Samsung Mobile hires Steve “Cyanogen” Kondik

Looks like Google wasn’t the only one getting a huge acquisition today. While they were off buying Motorola Mobility today Samsung was busy hiring yours truly — Steve Kondik (aka Cyanogen himself). This news is almost just as big as this mornings news and the first thing that came to my mind was a Galaxy S III CM Edition, I want one and I want it now!

Cyanogen is one of, if not the best developer to ever hack an Android phone since Android was first released. Him and his team has single handedly kept plenty of phones alive and chugging along and I don’t even need to mention those as I’m sure you all are well aware of his work. If not check out cyanogenmod.com for more details. I am excited and happy to hear of this news and I can only imagine the good things headed Samsung’s way.
Today Steve changed his private Facebook page’s employment status to Samsung Mobile Software Engineer. I’d like to take this time to please ask you not blow up his Facebook as I did state it’s his “private” page and if you’d like to follow him do so at Twitter via @Cyanogen instead. This is huge news for the entire Android and developer community and while we are unsure of what this all means for Samsung and CyanogenMod we are happy for Steve either way and would like to formally say Congratulations and thank you for everything you do for this amazing community.
Steve did assure his fans that CM will still very much be a part of his life and an active side project just as it has always been. These guys all have day jobs, and as much as we’d like to dream they sit around and tinker with Android phones and do nothing else they do in fact have other responsibilities. I for one am patiently waiting for CM7 for my Sensation but I’ll wait until it is good and ready. I doubt we will actually see a CM branded Samsung device but the possibility is now a bit closer right? Think of the possibilities…

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Cyanogen Clarifies: He will Continue to Work on CyanogenMod

Just minutes ago we shared that the founder of CyanogenMod, Cyanogen himself, had been hired by Samsung. While we were happy for him to be sure, there was a feeling of uncertainty left in our stomachs about the future of our favorite ROM. Cyanogen has clarified though, we have no reason to fear, CM will stay strong, and he will continue to help lead the team.

In a quote to AndroidGuys.com, Cyanogen clarified that his job at Samsung is a chance for him to take the skills he’s learned working with Android and use it in the real world. He also stated that he will continue to help with code review for the project, and remain a leader in the direction of the ROM. Welcome news indeed.
Addressing his work on CyanogenMod as a hobby that will continue suggests that Samsung hired Cyanogen for his skills and knowledge of the Android system rather than any direct plans for using his custom ROM as the stock on a future phone. That doesn’t mean we can’t keep hoping though. Congrats again to Steve/Cyanogen on his new job!
[via Android Guys]
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Samsung Hercules and HTC Ruby Release Date Leaked

We all know the Samsung Hercules is one of the few amazing devices that will surely be T-Mobiles new flagship offering. Between it and the HTC Ruby that was recently leaked it appears T-Mobile is planning to make a very strong push in Android this fall. Now we have a new document that might have just revealed both of these top tier phones release dates.

While we still don’t know full details on both devices the HTC Ruby is rumored to have the fastest dual-core we’ve seen yet clocking in at 1.5 Ghz and should be a very impressive phone. The Samsung Hercules is also powered by a extremely fast dual-core CPU but will be rocking a 4.5″ display according to latest rumors.
Both of these devices are highly anticipated phones coming from T-Mobile and according to a leaked document (pictured above) it appears they will be hitting the streets, but sadly a little later than most of us hoped. It appears as if T-Mobile plans to launch both devices together starting October 26th, sounds like T-Mobile will have a busy few days on their hands. While this may be a little later than many of you were hoping for at least we have a date we can mark in our calendars. Start saving your pennies as you have a few more months guys.
[via TmoNews]

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Apple’s Evidence in Galaxy Tab Injunction Case may have been Flawed

New light has been shed on a sketchy side-by-side comparison photo Apple submitted as evidence in the court case that resulted in an injunction against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in Europe. The photo, meant to demonstrate the similarity between the two tablets, shows a stretched photo of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, resulting in a much more similar appearance between the two tablets.

Apple’s filing for a preliminary injunction on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in a German court, effectively banned the Android tablet from being imported to all of Europe. An investigation by Webwereld.nl found modified photos of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 had been submitted to the court as evidence which gave the appearance of a much stronger similarity between Apple and Samsung’s devices.
Apple’s iPad 2 has an aspect ratio of 1.30, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has a noticeably wider aspect ratio of 1.46. In the image submitted, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was stretched to have an apparent aspect ratio of 1.36. 8% wider than the actual device, and much closer to the iPad 2. I won’t even start on the fact the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was displayed in vertical orientation (while horizontal is the default for Android tablets).
This new evidence could be a game changer, in Samsung’s favor. Since Apple was the only one able to submit evidence in the filing due to its nature, the truth of the evidence presented takes on particular importance. Hopefully this will lead to Europe getting the same awesome tablet we’re still allowed to enjoy over here.
[via SlashGear]

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Motorola Photon 4G Bootloader Unlock Available Now

Over the weekend some crafty developers unlocked the Motorola Photon 4G’s bootloader. The pudding, as the developers of the method like to call it, comes courtesy of the same method used to free the Motorola Atrix not too long ago. We’re still waiting on a long term solution from Motorola, but for now we’ll take the unlocked bootloader however we can get it.

It’s a bit too soon to say if Google acquiring Motorola Mobility this morning will help speed up Motorola’s promised unlock method. With that in mind, I for one was happy to hear the method used to get an unlockable bootloader for the atrix might be successful for other Moto devices. The Photon is now the first device to profit.
Motorola’s WiMax toting, dual-core Photon 4G  is now free to run whatever custom ROMs, recoveries and kernels devs can come up with. With the promising results I’ve seen on the Photon’s close cousin, the Atrix, with its alpha builds of CyanogenMod this already sexy phone has plenty of gain to reap from this new found freedom.
This probably has little impact on you (unless you’re a developer) in the immediate future. What it does mean is that you can start getting excited if you’re a fan of custom ROMs, overclocking and nandroid backups. Things may even go a little faster for you since the Atrix build may offer a good starting point. Freedom is as sweet as pudding.
[via XDA]

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Touch Wiz UX Updated Halted?

This is a bit of random news that is for sure. Apparently Samsung has halted the rollout of the recently released Touch Wiz UX update for the Galaxy Tan 10.1 Wi-fi tablet. It started hitting devices sometime last week but it appears they might have found a few bugs and are now temporarily halting the update to assess the problem.

While we recently accepted the update and have been enjoying it you can see our full Touch Wiz UX Update Review. Our man Chris Burns has been enjoying all the new features although he has experienced more lag than usual and the occasional slowdowns weren’t present before the update. We did let out a public service announcement that the update was NOT reversible, but it appears maybe we should have said it a little louder.
The software update is working great for most, some users have been experiencing lag and graphical glitches according to some comments and our sources. Following @SamsungCarla on Twitter she has confirmed the Touch Wiz UX update has been temporarily halted “To Assess Progress And Ensure It’s A Positive Experience”. Basically make some bug fixes is what she is trying to say.
Have you accepted the update yourself? If so do you like it or are you experiencing similar issues? Feel free to add your thoughts to the comment section below.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Tab 10.1

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier :

Announced Date : March 22, 2011

Release Date : June 08, 2011

Also Known As : Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Limited Edition, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google I/O Limited Edition

Display

• Screen Size : 10.1 Inch


• Resolution : 1280x800


• Screen Type : TFT

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 10.09 Inch


• Width : 6.81 Inch


• Depth : 0.34 Inch


• Weight : 595 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 7000 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 120 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 3.1.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AAC+


• AMR


• MP3

• Video Playback:


• h.263


• h.264 / AVC

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS


• IM

Hardware

CPU : Tegra 2

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :3.2 MP

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• Flash


• 1080p Video Recording


• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Ambient light


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• GSM

• GSM Band:


• 850


• 900


• 1800


• 1900

• CDMA Band:


• 850


• 900


• 1900


• 2100

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11a


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 2.0

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

[via Android Police]

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Motorola Remains Independent, No Necessary Nexus in Future

While Google’s purchase of the Motorola group may mean many things for Google, especially along the lines of patents, Motorola will, if Andy Rubin and Motorola’s Sanjay Jha are to be trusted, still act as a separate company. In addition, Rubin has doubly assured the Android public that the next Nexus device coming from Google will not necessarily be a Motorola device, and that Motorola “will be part of that bidding process” but will not necessarily be a certain lock-in.

As it’s clear that every real hardcore Android fan’s true love of Android is shown in their wanting to see the next Nexus device, Andy Rubin released a set of words noting how it should be clear to everyone that Google’s acquisition of Motorola does not mean Motorola will be given any special favors:

“We have this lead device strategy, that strategy has worked quite well to help focus the team. What we do is select, around Christmas time each year, a manufacturer that we work very closely with to release a device in that timeframe, and that includes also some essential companies and all the components that go into the device. And essentially all the teams huddle together in one building, they jointly work and these development efforts go on for 9-12 months, and ultimately at the holiday season or right before it the devices pop out that are based on this effort.”
- Andy Rubin

Publicly, as in sitting right alongside the official release of the acquisition of Motorola by Google, manufacturers Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC, and LG, have appeared rather positive about the deal:

“We welcome today’s news, which demonstrates Google’s deep commitment to defending Android, its partners, and the ecosystem.”
– J.K. Shin President, Samsung, Mobile Communications Division
“I welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Bert Nordberg President & CEO, Sony Ericsson
“We welcome the news of today‘s acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.”
– Peter Chou CEO, HTC Corp.
“We welcome Google‘s commitment to defending Android and its partners.”
– Jong-Seok Park, Ph.D, President & CEO, LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company

What we’re looking at here instead will be Google acquiring a strong and significant patent portfolio, one that Motorola has very recently suggested that it was (and is) in a strong position to be on the patent offensive in the very near future. We can guess here that Google will now be able to hopefully defend itself against the current patent war going on in the streets.
[via SlashGear]

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HTC Droid Incredible Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread Update Rolling Out?

There has been a little confusion regarding the Droid Incredible and if it would actually get updated to Android 2.3 Gingerbread over the past few days. An email from a rep originally said the Incredible was currently not on the list of devices getting upgraded and that caused many to question what was going on. An Email was quickly sent out stating that the Incredible was in fact going to get Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread to clear up any confusion. It appears they might have already had it ready to rock because we are seeing it hit devices already.

When we first heard the Droid Incredible wouldn’t receive Gingerbread as it would not give the device an “overall improved user experience” we were shocked and not sure what to think. No need to worry because the update is rolling out now, or has at least started a “soak test” and should be coming sometime shortly. Just like most Verizon updates, the carrier has listed a support document going over all the details on their site over at the Incredible Support Page.

While the update wont change much users will get boosted to the latest Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread and receive a slew of bug fixes specific to the device such as MMS improvements and more. Users will be able to take photos without an SD card now as well with the internal storage. Nothing too special here but it should be plenty fast and stable when it finally gets those ginger flavors. Still no news on the Thunderbolt update sadly, so you guys will have to keep waiting.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Droid Incredible

Manufactuer : HTC

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : April 15, 2010

Release Date : April 29, 2010

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 3.70 Inch


• Resolution : 480x800


• Screen Type : AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 4.63 Inch


• Width : 2.30 Inch


• Depth : 0.47 Inch


• Weight : 130 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1300 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 146 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 2.2.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AAC+


• AMR


• MID


• MP3


• WAV


• WMA

• Video Playback:


• 3GP


• MPEG-4 (MP4)


• WMV

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS

Hardware

CPU : Snapdragon

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 1

Ram : 512 MB

Internal Storage : 8.192 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :8 MP

• External Storage:


• MicroSD


• MicroSDHC

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• Flash


• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Ambient light


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• CDMA

• CDMA Band:


• 800


• 1900

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 2.0

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

[via Droid-Life]

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HTC Bliss Spotted in the Wild

The HTC Bliss has been spotted in the wild. This is that HTC device we first reported about being made specifically for women and lately it has been receiving a little attention. We have seen it a few times over the past few weeks and just last week it cleared the FCC. Now the device is out in the wild and most likely will be released sooner than later.

As always these photos are nice and blurry so we only get a small glance with no attention to details but at least we are seeing the device in the wild rather than just a few mock-up designs and press images. While we still don’t know much about the Bliss it was seen on the recently leaked Verizon roadmap and may be launching at the end of September.
The HTC Bliss should be rocking Android 2.3 Gingerbread, an 800 Mhz processor, 5MP Camera, as well as the new HTC Sense UI 3.5 we keep hearing about yet have no details on. While this is a mid-range device it does have a few tricks up it’s sleeve like we first reported. Some of those include multiple different accessories aimed for women, a little charm piece that may attach to the device and light up for notifications — while doubling as something women can use to help pull the phone from crowded purses and handbags. Like mentioned above we may see this device as early as the end of September but those dates are always open to change so stay tuned.
[via PocketNow]

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