Amazon App Store offering great deals for “Geek Week”

The Amazon App store isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and the great ideas they have just keep getting better and better. Not only do they offer a free app of the day every single day, but now they look to be starting something called “Geek Week”. It may not be every week but they are offering amazing Android apps that many power users (or geeks like myself) will find very useful all at extremely low prices.

This first round of “Geek Week” looks to please all the rooted and power users of Android because this is almost what I’d call the essential app list for root users. I own four of those apps and the only thing missing is Titanium Backup. Check out all the awesome and highly highly popular apps below at huge discounts thanks to Amazon.
Easy Tether $9.99 –> $4.99
Root Explorer $3.99 –> $0.99
WidgetLocker $1.99 –> $0.99
Wave Launcher $1.99 –> $0.99
SetCPU $2 –> $0.99
RepliGo Reader $4.99 –> $1.99
Xtralogic Remote Desktop Client $24.95 –> $12.99
BackupEverything $1.99 –> $0.99
If you have a rooted Android phone and are yet to buy Root Explorer and SetCPU now is the perfect time as both of those apps are essential and something I’ve been using for a long, long time. If you’ve been debating on whether its worth it to set and and use the Amazon App Store this would be another one of those good times to give it a try, all you need is an amazon.com account.
Geek Week App List
[via Android Police]

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LG Optimus Black to be called the LG Marquee

It looks like the LG Optimus Black we’ve seen a few times that was also said to be headed to US carriers back in July is finally here, but with a different name and a slightly different cover around back. The Optimus Black will be called the LG Marquee and will debut here in the U.S. on the Now Network in yellow.

While it brings a little less black along with it by losing that in the name and replacing the rear black battery cover with a grey pinstripe it still looks plenty sexy and I hear it feels great in the hands too with that curved design. The LG Marquee may not have the power we all love and crave in those dual-core processors but it does have an amazing screen and the latest version of Android.
The Marquee claims to have one of the best and brightest displays for mobile phones with the LG NOVA display. It also features a 1.0 Ghz single-core processor, 512MB of RAM, a 5 MP shooter on the rear with LED flash and VGA front. With Android 2.3 Gingerbread it rolls in as a nice mid to high-range smartphone. It should be shipping around October 2nd but we have no word if this will feature 4G WiMAX but sources are leaning towards a no. If the EVO 3D is too much for you and the Samsung Galaxy S II isn’t your thing either maybe the LG Marquee will be what you desire.
[via PocketNow]

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Who needs Android or Windows? HTC may just go it alone

So, you have a massive Android and WP7 presence. You've transformed yourself from the manufacturer of handsets for networks to one of the biggest players in the market on your own merits. Where do you go next if you're HTC?
Just buy your own OS! Simples!

At least, that's the implication we've been getting from the Taiwanese manufacturer, which feels that there are possibly too many Android and WP7 handsets doing the rounds.
Boss, Cher Wang apparently told the Economic Observer of China: "We have given it thought and we have discussed it internally, but we will not do it on impulse."
"We can use any OS we want. We are able to make things different from our rivals on the second or third layer of a platform. Our strength lies in understanding an OS, but it does not mean that we have to produce an OS."
HTC has been one of the big success stories of the Android revolution. It was the first manufacturer to launch a handset on the platform in the T-Mobile G1 and since then has gained a prominent place in the market with its customisable and highly distinctive Sense interface which, ironically, launched on the Windows Mobile OS.
The strategy is simple - add your own look to the vanilla build and then make it your own, which is what Sense does so well.
And if HTC wants to buy its own OS, there'll be at least three potential targets in theory, with both MeeGo and Symbian potentially looking for love thanks to Nokia's decision to buddy up with Microsoft. Then there's webOS, which HP paid big money for when it bought Palm, but is effectively now on the shelf now that HP is ditching its mobile division.
Of course, in practice any deal for HTC to get involved with any of those three will be way more complicated than just flashing some cash, but the point is there are potentially options out there.
But, it'll face stiff competition from Android co-developer and mobile rival Samsung which, as we reported yesterday, is continuing to throw cash at its own protege, Bada.
It'll be interesting could very well be linked to the ongoing row with Apple over patent infringements but either way, more choice for the consumer can only be a good thing.

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Upcoming Android versions will be tweaked to run on Intel hardware

At Intel’s Developer Forum, Google’s Andy Rubin just appeared on stage to confirm that Google and Intel will be continuing their partnership. Expanding it, even, as Rubin announced that all future versions of Android would include optimizations for Intel silicon – from the core of the OS up to multimedia. So to catch up: today we saw Microsoft tout Windows 8 running on ARM processors and we saw Google tout Android running on Intel processors. Yes, we got the order right there.
Intel took the opportunity to tease an Android tablet and phone both running on the Medfield chip. Both appeared to be prototypes (and no manufacturer was named), but Intel promised we’d see phones running on Intel chips in “early 2012.” Intel also showed off “Intel Pair & Share” software, which will allows users to get notifications and sync media on their computers.
After the break: a video of Rubin’s announcement and more photos from the event — including another shot of the tablet and one of the phone.
Update: More photos of the tablet prototype, built by Intel as a “reference design,” have been added to the gallery!
Update 2: One more picture added to the gallery to show the NFC logo on the back of Intel’s Android tablet prototype, which CarryPad just noticed.
Source: Intel

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Sprint Posts Samsung Epic 4G Touch User Guide

The release of the Samsung Epic 4G Touch is only a few days away, but for those with the phone on pre-order and plans to run out and buy it as soon as the nearest Sprint store opens for business on the 16th can get a leg up by checking out the user guide now. Sprint has posted the document to their support site as of today. If you’re still on the fence, be sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming review.
[Sprint via AndroidForums | Thanks, cds0699!]

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HTC Runnymede and Bliss Get Detailed in New Specs Leak, Beats Audio Inside

New leaks are drawing light to the many rumors circulating around two upcoming HTC handsets, the HTC Runnymede and the HTC Bliss The Bliss will feature a 3.7-inch WVGA display and 1GHz Qualcomm CPU. It features dual cameras on the front and rear, with the latter snapping at 5MP and the former featuring a VGA resolution. The specs are similar to what we would expect out of a high end device coming out sometime in 2010, but in 2011 they create a device on the upper end of the mid-range scale, totally serviceable and most likely at a fair price. It fits the mold that has been cast for the Bliss, a handset designed to be appealing to the fairer of the two sexes. A glowing “charm” indicator is ideal for dangling outside of a purse, alerting the user to calls, texts, and notifications while the handset remains muffled deep in the bottom of the bag. The Bliss is known to be outfitted with Android Gingerbread and a freshly updated version of HTC Sense.

On the other end of the spectrum is the HTC Runnymede, a phone which borrows heavily from the recently announced WP7 HTC Titan. It is similar in size with a gargantuan 4.7-inch display and waistline measuring only 9.9mm thick. Tucked inside you will find a single-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm chip. An 8MP camera is capable of 720p video capture. A big addition, as displayed prominently on the back of the handset in a newly-leaked promo shot, is the inclusion of Beats Audio.
HTC sure has a knack for covering every niche in the smartphone market, and with dual-core beasts like the HTC Vigor also in the lineup it looks like it could be another big holiday season for the Taiwanese manufacturer.
[via ThisIsMyNext, UnwiredView]

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STATS: Over half of all UK Android phones are made by HTC

Data analyst ComScore has released some new facts & figures covering the European smartphone scene, breaking down Android sales by hardware maker. It shows that in terms of Android use, HTC has an astonishing grip of the UK, with 51% of all Android users in the country owning an HTC device. Big win, that.
ComScore says a total of 6.3m people in the UK now use an Android phone, with 4.5m Android users in France and 4m in Germany. Here’s the Android manufacturer breakdown across five key EU territories:

Samsung owns France, though. Good to see the resurgent Sony Ericsson making up some ground with its ace 2011 models, too. You can read the full ComScore report into the current state of the European mobile scene here.
Link via Techradar.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray available now

If there’s one phone we’ve given a verbal bashing more than the HTC ChaCha this year, it’s the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray. The poor bastard.
To be fair, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray looks fine, but coming from a manufacturer that’s easily into double figures with its Android output this year alone, it’s just a little underwhelming. Sorry, Raymond.

Anyway, if you haven’t been put off by our incessant bullying, you can now grab the SIM free Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray from

Clove for £299.99. Play.com is a little more expensive at £329.99.

It’s also available from O2 on a variety of 18M and 24M contracts, from free to £79.99 up front. Of course, remember with O2 you have to throw on a “Data Allowance” bundle on top of the advertised tariff. Cheeky gits.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray has a 3.3in display, 8.1MP camera, 1GHz processor, 1,500mAh battery, and runs Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) with Facebook Inside. It’s a mere 9.4mm thick.
Vodafone and Orange are expected to join the Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray party later in the year.

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Android apps continue to gain popularity, catching up to Apple

There are plenty of smartphone users that will stick with what they like and there are some that want the most apps available.  For the latter, it might start to get a bit difficult to choose since Android apps are closing the gap with Apple apps.  App downloads are powering towards 5 billion by the end of 2011.  In the Asia-Pacific region, Android apps are set to take over Apple apps for the first time.  With increasing smartphone usage in the region and more smartphone users getting familiar with Android OS, the numbers are set to shoot through the roof.  This year, the region can expect to see an increase of 189 percent on the number of app downloads.
Experts expect mobile app downloads to reach the 14 billion mark over the next 5 years.  In this region, the research showed that revenues could climb to as much as $870+ million compared to only $300+ million last year, with those numbers climbing each year as more smartphones become available to the area.  Downloads from all app stores around the world is increasing as the demand for smartphones rises in areas of the world that were not able to get access to the phones over recent years.

Apps that add features to phones and allow users to complete tasks on the go are the most popular type of app.  Apple saw about 15 billion app downloads and the iTunes App Store is showing about 425,000 apps at this time.  Even though Android only listed about 1.8 billion apps download this year, it is actually about higher than Apple’s 1.5 billion.  That is a major increase from last year when the region saw 244 million Android apps downloaded compared to Apple’s 424 million apps over the same time period.

Android is set to take over Apple in more ways than one, but for now it is just in the app marketplace.  As Android devices gain in popularity and lower prices to lure more customers, the downloaded app numbers will continue to increase over the years.  The Asia-Pacific market is large and some say that Android could hit the 6 billion download mark by 2016 and that would be double what experts say Apple apps will be by the same year.  The Apple iPhone is still the most popular smartphone and has the highest in paid app revenue, which is set to climb to $800 million by 2016.

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