Must-Have Android Apps discounted at the Amazon Appstore

I just came across this cool promotion called “Geek Week” that the Amazon Appstore is running this week on some really cool Android apps. While these apps may not appeal to everyone, we suggest that you take a look at them and and know what they’re all about.
Check out the full list of the apps included in this promotion:

• EasyTether now $4.99, was $9.99
• WidgetLocker Lockscreen now $0.99, was $1.99
• Root Explorer now $0.99, was $3.99
• SetCPU for Root Users now $0.99, was $2
• Wave Launcher now $0.99, was $1.99
• RepliGo Reader now $1.99, was $4.99
• BackupEverything now $0.99, was $1.99
• Xtralogic remote Desktop Client now $12.99, was $24.95

If you don’t have any of these apps yet, we recommend that you’d jump on EasyTether which doesn’t require that you have a rooted device to tether. Some other notable and must have apps are Root Explorer and SetCPU. Enjoy!
Link to Geek Week Promotion

Read more »

Sharp kills Galapagos 5.5 and 10.8 tablets, 7-inch version inbound

Sharp has announced that it has ended the production of the first two Galapagos tablets, the 5.5-inch and 10.8-inch versions. Sharp isn’t killing the line though, it still has plans to launch a 7-inch tablet. The two killed Galapagos tablets are no longer available to order. I would assume that means that there is no more stock on them since presumably Sharp would want to move all that inventory rather than just stop taking orders on them.

Sharp does note that it will continue to offer eBook downloads on its store. That means if you own a Galapagos tablet you will still be able to use it as an e-reader. That 7-inch tablet that is still in the works is the A01SH that we first talked about back in August. We know the tablet will have a screen resolution of 1024 x 600, a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP front camera. It will also have a mobile broadband modem inside good for downloads at up to 42Mbps in Japan.
The OS for that coming tablet will be Android 3.2 Honeycomb on NVIDIA Tegra 1 dual-core and the battery life is in the area of 7.5 hours. There are plenty of other 7-inch tablets on the market today and the hardware inside that Sharp tablet isn’t special. I hope the A01SH is cheap or I don’t think it will do well.
[via SlashGear
)

Read more »

Samsung Infuse 4G Receives Maintenance Update, Still No Gingerbread

Though owners of the Samsung Infuse 4G are itching for the promised Android 2.3 update for their AT&T handsets, a maintenance release has been pushed to the smartphone. The 14.5MB file provides bug fixes primarily, though it likely also comes to make the necessary preparations for the move from Froyo to Gingerbread. That is supposed to happen sometime this month, though the exact timing isn’t quite known.
[via AndroidCentral]

Read more »

Google Buys 1K Patents From IBM To Help Defend Android

It has just been made known that Google recently bought 1,023 patents from IBM in a move that will no doubt help the internet search giant defend the Android OS from rivals like Apple and Microsoft (boo — hiss). The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s show that Google acquired these patents back in August 17th but the information was just released today on their website. A Google spokesman would not comment as to further details or the financial terms of the transaction.
Add this thousand to the 1,030 they acquired from IBM back in July and the some 17,000 patents Google recently acquired when they bought Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion last month and Googorola is a force to be reckoned with. Google has mentioned that these patents would only be used to defend themselves against the forces of evil. To help fight the good fight, Google was generous enough to transfer 9 of their patents to HTC who was able to use those in their lawsuit against Apple. And that’s how you play the patent game, folks.
[Via Bloomberg]

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G LTE update coming soon, only bug fixes

Samsung and Verizon are all prepped to start the OTA (over the air) update for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with Verizon 4G LTE this week. Sadly the update appears to only be a very minor one that should fix some 4G LTE connectivity issues and a few other bugs.

I know many users (myself included) were hoping this would be an update to Android 3.2 Honeycomb or even the recently released Touch Wiz UX that the Wi-Fi version received but it is neither. This update is a minor software update and nothing more. While I wish we were receiving an update to the stable 3.2 Honeycomb, I’m still happy that they are providing some fixes and hopefully users have a more stable connection following the update.
According to the info provided by Verizon we will see data connectivity enhancements and fixes, then a slew of improvements for email and browsing the web on your Galaxy Tab 10 with 4G LTE. Usually once these update notes appear at Verizon Support the updates shortly follow within a few days so we can expect to see this any time now. I’ll be sure to update once it starts hitting tablets.

Read more »

HTC Runnymede Sense 3.5 ROM Ported to the Desire S

While HTC Sense 3.5 has yet to make its official debut, the underground Android dev scene has been busy porting the updated user interface to the currently available lineup of HTC devices. The latest port comes on behalf of the upcoming HTC Runnymede and XDA member proxuser. What we see here is a version of Sense that looks slightly different from the one ripped from the HTC Bliss the first phone found to be running the altered UI.

The Sense 3.5 ROM is in its first release for the HTC Desire S and runs on top of Android 2.3.5. Based around the WWE RUU 0.82.401.1, there are still some kinks to be worked out. The ROM is expected to find its way to other handsets in the near future.
[via XDA]

Read more »

HTC Sensation XE hands-on

The HTC Sensation XE has just been announced by the Taiwanese company and we’ve already had the chance to get our hands all over it, at a showcase for Carphone Warehouse.
The new flagship HTC handset comes rocking Beats Audio, an upgraded processor and a RAM boost. The onboard processor is now a dual core 1.5GHz model and an HTC agent told the RAM had been increased to 1GB as well.
In the hand the new Android smartphone is essentially the same design as the existing Sensation. You get those slick lines and the huge screen that contours slightly at the edges.

A few subtle changes will make it clear to your friends that you have the latest and greatest phone from HTC however.
There are red flashes of detailing on the front: the speaker grill is now red and the backlit control buttons ranging across the bottom of the 4.3-inch display are also red.?Flip the phone over and the three-tone back of the original Sensation is now two tones and of course there is the iconic Beats logo emblazoned on the back.
Fire the Sensation XE up and it is very much HTC Sense as normal. The phone is running Android 2.3.4 and comes with Sense 3.0, but there have been some software tweaks to accommodate Dr Dre's musical aptitude.
Plug in the headphones and when you head into the Sound Enhancer section you’ll find the option to enable or disable Beats Audio. Enabling fires up a Beats icon in the notification bar too, with the option to turn off the enhancement on the fly.

You probably won’t choose to however, as in our tests we found the HTC Sensation XE to sound fantastic. Of course, you’re not just left hanging with regular HTC headphones as you get a set of iBeats in the box, making this an exciting package for the music fan.
The battery has also been upgraded, so the handset promises longer life than before, which to be fair, was never the phone’s strongest feature.?
Whether the performance is much different to its forebear is difficult to gauge from a brief play, however, for those who have recently got themselves an HTC Sensation, you now have something else to crave.

                                           

Read more »

LG Optimus S Gets Android 2.3 Update

Won’t be long before Froyo is obsolete. Sprint has released Android 2.3 for the LG Optimus S (which, if you didn’t know, is their version of the LG Optimus One). Sprint’s version of the phone is a slightly modified version of stock Android so you can expect the stock Gingerbread look that has really grown on a lot of people. Find the list of changes below and grab instructions on how to pull the update down here. [Sprint via AC]

LG Optimus S Software Update – Android 2.3 (LS670ZVH)

Enhancements/Fixes:
- Volume adjustment from handset when backlight is off and in a Bluetooth call
- Initiation of a 3-way call in certain markets
- Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
- Updated color scheme (includesdarker notification bar and black-based menus)
- New on-screen keyboard (supports multi-touch input and a  smart auto-correction function)
- Improved cut-paste functionality
- New integrated download application for ease in accessing downloaded files
- Updated camera application
- Power management and task killer applications

Important Notes:
- The new software version is: LS670ZVH
- Released in stages with 100% of devices having received the update within 10 days
- Refer to the LG Optimus S Software Update blog for install instructions

Read more »

Google Goggles Updated, Automatically Searches Every Picture You Take

Google Goggles has been updated to version 1.6 with a feature that aims to make your smartphone camera “smarter.” With a new opt-in feature, Goggles will now automatically perform a search on any image you take with your camera, whether you snap the picture using the app or not. The search takes place in the background, and, should any useful results such as paintings or landmarks be returned, a notification will be pushed.

Many might be hesitant of the new feature, viewing it as just one more way for Google to collect information on its users, and Google no doubt hopes to gain from whatever data they uncover, but the feature is stressed as opt-in only. Goggles won’t be googling your images without your knowledge. Automatic image searches could certainly come in handy when it comes to uncovering fun facts or interesting threads of information related to the objects and places you photograph, but for now it still doesn’t do much to elevate Goggles into an app useful on a daily basis. Head over to the Android Market to download or update Goggle now.

Android Market Link: Google Goggles

[via Google]

Read more »