Official Gingerbread Update for the HTC Thunderbolt Leaked

If you’ve been an HTC Thunderbolt user patiently waiting for your turn to go at it with Gingerbread well, tonight might be your night. Or not, depending how you look it. Build number 2.07.605.0 was recently leaked for the Tbolt and although this will not be the final Verizon build, it is an official build from HTC (unlike all those test builds leaked in the past). While we can’t guarantee that updating to this version will allow you to update the final Verizon, if you feel like you’ve had enough of Froyo the instructions on updating are easy peasy.
For download links hit up the source below. Remember, Phandroid will not be held responsible for you bricking your device if something goes wrong. Even if you decide to pass on this update, it’s nice to know that we’re a least a few builds closer to that official OTA update from Verizon, isn’t it?
Thanks, Jeffery!
[Via TheMikMik]

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Microsoft’s Windows Phone Mango Games Hub changes revealed

On Tuesday, Microsoft noted several of the Games Hub changes that will go into effect when Windows Phone Mango launches this fall. Mango’s Games Hub will include new “Avatar Awardables” which, much like on the Xbox 360, will allow you to dress your avatar up with a number of unique clothing items. The first title to support Avatar Awardables will be the game “Chickens Can’t Fly.” Games Hub will also feature new game add-ons. For example, in the game “Beards & Beaks,” users will be able to purchase additional in-game add-ons using Microsoft Points. Microsoft will also provide deeper parental controls and will offer a new “Fast Async” technology that will improve turn-by-turn and multiplayer games. Read on for a link to Microsoft’s official Windows Team Blog where the company has also listed the next 14 Xbox LIVE titles that will be available for Windows Phone devices.
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Price drop leads to Nintendo 3DS sales boom in Japan

Nintendo’s recent decision to drop the price of its Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device looks to have paid off. In the device’s first full week of sales following Nintendo’s price drop, the company sold 215,000 units in Japan alone, where the 3DS now retails for 15,000 yen following its launch at 25,000 yen. Weekly sales of the portable 3D console dipped from 31,826 units to 16,415 in the week following Nintendo’s announcement that the price would soon drop, for obvious reasons. With sales in Japan having exploded by more than 13 times in the week following the 3DS price drop, it looks like the initial high price point may have been a big factor in the 3DS’ slow adoption up to this point. Nintendo lowered the price of its 3DS from $249.99 to $169.99 on August 11th in the U.S., so this week will mark the first full week of sales at the new lower price point here in America.
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Google Nexus Prime vs Motorola Atrix

We compare the leaked spec of Google's upcoming Nexus Prime with Motorola's Atrix to see how the new device is shaping up

Google's upcoming Nexus Prime, or the Nexus 3 as it's also known, looks ready to set the world alight. Following in the footsteps of devices like the Nexus One and Nexus S points towards a good pedigree and with Google's Android know-how it's easy to see why so many people are looking forward to its launch.
In order to get an overview of how the Nexus Prime is shaping up in its development (NOTE: these details are purely speculative at this stage) we've decided to compare it with Motorola's Atrix, a fine dual-core Android smartphone.
Our choice for a competitor has turned out to be a little psychic this week though, as Google announced this week that it would be acquiring Motorola Mobility for the princely sum of $12.4 billion. So we aren't sure whether we should be viewing the Atrix as a competitor or a forebear.
Screen
The Motorola Atrix features a 4-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen that operates at a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels and is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass.
Google's Nexus Prime supposedly features a 4-inch Super AMOLED HD display that displays a whopping 1280 x 720 pixel resolution (yes, you read that right - a 720p display on a phone).
As good as the Atrix's display is, it won't be able to hold a candle to the Nexus Prime and if the specs are accurate we expect to see every other manufacturer clambering to keep up.
Winner - Google Nexus Prime
Software
Motorola's Atrix comes with version 2.2 of Google's Android OS (AKA Froyo) and the device runs well despite being a few jumps behind in operating system terms, though users can look forward to an update to version 2.3 Gingerbread in the next few weeks.
The Google Nexus S is rumoured to be the device which will launch version 4.0 of the Android operating system, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich and you can be sure the device will be kept up-to-date with system updates coming straight from Google fresh out of the oven.
Ice Cream Sandwich promises to be the update that unifies the fragmented Android platform and when the update is eventually rolled-out to other devices, which it will be, users of all makes and models can look forward to being kept in the loop by the firm.
New features for the update include re-designed core apps (Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps etc.), UI improvements and neat new eye-candy and the Nexus Prime will apparently launch with Google Shopper, a NFC service that could revolutionise how we pay for goods and services.
Winner - Google Nexus Prime
Power
The Motorola Atrix is a powerful device. it runs on nVidia's Tegra 2 chipset consisting of a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 CPU and a ULP GeForce GPU and the device also boasts 1GB RAM.
The Atrix performs solidly and when the update to the OS arrives users can expect that performance to get better.
Google's Nexus Prime raises the bar in terms of power though. According to leaked specs the device will launch with a dual-core 1.5GHz ARM CPU and at least 1GB RAM, making it the most powerful device on the market.
There's no word on what GPU will be ticking over beneath the surface of the Nexus Prime but we can't imagine Google sticking anything average alongside that CPU. Expect big and fast.
Winner - Google Nexus Prime

HTC

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Google Maps updated with bubble buttons, Transit Notifications and more

Google has just updated the Google Maps Application for Android to version 5.9.0 and with it comes many improvements to transit navigation, new labs features and more. One that may be really helpful to many in the big cities is transit navigation notifications but that is still in beta with this latest update.

Google has been updating many of their apps as of late and Google Maps just keeps getting better and better. Here is the small but nice list of new features you can expect with the new Google Maps.
-Voice and ring tone notifications for Transit Navigation (Beta)
-Tablet support for Transit Navigation (Beta)
-’Bubble Buttons’ Lab to add call and navigate buttons to results on the map (see above)
I know the transit navigation BETA is a great feature and relied on it heavily in my recent trips to NYC, being able to have notifications alert me so I never miss another subway is a huge additional and I can’t wait to try it out. In case you haven’t tried any of the “Labs” in the settings menu I suggest you give it a look. The “Bubble Buttons” are convenient popups that will show when you select a store or a location on a map. The bubble gives you instant access to navigation or even to call the store and more. I’ve been using that for months but now its officially included.
There are a few new features to play with in the Labs too so be sure to check those out, report anything fun in the comments below, and be sure to head over to the market and get this latest update if it didn’t already update automatically.
[via Android Market]

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Best Buy Selling Motorola Atrix, Nexus S 4G and Samsung Fascinate for Free Tomorrow

Best Buy is bringing back free phone day! This time its going to be a Wednesday though, tomorrow, August 17th to be exact. Best Buy will be offering the Motorola Atrix 4G, Samsung Nexus S 4G, and Samsung Fascinate (Verizon’s variant of the original Galaxy S) for free tomorrow with a new contract or upgrade.


Everybody loves free stuff, and here at Android Community there’s nothing we love more than free Android devices! If you’re looking to upgrade, or get a new contract and love to save, Best Buy’s got a deal for you. For tomorrow only they will hand over the Motorola Atrix, Samsung Nexus S 4G or Samsung Fascinate for nothing but a new, or renewed contract with that phones carrier.

Of all these devices the most exciting is probably the Motorola Atrix 4G. With the dual-core Tegra 2 processor and HSPA+ its a great phone to get for free (especially now that CyanogenMod is in development for it). With WiMax speeds, and the distinction of being Google’s current developer phone, the Nexus S 4G is nothing to sneeze at either.
The less exciting Samsung Fascinate is quite a bit older and has no 4G of any kind, if you’re looking to upgrade or sign up with Verizon. If you aren’t sold on the phone, but like that $0.00 price tag though, you may get lucky next week, when Best Buy is rumored to be having another free phone day on the 22nd. One again, the sale tomorrow (as well as the rumored 22nd sale) are one day only.

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HTC Sensation 4G on CyanogenMod 7 Preview [Video]

With all the news lately about the HTC Sensation and EVO 3D getting rooted and achieving S-OFF I’m sure a few of you are eager to see some top quality ROM’s for these devices. While there are many over on XDA I just happened to see a video preview of the Sensation 4G (T-Mobile) running CyanogenMod 7 thanks to developer kmobs.

I figured I’d share it with everyone to keep the excitement up as I’m sure plenty of users are patiently waiting to have CM7 on the awesome HTC Sensation. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a video preview but with all the developers hard at work on the EVO 3D and Sensation things are moving along nicely and hopefully we will get nightly builds in the next week or so.



From following kmobs over on Google+ as +Keyan Mobli I’ve seen a few different comments regarding the state of the Sensation 4G progress and while they’ve just got sound fully working things are still a work in progress. The video shows just about everything seems to be working great, that and from what we see its blazing fast too. I don’t know about you guys but I’ll be flashing CM7 on my Sensation as soon as I get the chance. We will be following the progress and will update as the nightly builds get closer.

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HTC Ruby will be named the HTC Amaze 4G on T-Mobile

New sources are claiming the HTC Ruby will be announced as the HTC Amaze 4G when it hits T-Mobile come October. The HTC Ruby was originally leaked a few times and even the first leak revealed it was headed for T-Mobile. Sources from PocketNow are claiming it will get the Amaze 4G name which is among the long list of names HTC has recently filed trademarks for.

The Amaze 4G will be one of two new flagship phones headed to T-Mobile and it has some impressive specs to back it up.we now know it will be powered by an impressive 1.5 Ghz dual-core processor, a 4.3″ display and be a pretty powerful phone. With 1GB of RAM and an 8MP camera on the rear this should impress everyone over at T-Mobile looking for their next purchase.
Sadly we heard late last night that the HTC Ruby (aka Amaze 4G) as well as the Samsung Hercules wont be released until very late October. The leak suggests an October 26th launch date which seems so far away at this point. We were hoping for something a little sooner but then good things come to those who wait.
[via PocketNow]

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Firefox 6 Browser Beta Now in Android Market

Firefox was updated to version 6.0 today for many users on desktop and laptops everywhere, today they’ve also pushed the latest 6.0 out to the BETA version on the Android Market. Just as a reminder the standard Firefox in the market is still on 5.0 and the beta app has been updated to 6.0 so you can keep your original should you run into problems. We love updates and Mozilla just keeps rolling them out. From once being a laggy and buggy terrible mobile browser Firefox is now one of the most popular and secure 3rd party browsers for Android.

One change I really like is the “Awesome Screen” that basically instantly brings you to a page of everything you browse most often, like a shortcut to your bookmarks only better. They’ve also added a new look, I love the Gingerbread theme they provide for users on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Mozilla also mentions plenty of “under the hood” changes but that is expected with a large update like this.
Firefox for Android offers tons of options and add-ons and developers should have some exciting new API’s to try out with the latest Firefox v6.0 released today. For all the details for users and developers alike be sure to check out Firefox 6.0 release notes to see what’s new and exciting from Mozilla. It is available now in the Android Market so head on over via the source link below.
[via Android Market]

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