Ice Cream Sandwich Samsung event official: October 19th in Hong Kong

Who is finally ready for some Ice Cream? Just hitting the wires we now can officially confirm that Google and Samsung are all set to unveil the Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich next week on Wednesday, October 19th in Hong Kong at 10AM. Yes the Samsung Mobile unpacked that was canceled last minute will now take place next week, so the wait is only 6 more days. I’m giddy with excitement, what about you guys?

The Samsung Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich news has been going crazy the last few weeks and it all started with the Samsung Nexus teaser video. We then started seeing all sorts of rumors and the Android Developers YouTube Channel even confirmed the ICS launch. Most likely the event will still be streamed on that same developer channel so be sure and stay tuned.
In cased you missed all the Ice Cream Sandwich last week we have some leaked screenshots showing the OS, and the new Samsung Nexus device was leaked on video too. For now everything is still a complete mystery although the countless leaks have given us a pretty good idea of what to expect come October 19th when the world will finally see Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus device. I’m still holding strong that it will be called the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, but the possibility of Prime is still floating around but don’t worry, we will all know come October 19th.
Will Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the Nexus be all we hoped for? Find out next week as we’ll be there LIVE to cover the entire event and get plenty of pictures and video. As a little reminder at 10AM Wednesday the 19th in Hong Kong, it will actually be Tuesday night here in the US. So be sure to check your local times because that is Tuesday night at 7 PM PST and 10 PM EST — Break out the coffee and be ready to party.

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CVS Caremark app launches for Android, manage prescriptions on the go

CVS Caremark has announced their official Android application. The app, available at no cost today, allows users to access the CVS prescription drug information database to learn more about their prescriptions as well as allows for safe and secure management of refills and prescriptions. The database has information, images, dosing details and more for those in need, more details below.

The CVS drug information database and services is open to everyone using the application but for those seeking more options, and the management of refills you’ll need to be a CVS Caremark member and you can sign up at Caremark.com. Once a member you have access to many additional options outlined below:
- Refill a prescription
- Check prescription order status
- View a prescription history
- Easy mail service prescription refills
- Online new prescription requests
- Check drug coverage and cost
- Locate a network pharmacy
Caremark has been available for iOS for some time and is now finally coming to Android. While this isn’t Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja, the many people in the world needing prescription drugs will find the CVS Caremark Android application highly useful. Again all the details can be found over at Caremark.com and the official Android application is available in the market right now, get it by clicking here.

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Microsoft signs more Android patent agreements, this time with Quanta

Microsoft is at it again, wasting no time signing deals covering royalties and patent agreements from everyone involved in the Android OEM business as of late. The latest to fall victim this time around is Quanta Computers. The name might not be widely known but Quanta is a huge manufacturer of electronic devices. They built the BlackBerry Playbook, the Kindle Fire, and have contracts with companies such as HP, Apple, Dell, Gateway, Lenovo, Sony and many others. Today have signed patent royalty agreements with Microsoft over any Android or Chrome products they intent to build now, and in the future.

For those unfamiliar with the situation, Microsoft has a wide array of patents regarding all sorts of mobile and computational devices, and software. All Android and Chrome based devices are susceptible to infringe on these patents and to cover their bases OEM’s have been forced into signing agreements with Microsoft. There is much more to this story but that is gist of it. This is nothing new and Microsoft has been banking around $5 USD from every HTC Android device sold, that deal alone and net them more profit than Windows Phone 7 as a whole lately. Velocity Micro, Onyko and many others have signed similar deals including another big name, Samsung.

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Android games coming to retail stores in time for the holidays

Soon you’ll be able to purchase a selection of Android games at your local big-box retailer, courtesy of developer conglomerate indiePub. They’ll begin selling cards with download codes redeemable for certain games, much like an iTunes or Amazon MP3 Store gift certificate. Android All-Stars cards should be available from retailers before the holiday season.

The advantage of store-bought games isn’t immediately apparent for a mobile populace used to fully digital distribution. But indiePub is exploiting a current weakness in the Android Market: there’s no way to “gift” an app or game for someone else, as the iOS App Store and game services like Steam can. The presence of a physical item, even if it’s just a plastic card, also makes for something to unwrap – it’s hard to put a URL underneath a Christmas tree.
The $10 cards will allow purchasers to download a group of apps via a redemption code. Several different collections will be available: Volume 1 has Fruit Ninja, Doodle Jump, Sally’s Spa and others, Volume Two gets you Kona’s Crate, Guerilla Bob, Free Kicks Soccer, and Backbreaker Football, while the special Atari collection allows you to download over 100 classic 2600 games. Stores selling the cards in the United States and Canada will include Target, Toys ‘R’ Us, Sam’s Club and Rogers Mobile. Games will be downloaded directly from indiePub, bypassing the Android Market.

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Google Wallet Updated, Includes New Inline Offers

Google Wallet has received a pretty substantial update, bringing its version number up to 1.0-R33v4. For those lucky enough to own a device capable of using Google’s mobile payment service (read: Nexus S 4G owners), you will be pleased to know you have some new offers coming your way. The updated version of Wallet allows you to access these deals directly. Other updates include:

• Updated transaction detail screen (for Tap & Pay and in Transaction History)
• Merchant name and amount now available for Google Prepaid Card purchases
• Improved button to turn your cards on and off
• Five minute default PIN timeout for new users
• An improved tutorial
• Account Number validation for some gift cards
• Bug fixes

You can grab the update app by heading on over to the Android Market link below. Finding retailers who will accept Google Wallet payments? That’s another story entirely.

Android Market Link: Google Wallet

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Official DROID 2 Global Gingerbread update is coming soon

Good news, DROID 2 Global Edition users, your long-awaited Gingerbread update is right around the corner. Verizon updated its support page today, announcing that the newest system update would bring Android 2.3 to the popular handset. The page doesn’t give an exact date, but Verizon usually doesn’t wait more than a week after an official update guide to begin rolling out the software.

The Motorola DROID 2 Global was originally set to get a taste of Gingerbread last month,  but some last-minute issues forced a retraction. According to Verizon’s documentation, the new software version will bring new features like improved power management, keyboard detection, a revised user interface, new encryption and VPN options and an improved calendar. Speaking of calendars, it’s only been 11 months since Gingerbread was available to manufacturers – and we’re expecting an official announcement for Android Ice Cream Sandwich any day now.
Other improvements highlighted by Verizon include better email syncing, more stability (i.e. fewer device crashes), improved Bluetooth power and volume management, better WiFi power management and new versions of Google Books, Accuweather, the Amazon MP3 store, Blockbuster (woo), and Flash. The software update isn’t available just yet, but keep checking the OTA update in the settings menu – you never know when the staggered rollout will begin. If you’re the warranty-voiding adventurous type, don’t forget that leaks of the update have been available for some time.

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Siri alternatives for Android users

The only thing that was major about the unveiling of the iPhone 4S was the new Siri voice assistant service. All the other stuff about the iPhone 4S was just not that interesting. If you are on an Android phone and like the idea of Siri, several apps out there will give you similar features right now. Extremetech ran down the top five Android apps that are like Siri, see what you think of their choices.

The first is Vlingo Virtual Assistant, which is a free app with ads or $2 to remove the ads. It has more than a million downloads and the app is one of the best by some accounts. You can voice dial with the app, send texts, and emails as well as conduct local search. Sonalight Text by Voice is the next app and it will cost you $20 per year. It lets you text using your voice and reads them back to you too.
Google Voice Search/actions is the next on the list and it is free. You can access this by clicking the mic button on the keyboard. The fourth choice is Edwin, Speech-to-Speech. This gives you voice control for different features and you can ask it odd questions since it works with Wolfram Alpha. It is free as well. The last is Speaktoit Assistant, also free. This app is like Vlingo in functionality and has an avatar on screen you talk to.
[via ExtremeTech]

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Sony’s Tablet S and Tablet P get Japanese 3G versions on October 28th

Sony’s first entries into the Honeycomb tablet market, the creatively-named Tablet S and Tablet P, are getting mobile broadband versions in their home market. Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo will start selling 3G versions of both devices on October 28th. On this side of the Pacific, the Tablet S is only available in a WiFi version, and the dual-screen tablet P is still a complete no-show.

The wireless release is ahead of schedule – Sony had previously planned to have 3G versions of the tablets available November. The Google translation is a little shaky, but it looks like new users will have a 1050 yen ($14) discount applied to their data plan for the first six months. That’s a good sign for Japanese tablet fans, but unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything about a North American release for the wireless broadband versions. Honestly, we’d be happy just to get our hands on the funky dual-screen Tablet P again.
Both of Sony’s tablets use Android Honeycomb 3.2, to their credit and Android fans’ delight. The S model features a 1280 x 720 screen, while the split screens on the P are each 1024 x 480. Both feature Tegra 2 processors and Playstation certification, a la the XPERIA Play, plus a rear 5 megapixel 720p camera. The Tablet S has a built-in infrared port for controlling televisions and set-top boxes, and both of them feature DLNA certification and access to Sony’s media stores for music, video and e-books. There is currently no word on when the Tablet P, or 3G versions of either tablet, will be released in the United States.
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Lenovo increases IdeaPad A1 tablet price by $30

Here’s a puzzler: why is Lenovo’s brand-spanking new Gingerbread tablet now $30 more expensive on the company’s web store? The price of the cheapest IdeaPad A1 raised from $199 to $229, but the upgraded 16GB version will still be $249. Android Community is currently waiting for a response from Lenovo regarding the price change.

If you’re hoping to get the IdeaPad A1 at the original price, you’d better look around quickly. New tablets from the Lenovo store won’t ship until November at the earliest, and many other online retailers seem to be sold out of their stock. The A1 was only released a week ago. Without an official statement from Lenovo we’re left to speculate as to the reasons for the upgrade. It’s possible that the tablet is selling so well they don’t mind adjusting the supply-demand ratio a bit, or the original $199 price could have been meant as a special to spur interest from early adopters.
Even at $229, the IdeaPad K1 is a pretty good deal when measured against more expensive options. The 7-inch, 1024 x 600 display is roughly equal to the original Samsung Galaxy Tab, and the 1GHz processor should be zippy enough for most Android apps. Gingerbread is a bit of a discouragement, but it’s basically standard on tablets in the range. However, Lenovo’s adjusted pricing may come back to haunt them as the Amazon Kindle Fire release approaches. The heavily customized Gingerbread tablet lands in November for just $199, with mostly equal hardware and compelling integration with Amazon services.
[via Tablets Planet]
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