amazon for just $50

I’m sure many of you loyal WiMAX supporters were jealous when you saw Verizon get the Plum colored HTC Rhyme, and immediately you wanted one for yourself just with a more powerful smartphone. Usually I wouldn’t post just because a new color is available but common, purple (plum) is just the best color on a smartphone I think I’ve ever seen. That and Amazon has the awesome dual-core EVO 3D for just $50 in the new beautiful color.

Best Buy had a short exclusive on the Plum EVO 3D and RadioShack offers it in white. Now Amazon can also partake in the fun while beating everyone else with their price. You can get the EVO 3D for $50 dollars with a new 2-year contract or for those will a full upgrade option, otherwise the price wont be so cheap.

What that means is you’ll get the same 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and that 4.3″ qHD display and dual 5 megapixel cameras for all the 3D video your heart desires. Only now you can rock the EVO in style with a touch of purple, or plum. You can get it right now from Amazon Wireless by clicking here. Is Plum a color you’d consider in your next smartphone? Maybe for the ladies but what about you gentlemen?

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• HTC Raider sailing to Rogers with 4G LTE for just $149 (goandroid.co.in)
• Galaxy Nexus sign up page is live at Verizon (goandroid.co.in)
• Security update for the EVO 3D goes live today (tech-gadget.co.in)

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Amazon UK, ships November 2nd

Who is ready for some Galaxy Nexus action? Apparently the folks from Amazon UK are ready to start the party because they’ve already posted up pre-orders for the Galaxy Nexus. We saw some order pages go up earlier this week but I get a better feeling ordering from Amazon than some smaller sites, not to mention they have a release date of November 2nd.

Yup, in case you missed that, Amazon UK is listing the Samsung Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich as due to be released on November 2nd. One small problem is the price though, Amazon is asking £730.15 for the new superphone. I might not be great at math but if my currency conversion skills are accurate that is well over $1100 USD. Wow, at that price put me down for three. At least shipping is free right?
According to our tipsters (thanks guys) the Amazon UK page went live last night and the device was being offered for just £540 and was listed as in stock November 7th. That actually still hasn’t changed and third party retailers on Amazon are listing the phone at the much lower £540 price tag. You may have to wait a few more days but will save a bundle.
In case anyone missed it, here is all of our Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich coverage, plus the hands-on video below for your enjoyment.

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Today only: OfficeSuite Pro 5 is free on the Amazon Appstore

Google Docs not quite cutting it for your mobile document editing needs? Is that free version of QuickOffice that came with your phone a little long in the tooth? Then today’s a great day to try out the Amazon Appstore. The third-party store features a free download of one paid app every day, and today, it’s OfficeSuite Pro 5, normally a full $15.

OfficeSuite Pro 5 is your standard document editor, featuring support for Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and PDF files, though the last two are read-only, according to the app’s Amazon listing. An integrated file browser and Google Docs connection help round out the software, and happily, it handles the tricky .docx, .xlsx and ppsx extensions without complaining. You can get OfficeSuite for free until 3 AM Eastern Time, and considering how many of you have already pre-ordered the Amazon Kindle Fire, you may want to do so whether or not you intend to use it on your current smartphone or tablet.
If you’re new to the Amazon Appstore, don’t worry – downloading and installing it is a simple process. Just head on over to the Get Started page and enter your email address. Download the app to your phone or tablet, then install it via the standard non-Market method (you’ll need to allow the “unknown sources” option in the Application settings menu). Once a free app is “purchased,” it’s connected to your Amazon account, and you can download it on any device with the Appstore installed.

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Analyst predicts lower Amazon profits after cheap Kindle Fire sales

We know that the Amazon Kindle Fire costs about $10 more to produce than its $199 selling point, and according to a Needham & Co. analyst, that loss-leading figure is going to hurt Amazon’s third-quarter profits by a considerable margin. Amazon’s earnings are predicted to fall by more than half year-over-year, from 51 cents to 24 cents a share. Amazon is of course mum on the subject, but even if the prediction is only half right, it illustrates how great a risk Amazon is taking on the Android-powered Kindle Fire.

Of course, Amazon is no stranger to risk. This is the company that brought e-readers to the mainstream with a $400 single-purpose device back in 2008. Since then e-books have outsold real books on Amazon.com, and generate billions of dollars a year in profit worldwide. Come November you’ll be able to buy the cheapest Kindle model for less than a hundred dollars. If anyone can reset the bar for multi-purpose, cheap tablets to make a single-device rival to the iPad, it’s Amazon. Even with loss-leading hardware and millions spent in development and marketing, the company’s strategy is a long-haul reset of customer interaction.
And Amazon’s strategy isn’t just about low price. The Kindle Fire and its descendants (like the 10-inch model we keep hearing about) is going to be Amazon’s new digital face, a hardware-based interface for all of their digital and retail goods. The heavily-customized Gingerbread OS is all about bringing Amazon books, movies, apps and store products to the forefront, hoping that customers will shell out and make up the difference in purchases. When you consider that two Kindle books or three movie rentals can make up for the loss-lead immediately, it’s easy to see why Amazon is eager to get tablets in people’s hands for as little as possible. Is it working? Ask the 250,000+ people who have pre-ordered the Kindle Fire.
Interested? Check out our hands-on footage of the Amazon Kindle Fire.
[via SlashGear]

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Amazon Wireless sells the HTC EVO Design 4G for just $30

I tell you what, I know where I’m buying my next phone. After a massive Verizon sale earlier this month, the Wireless store at Amazon is selling the brand-new HTC EVO Design 4G for just thirty bones – a savings of $70 on the retail version. Of course, to get this rock-bottom price you’ll have to sign up for a new two-year service agreement. The phone’s already back-ordered, so you might want to get an order in soon.

The HTC EVO Design 4G is an updated version of the EVO Shift 4G, and a worthy one at that. IT utilizes HTC’s newfangled unibody metal construction, and with a 4-inch qHD screen it looks good from either side. A 1.2GHz processor and 769MB of RAM should handle Gingerbread nicely, and the 1520 mAh battery should be alright as long as you don’t hit the WiMAX too hard. 4GB of on-board storage is bolstered by a generous 8GB MicroSD card, and assuming you can find a 4G signal, you can share it with up to 8 devices via the mobile hotspot app.
Early reports are that it’s a solid alternative for the $100 price tag, so at just $29.99, it’s a real bargain. Head on over to the Amazon link above to get one for yourself, or wait for the Android Community review later this week.
[via Phandroid]

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Motorola Xoom 32GB refurb only $339 from Amazon [Deal]

In case you’ve never been to woot.com I highly suggest you check it out. They were recently snatched up by the big box online retailer Amazon and today they are both working to bring this awesome deal to the table. The Wi-Fi only Motorola Xoom 32GB can be yours for just $339 from Amazon, but they are refurbished units.

Listed as the Amazon Gold Box deal of the day you can snag one up now but they are going fast. The Xoom is running on Android 3.2 Honeycomb, will ship for free, and most likely be among the first to receive Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich so it’s worth a shot right? Being the first Honeycomb tablet it may not be the thinnest, lightest, or the prettiest but it’s still a great tablet and now at an awesome price.
The deal wont last forever so if you are debating it I recommend you hurry and decide. It’s not actually coming from Amazon so the buy now button isn’t present. Just click that “1 refurbished from” box and you can buy as many as you can right from the popular woot.com we mentioned above. The last time we saw the Xoom at Woot it was $350 so things are starting to drop in price finally. Now head down to Amazon and pick one up by clicking here.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab Plus pre-orders live at Amazon

It’s time to tab again according to Samsung and Amazon. The recently unveiled Galaxy Tab Plus 7″ is finally available at another big time retailer for pre-order although we still aren’t sure when exactly it will be shipping. Pre-order pages from J&R were spotted earlier this month but were quickly taken down but I have a feeling the Amazon pages might last a bit longer.

Just a few short days ago the 7″ Tab Plus passed through the FCC, a clear indication that it will be hitting the streets here soon — line that up with the new pre-order pages on Amazon and we likely have a launch coming soon. The order page seems to only offer Wi-Fo variants at the moment but we can expect to see connected models soon as we’ve recently spotted one rocking T-Mobile 4G HSPA+.
As we already know, prices will be $399 for the 16GB model and $499 for the 32GB model. Hardware specs include a 7″ display with a modest 1024 x 600 resolution, a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, Android 3.2 Honeycomb, 3.0MP camera with 2MP on the front, then the usual ports and sensors with USB 2.0 and of course Wi-Fi. I still think 8.9 might be the perfect size but for those wanting to get the latest from Samsung hit the pre-order links below.
Galaxy Tab Plus 7″ 16GB – $399
Galaxy Tab Plus 7″ 32GB – $499
[via GalaxyTabLife]

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Foxconn tipped to build next gen Kindle Fire

A rumor is floating around today that Foxconn has landed orders for the next Kindle Fire tablet. The next version of the tablet is mostly mystery right now with no word on what will make the tablet different from the original. The next Kindle Fire could possibly be the same tablet we already have with the addition of a 3G modem inside.

The next Fire could also be a tablet with a larger screen to compete more directly with the iPad. The rumor has Foxconn making the next Kindle while Quanta Computer is making the current Kindle Fire. If Foxconn has in fact landed the second generation Kindle Fire contract the company will be making the bulk of the tablets on the market today.
Foxconn already produces the Apple iPad 2 and the Sony Tablet S. with the new Kindle Fire the source of the leak claims Foxconn would be the builder of 80% of the tablets on the market. Foxconn is building iPad 2 tablets as fast as possible along with the iPhone 4S. The company is expected to see some significant Q4 profits thanks to the heavy orders of those Apple devices. Amazon is expected to ship about 5 million Kindle Fire tablets this year.
[via DigiTimes]

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Motorola Atrix 2 now available, just $49 at Amazon

The Motorola Atrix 2 might be one of the faster follow ups we’ve seen in a while, but its still a great smartphone and is available now from AT&T. Press shots gave us our first solid look back in September and the Atrix 2 was officially announced at CTIA. The original was released less than a year ago, and now the new Atrix 2 is available from AT&T and for only $99. Any Atrix owners feeling a little down?

The Atrix 2 features a 4.3″ qHD 960 x 540 resolution display. a Tegra 2 dual-core 1.0 GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and that 8 MP camera on the rear (no fingerprint scanner this time around). While Motorola did take out the scanner and lower the internal storage from 16GB to 8GB the $99 price tag is hard to beat. They are also positioning this as an enterprise device and it’s said to have some additional software, features, and security for just that.

We recently spied some hands-on with the Atrix 2 and it looks to be another great successor from Motorola just as the DROID line has been doing thus far, although we would have loved to see 4G LTE. Just like we mentioned above the Atrix 2 is available this week from AT&T and you can get it now by clicking here. The good news, however, is Amazon went a step further and have already lowered the Atrix 2 to an amazingly low price of just $49 with a new 2-year contract. It may not be the best phone hands-down, and the Galaxy Nexus getting announced tomorrow might make you a bit more excited, but for $49 you can’t really go wrong.
[via Amazon Wireless]

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Android App Tablet Review: Amazon MP3

Amazon MP3 gives tablet users instant access to the online retailer’s music store, as well as full Amazon Cloud Player functionality.
You can browse best sellers and daily deals or search for specific music and purchase it immediately with an Amazon account.
Once you make a purchase, you can choose to download the MP3 or save it to the Amazon Cloud Drive attached to your account. You can listen to songs immediately from the cloud, streaming them over a Wi-Fi or 3G Internet connection wherever you are, on whatever device you’re using. You can also upload your tracks to Amazon’s Cloud Drive and access all your playlists and tracks.
Amazon MP3 is one of those apps that includes all the features you expect. It’s not made specifically for tablets, but it’s functional and very useful for Amazon fans.

• PRICE: Free
• TASTY: Buy music, download it, or stream it from Amazon’s cloud music service.
• BUMMER: Requires an Amazon account and Amazon’s Cloud Player service for full access, which can cost (eventually).
• COOL: Stream music to your tablet without taking up space on your device’s hard drive.

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Amazon could ship 5 million Kindle Fire units this year

We already know that Amazon’s Kindle Fire is a hit: it’s reached the top of Amazon’s internal sales charts and has made a good bit of buzz on its rock-bottom price. Now a supply chain analyst is predicting that Amazon could order 5 million Fire tablets before the end of the calendar year, making it the first tablet seller to truly rival Apple’s iPad. Between Amazon’s selling prowess and its integration with its own digital library, they’re poised to make an incredible entrance into the tablet market.

It’s important to note that analyst Ashok Kumar’s predictions deal with Amazon’s OEM operators and suppliers, not actual sales. That is to say, by the end of Q4 the company could have as many as five million Fire tablets in its warehouses, ready to go out to eager holiday shoppers. Current estimates put the Kindle Fire at between 250,000 and 500,000 sold just in preorders.
The Kindle Fire is based on an extremely modified version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread, designed to display Amazon’s retail and digital services prominently. To that effect the hardware itself is a loss-leader, costing Amazon slightly more to manufacture than the $199 selling price. While it won’t have access to the Android Market, Amazon’s own App Store will feature a lot of the same apps, and more should be added as the Fire gains in popularity. Kindle Fire orders begin shipping out on November 15th.
[via SlashGear]

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ALL Verizon phones are just a penny through this weekend at Amazon

Did you avoid springing on a $79 HTC Rhyme? Still haven’t picked up that $50 Thunderbolt? Well good things come to those who wait, my friend, and today everyone can take their karmic patience all the way to the bank. Amazon Wireless is hosting a huge Penny Pincher sale, and every single Verizon Android device is included. They’re all just one single, solitary penny until 12:00 AM Pacific Time on Monday night/Tuesday morning.

Naturally all these deals come saddled with a new two year Verizon contract – you’ve got to pay the piper. And while plenty of top-tier phones are included, Verizon’s myriad tablet offerings aren’t. If you’re determined to ruin a good deal with poor choices, you could also pick up a “featurephone” like the Samsung Gusto, or choose from a solid half-dozen BlackBerry phones – watch out for those service outages. The only thing you won’t find on the list is any iPhones. Sorry, Apple fans, you know they keep a tight leash on retailers.
Highlights on the superphone side of things include the Motorola DROID BIONIC, the HTC Thunderbolt and the Samsung DROID Charge. If you don’t live in a 4G LTE coverage area, you might want to check out the DROID 3, DROID X2, Sony XPERIA Play or LG Revolution. Looking for something a little smaller? Try the DROID PRO, the HTC Rhyme or the Pantech Breakout. The choice is yours, but don’t spend too much time making it; with these prices Amazon’s stock may not hold out until the Monday night deadline.
[via SlashGear]

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Oh no, another patent suit, this time against Amazon’s Kindle Fire

Amazon has just released the Kindle Fire just two weeks ago, has sold over 95,000 units in day one only. You would think that they’ll have a smooth ride but it didn’t take long for them to get hit with a lawsuit from patent licensing company Acacia Research which is basically a patent troll and make a living on suing others.
Acacia Research Crop. claims that the Kindle Fire infringes U.S. Patent 6,956,562 which is related to the act of hitting or tapping an icon make the tablet perform a specific action. The patent licensing company also added that the Kindle Fire encroaches the “System And Method For Displaying And Manipulating Multiple Calendars On A Personal Digital Assistant” patent as well as three additional ones. We haven’t heard anything from Amazon about this matter and here’s to hoping a reform of the patent system is in the works because this becoming a bit ridiculous.
Source Paid Content
via BGR

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Samsung DROID Charge is just $.01 at Amazon Wireless

For Android users, the hits just keep coming over at Amazon Wireless. Samsung’s DROID Charge, a top-of the line 4G LTE phone when it was released just five months ago, is now one single, solitary penny at the online retailer. The usual caveats apply: you’ll need to sign up for a new or recurring two-year agreement with Verizon in order to qualify.


While it won’t hold up to the most recent of Verizon’s superphone offerings, the DROID Charge is a downright steal at just north of free. On the Verizon website it’s still a full $199.99 on-contract. Its specs are still pretty high-end, including a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, an 8-megapixel camera, a 1.3mp front-facing camera, all running on a 1GHz Hummingbird processor. Android 2.2 Froyo and only 2GB of onboard memory are a little hard to swallow, but Gingerbread is coming (right, Verizon?) and what more do you want for a penny? And if that’s not enough, Amazon’s offering $15 of credit to spend on its digital offerings, including apps from the Amazon app store, MP3s or Kindle books.

As of right now, the DROID Charge is the cheapest 4G phone you can get for Verizon, provided that you buy from Amazon. If HTC is more your style, existing customers can get in on a $50 Thunderbolt. Amazon Wireless continues to deliver some stellar deals on Android phones. Just last week the brand new HTC Rhyme was discounted from $199 to $79, including all those color-matched accessories. If you’re in the market for a new phone (and your current contract is up), you might consider waiting a couple of months to see what kind of deals Amazon cooks up.

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Free Android app of the day: Paper Camera

Today’s free premium app of the day at the Amazon Appstore is Paper Camera. If you haven’t used this app yet, we suggest that you give it a try especially that that it is offered for free, today only. Otherwise, it will set you back $1.99 if you grab it from the Android Market.
Paper Camera uses a camera filter to change the appearance of your pictures making them look like they were drawn by a sketch artist on a wrinkled piece of paper. Here are some of the filters used: Pastel Perfect, Comic Boom, Sketch Up, Acquarello, Old Printer, Neon Cola, Con Tours, Bleaching, and Gotham Noir.
Amazon listed these features for Paper Camera:

• Use unique camera filters that transform your reality into more than just a photo
• Look through your camera’s video feed and view effects in real-time
• Turn your reality into a sketch, comic book, cartoon, and more
• Take a photo and it’s automatically saved to your device’s gallery
• Share your creative creations through the lens of a paper camera

If you want to see what Paper Camera is all about, we included a promo video of it below. Also included, are the link and QR code to the Amazon Appstore if you’d like to access it directly from your phone or tablet.





Amazon AppStore Link

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